The Only Constant Episode #4 | Dr. Jeffrey Funk | From techno-optimist to techno-sceptic and the impact of new technologies
Dec 14, 2023
49:06
This episode’s guest is Dr. Jeffrey Funk, and together with Lasse he discusses the over-hyping of emerging technologies and the importance of realistic technological expectations.
In this conversation you can hear about Jeffrey’s journey from techno-optimist towards becoming more sceptical about the actual impact and improvement rates of new technologies. And during the conversation he emphasizes the need for a more realistic and grounded approach to evaluating technological advancements.
In their company, you can explore topics such as:
Tune in to this episode for a chance to get off the hype train – at least for a while.
Do you want to learn more about Jeffrey Funk?
Dr. Jeffrey Funk has had a notable 40-year career focusing on the emergence and diffusion of new technologies, both as a professor and consultant. He was an early proponent of smartphones during the late 1990s and early 2000s in Japan when the Japanese were ahead of the West.
His insights enabled him to help several Western companies implement phones and services. He was one of the first to recommend the use of apps as early as in 2004, years before the iPhone launch in 2007. This work earned him the NTT DoCoMo mobile science award in 2004.
After moving to the National University of Singapore in 2007, Dr. Funk taught a unique course on the economics of new technologies. This course, along with his supporting research, positioned him as an early critic of current startups and venture capitalists. He continues to be a leading voice for startups and new technologies, contributing through writing, speaking, consulting, and engaging on platforms like LinkedIn.
His work suggests that technological advancements and startups are progressing more slowly than in the past, and he emphasizes the importance of seeking genuine scientific advances for true value creation in new ventures.
In this conversation you can hear about Jeffrey’s journey from techno-optimist towards becoming more sceptical about the actual impact and improvement rates of new technologies. And during the conversation he emphasizes the need for a more realistic and grounded approach to evaluating technological advancements.
In their company, you can explore topics such as:
- The gap between expectations and real-world impacts in emerging technologies
- The slower-than-expected progress and challenges in technology development and adoption.
Tune in to this episode for a chance to get off the hype train – at least for a while.
Do you want to learn more about Jeffrey Funk?
Dr. Jeffrey Funk has had a notable 40-year career focusing on the emergence and diffusion of new technologies, both as a professor and consultant. He was an early proponent of smartphones during the late 1990s and early 2000s in Japan when the Japanese were ahead of the West.
His insights enabled him to help several Western companies implement phones and services. He was one of the first to recommend the use of apps as early as in 2004, years before the iPhone launch in 2007. This work earned him the NTT DoCoMo mobile science award in 2004.
After moving to the National University of Singapore in 2007, Dr. Funk taught a unique course on the economics of new technologies. This course, along with his supporting research, positioned him as an early critic of current startups and venture capitalists. He continues to be a leading voice for startups and new technologies, contributing through writing, speaking, consulting, and engaging on platforms like LinkedIn.
His work suggests that technological advancements and startups are progressing more slowly than in the past, and he emphasizes the importance of seeking genuine scientific advances for true value creation in new ventures.