Everyday AI Podcast – An AI and ChatGPT Podcast

EP 397: How AI Is Democratizing Innovation for Non-Tech Experts

Nov 7, 2024

In this conversation, Mike Todasco, a visiting fellow at San Diego State University and former head of innovation at PayPal, discusses how AI is reshaping innovation, making it accessible to everyone. He shares insights on the transition from ideation to execution, emphasizing that execution is more valuable than the initial idea. Todasco explores the role of generative AI tools in empowering non-technical users, the importance of adaptability for companies, and how curiosity can drive creative applications of AI in business.

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ANECDOTE

From Accountant to Innovation Lead

Mike Todasco started his career as an accountant and worked at a paper company.
He joined PayPal in 2011, feeling "dangerously unqualified" but excited about the work.

ANECDOTE

PayPal's Innovation Driven by Hackers

PayPal's innovative culture was partly driven by the constant threat of Russian hackers.
This pressure forced them to develop creative solutions, like micro-deposits for bank verification.

ANECDOTE

GPT-3 for Inaugural Address

Mike Todasco's first experience with GPT-3 involved writing an AI president's inaugural address.
He was amazed by its ability to generate cohesive text, even with occasional errors.

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In the age of AI, your ideas are worth nothing. For reals. If you really wanna innovate, you've gotta learn to move on from ideation to execution. Easier said than done, right? What if you could steal the game plan from the former head of Innovation at PayPal, Mike Todasco? Well now you can.

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Topics Covered in This Episode:
1. Applications and Capabilities of LLMs
2. Approach to AI for Non-Technical Users
3. Future Changes and Challenges with AI
4. Role of AI in Creativity and Business Innovation
5. Adapting to AI and Challenges for Big Companies

Timestamps:
00:00 AI democratizes innovation for all, experts unnecessary.
05:19 Unqualified at PayPal, led mobile innovation.
07:39 Russian hackers drove PayPal's innovation culture.
11:51 AI tools were revolutionary for non-engineers.
15:12 Language models evolving; accessible to nontechnical users.
19:31 Claude for writing, ChatGPT for math tasks.
22:54 My brainstorming partner after initial planning stage.
25:45 AI makes idea generation easier; taste crucial.
27:37 Execution outweighs idea value; execution is key.
32:03 Companies face challenges adapting to new futures.
34:34 Listen to the WorkLab podcast from Microsoft.
37:03 Obsess over solving your customer's problems first.
42:37 Embrace curiosity, experimentation with AI tools.
44:52 Sign up for the free daily newsletter.

Keywords:
Large Language Models, Multimodality Features, Non-Technical Users, Personal Use Case, GPT, Dietary Advice, Model Experimentation, Suitable Models, User Interface, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Innovation, Everyday AI Podcast, Microsoft's WorkLab Podcast, Mike Todasco, Silicon Valley, PayPal, AI and Future Changes, Innovation Challenges, AI Progress and Investment, AI Agents, Business Innovation, Brainstorming Process, Role of AI in Creativity, Value of Ideas vs. Execution, Human Traits, Unlearning and Adapting, Challenges for Big Companies, Generative AI, GPT-3.

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