How to be more innovative | Sam Schillace (Microsoft deputy CTO, creator of Google Docs)

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

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What if AI works? What would you build?

Challenging the current limitations and issues around gender and AI, the speaker envisions a future where software can be built to solve complex problems and achieve meaningful outcomes. They propose the idea of a reasoning engine and compare it to the second industrial revolution, where there is a surplus of cognitive energy beyond just our brains. Embracing a disruptive mindset, they draw parallels to the innovative ideas of Tesla and SpaceX, emphasizing the power of 'what if' questions in driving transformational advancements.

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Transcript

Episode notes

Sam Schillace is deputy CTO and corporate vice president at Microsoft. Prior to working at Microsoft, Sam started a company called Writely, which was acquired by Google and became the foundation of what today is Google Docs. While at Google, Sam helped lead many of Google’s consumer products, including Gmail, Blogger, PageCreator, Picasa, Reader, Groups, and more recently Maps and Google Automotive Services. Sam was also a principal investor at Google Ventures, has founded six startups, and was the SVP of engineering at Box through their IPO. In this episode, we discuss:

• The journey of building Google Docs

• The importance of taking risks, embracing failure, and finding joy in your work

• The importance of asking “what if” questions vs. “why not”

• Why convenience always wins

• How, and why, Sam stays optimistic

• Inside Microsoft’s culture

• Why you should solve problems without asking for permission

• Early-career advice

• Why “pixels are free” and “bots are docs”

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Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-be-more-innovative-sam-schillace

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Where to find Sam Schillace:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schillace/

• Newsletter: https://sundaylettersfromsam.substack.com/

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Where to find Lenny:

• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/

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