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What’s Blocking the Road to Mass EV Adoption?

Mia Maček — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:57:29 +0000

Electric vehicles have come a long way, but unreliable charging stations are still stalling widespread adoption. What’s behind this persistent roadblock, and what can we learn from it?

You know that feeling of panic when your battery hits 5%, and your charger is nowhere to be found? It doesn’t matter if it’s phones, laptops, or earbuds – when they run out of juice, we run out of patience.

Now imagine it’s your car, and you can’t exactly stuff an EV charger in your backpack, no matter how cool or Kickstarter-worthy it is. Electric vehicles are great until finding a working charger feels like a game of roulette rather than a welcome coffee break.

Let’s unpack one of the biggest hurdles slowing mass EV adoption: charging infrastructure. Range anxiety is real, and nothing kills the dream of a road trip faster than an “Out of Order” sign on a charging station.

The bumpy road to mass EV adoption

Every new technology is faced with early adoption challenges. When the automobile first entered the scene in the early 1900s, people (being people) quickly found reasons to dismiss it. Thin tires got stuck on horse-trodden dirt roads, and the muddy, manure-filled streets simply weren’t built for these contraptions.

Or, to use an example much closer to home (and the date currently on our calendars), think back to the early days of the internet. “Get off the phone, I need to go online!” was a nightly refrain in many households until we invented broadband and finally got the internet off telephone lines.

In both these cases, the technology itself showed promise, but the infrastructure lagged behind.

Today, we’re seeing the same scenario play out with electric vehicles. EVs have come a long way, with sleek designs and increasingly better battery ranges, but true mass adoption? We’re not quite there yet, and charging station reliability is a key factor holding us back.

What’s the deal with unreliable charging stations?

Recent data shows that between 20% and 40% of public charging stations in North America may be nonoperational at any given time. Why the high failure rate? Because fixing a charging station is not just a matter of swapping out a broken cable.

Modern EV charging stations are less like oversized electrical outlets and more like small computers that must “talk” to your car’s software. A single glitch in that software handshake can bring the entire station offline.

The real curveball, though, is industry fragmentation. Tesla, as a vertically integrated system, is the exception here. Its vehicles, chargers, and data all come from one source, which allows the company to roll out remote fixes in hours. But for the rest of the EV world, dozens of hardware and software providers must communicate seamlessly, often without shared data or standardized troubleshooting protocols. It’s the equivalent of trying to run one operating system across 10 different computer brands, all speaking a slightly different language.

A job no one trained for

Even when it’s clear something is wrong, who do you call to fix it? For years, the industry defaulted to sending out electricians to solve what was, in 90% of cases, a software issue. As expected, the results were similar to what you’d get by sending a cable installer to reprogram your router firmware – a number of costly site visits that often solved absolutely nothing.

Now, companies are waking up to the need for specialized skills, recognizing that fixing chargers isn’t just electrical engineering; it’s part tech support, part software troubleshooting, and entirely new territory.

The bigger picture

Broken chargers aren’t just speed bumps on the road to sustainable mobility; they’re a sign of what happens when you bring complex software into public infrastructure for the first time. As we move toward smarter cities and even more IoT devices, EV charging is just the opening chapter. By solving these challenges now, we pave the way for smoother adoption of all kinds of connected systems.

People no longer complain about horseless carriages clogging unpaved roads, and our dial-up internet days are a nostalgic memory, which goes to show we can handle this, too. The question isn’t whether electric vehicles can replace gas-guzzlers; it’s whether we’ll build the infrastructure to make it happen – and learn to fix it fast when it’s blocking our road.

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Can Technology Find the Solution to Plastic Pollution?

Mia Maček — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 15:58:59 +0000

Plastic started out as a wonder material, revolutionizing entire industries. Today, it’s an environmental villain threatening ecosystems worldwide. What happened? And more importantly, can technology help us get out of this plastic mess before it’s too late?

When plastic first entered the scene in the early 20th century, it seemed like the ultimate solution – lightweight, durable, and endlessly versatile. Before long, it replaced traditional materials in everything from kitchenware to car interiors. By the post-WWII boom, plastic had gone mainstream, ushering in an era of cheap convenience.

But that convenience came at a cost. Today, we produce around 380 million tons of plastic every year, with most of it ending up in landfills or, worse, our rivers and oceans. Only about 9% of all plastic ever manufactured has been recycled.

It’s not just about water bottles bobbing along coastlines. There’s also the threat of microplastics: tiny, often, invisible fragments that seep into the soil, float through the air, and find our way into our bodies. When studies confirm that plastic particles show up in human blood and even placentas, it’s clear that we’ve crossed a disturbing line.

When tech meets trash

If this all sounds grim, well, it is. But there’s a glimmer of hope: technology may offer some of the most promising solutions to plastic pollution. Just as new powertrains and software redefined the automotive world, innovation could redefine our relationship with plastic.

Smarter recycling with AI

AI-driven sorting systems are popping up in material recovery facilities (MRFs) worldwide. Equipped with high-speed cameras and machine learning algorithms, these systems can distinguish PET from HDPE in a blink, improving sorting efficiency and purity rates. Cleaner recycling streams mean less plastic goes to waste – and more makes its way back into products we actually use.

Breaking it down to basics

Chemical recycling goes a step beyond traditional melting and remolding, which weakens the plastic’s quality with each round. By breaking it down at the molecular level, this new approach lets us rebuild plastic from scratch – like reinstalling an operating system without the bloatware. This is still a developing field, but startups and major chemical companies alike are racing to make it viable at scale.

Materials for a new era

Meanwhile, bioplastics and biodegradable polymers are gaining traction. Derived from sources like algae and fungi, these materials offer the convenience of plastic without the long-term environmental toll. While they still face hurdles – cost, production capacity, and disposal infrastructure – they hint at a future where our “disposable” goods actually break down safely.

Tracking for accountability

Blockchain might be one of the many tech buzzwords, but in this context, it has real potential. By tracking each plastic component from creation to disposal, we can pinpoint exactly where it ends up. That kind of transparency not only helps companies optimize their supply chains but also ensures fewer stray plastic bits wind up on beaches or in coral reefs.

Toward a circular future

Plastic pollution isn’t going to disappear overnight. The scale of the problem is simply enormous and demands not just technological innovation but a collective shift – away from single-use culture and toward large-scale recycling and responsible production.

However, looking at plastic in light of recent tech developments gives us reason to be cautiously optimistic. After all, we’ve seen disruptions before. Just as digital platforms reshaped retail and AI reinvented customer service, new tech solutions could redefine our relationship with plastic.

And what if we shifted our perspective? What if plastic itself isn’t the issue but rather our outdated way of using it? If we apply the right mix of innovation, regulation, and willpower, plastic could move from perpetual polluter to a resource that’s recaptured, repurposed, or remade time and time again.

And if there’s anything we’ve learned from the tech world, it’s that once change starts rolling, it can be swift and unstoppable – just like plastic once was. Now we just need to make sure we steer it in the right direction.

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How AI Went from Buzz to ‘Buzz off While I Generate This’

Mia Maček — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:21:40 +0000

AI’s early days were filled with lofty promises, fears of domination, and hopes of revolution. Two years later, we’re no longer holding our breath. The hype cycle has moved on, and it’s time to talk about what comes after the spectacle.

In November 2022, the launch of ChatGPT kicked off a generative AI frenzy that had everyone in awe. Would artificial intelligence replace us? Would it kill us? Would it solve everything from the climate crisis to cancer?

Some two years later, we’re still here, and unfortunately, so is cancer and climate change. We’ve seen some impressive AI successes and plenty of flops. Now, when we talk about AI, it’s no longer with that giddy mix of excitement, fear, and uncertainty – it’s more of a ‘business as usual’ approach.

AI tools have become the new normal, which is also… normal. What we’re currently witnessing is part of a broader pattern known as the hype cycle.

It comes in cycles

The concept of a hype cycle was first introduced by the American research company Gartner. It describes the typical progression of new technologies, from early excitement and inflated expectations, through eventual disillusionment, and finally to a stable, productive use.

We’ve seen this happen with technologies like cloud computing, which was initially hyped as a revolutionary shift in IT infrastructure, faced skepticism about security and reliability, and eventually became a standard in how businesses operate today. The same pattern could have been observed with virtual reality, the Internet of Things, and even the internet itself.

If you’re curious about how AI can go beyond the hype for your business, it all starts with understanding where you stand. Take our survey to get a free, personalized assessment of your business’s readiness for AI implementation.

Past the hype and into reality

So, where is artificial intelligence in the hype cycle? According to the Gartner report published this summer, generative AI has passed the Peak of Inflated Expectations and is entering the Trough of Disillusionment phase, where real challenges and limitations come to the forefront. Meanwhile, other AI technologies, such as quantum machine learning and edge AI, are still climbing toward their peak, with many advancements yet to come.

In other words, the honeymoon is over. AI has shown great potential, but now we’re in the part of the relationship where the real work begins. And the real work, in this case, includes managing risks related to AI systems and ensuring the technology is implemented safely and effectively.

One of the challenges we’re still dealing with is AI’s tendency to hallucinate, i.e., generate information that sounds plausible but is completely wrong. In enterprise settings, this isn’t just a bug or an inconvenience; it can be a lawsuit waiting to happen. Air Canada learned this the hard way when a court ordered them to pay damages after their AI chatbot incorrectly promised a customer a refund that wasn’t in line with company policy.

Then there’s the whole matter of compliance and regulation – adhering to the ever-growing list of AI laws and regulations that countries are rolling out. Unlike the fear of AI taking over the world, which is easy to dismiss, regulatory fines are as real as it gets – and they can make a noticeable dent in your bottom line.

We’ve also come to know shadow AI – unauthorized or ad-hoc use of AI tools within an organization. With GenAI tools just a browser tab away, employees are easily tempted to use them for drafting copy, generating images, or writing code. However, by doing so, they might inadvertently be training the model on proprietary or confidential data and exposing the company to data leaks, security breaches, and other serious risks.

These challenges aren’t just theoretical – they’re obstacles that need tackling if we want to move our relationship with AI past the honeymoon phase and turn it into a long-term, stable partnership. The rose-colored glasses are off, and comfy sweatpants are on. It’s time to make this AI thing work – reliably, safely, and without surprises.

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Our Cars Might Not Be Flying, but They Make a Good C.A.S.E.

Mia Maček — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:07:11 +0000

Forty years ago, the future car meant a flying DeLorean. Today’s vision is far more grounded—but infinitely more sophisticated. As cars become software-driven machines, who will win in the race between incumbents, tech giants, and emerging disruptors?

Does your car have an “auto” mode for headlights? If you said yes, here’s the next question: How often have you switched that dial to manual? If you’re like most people, never or maybe once.

So, why is the dial still there? Here’s the big reveal: some features in your car are essentially relics. The automatic headlights system won’t fail, and there’s hardly a use case where you need the manual option. But having the dial makes you feel more in control.

These relics reflect a major shift in the automotive industry in recent years, and the transformation that is yet to come will be even more significant. We’re diving into the future of automotive, where traditional automakers, tech giants, and newcomers are racing to lead the charge. Who will steer the wheel as cars shift from hardware to software-driven machines?

From cars to smartphones on wheels

When we envisioned the future car 40 years ago, the best we could come up with was a flying DeLorean. Clearly, eliminating roads was seen as the ultimate way to enhance the driving experience.

We’re in 2024 now, and while cars are still very much grounded, they’ve evolved in ways that no 1980s movie could have predicted. Instead of focusing on flying, modern-day innovators and engineers have targeted other key areas of improvement:

Integrating cars into a larger, connected ecosystem
Relieving drivers of the task of driving
Challenging the traditional ownership paradigm
Rethinking how cars should be powered

Which brings us to the acronym defining the future of the automotive industry: C.A.S.E. – Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electrified.

However, one more letter is beginning to join the conversation: “Y”– standing for “Yearly updated.” In this vision, cars aren’t just mechanical machines but dynamic systems that evolve through software, much like the devices we carry in our pockets.

Routine visits to the mechanic may become a thing of the past as your car, a connected system, will be monitored in real-time. To repair an issue, you might only need to connect it to a power source and Wi-Fi to install a software update. And this is no prediction – it’s exactly how Tesla fixed the issue of their batteries catching fire in 2019.

The race is on

So, if the future car is a hybrid of hardware and software, which one matters more? And more importantly, who will be manufacturing it?

In lane one, we have the traditional automakers, masters of engineering and manufacturing. In lane two, revved up and ready, are the tech giants, experts in creating seamless software ecosystems.

As cars evolve into “smartphones on wheels,” the race isn’t just about speed or horsepower—it’s about having control over the user experience, and that’s where things get interesting.

Google and Apple have both ventured into the automotive space—Google with its highly successful Waymo initiative, and Apple through the secretive, now-paused Apple Car project (but don’t be too quick to write it off completely). However, the companies’ biggest influence in the auto industry today comes from their flagship interfaces, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Providing drivers with easy access to navigation, media, and apps directly from the vehicle dashboard, these systems have become so vital that many consumers consider them a key factor when purchasing a new car.

The tech giants have hooked us into their ecosystems, and now they are a benchmark for all our digital experiences, whether we’re sitting at a desk or behind the wheel of a car.

And how popular is BMW’s interface? Or Toyota’s? Not exactly a hit. These and many other brands resisted but ultimately had to concede and offer integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The tech giants have already hooked us into their ecosystems, and now they are a benchmark for all our digital experiences, whether we’re sitting at a desk or behind the wheel of a car.

Nevertheless, traditional manufacturers still have a lot going for them. They have decades of experience, large-scale production capabilities, established supply chains, and, last but not least, brand loyalty, which is especially evident with luxury brands. But will that be enough?

It’s unlikely these companies will master building software overnight, but perhaps the answer lies in strategic partnerships with tech companies that specialize in mobility solutions. A blend of old and new might just be what drives the future of the automotive industry.

Finally, there’s a contender in the third lane—companies that didn’t originate from either the automotive or tech worlds but were built from the ground up to specifically cater to the market of tomorrow. Tesla is, of course, the standout here, having made the electric car mainstream. But don’t expect Tesla to be the only player. Rising challengers like Rivian, Lucid Motors, and China’s BYD are already making waves in the market.

The race is on. While flying cars may not be here (yet), we’re on the verge of a completely different mobility experience. Who knows what kind of futuristic features will become standard in the vehicles of tomorrow? One thing’s for sure—manual headlight mode probably won’t be making the cut.

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From Niche to Mainstream – The Evolution of Podcasting

Mia Maček — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 13:14:07 +0000

We explore the history of podcasting, a several-billion dollar industry that has sold everything from vitamins to luxury watches, had Elon Musk smoking marijuana in an interview, and got a person serving a life sentence for murder out of jail.

These days, it seems to be easier to find a podcaster than a parking spot. From Joe Rogan’s controversies to Dr. Andrew Huberman’s discussions on science and science-based tools for everyday life, the format attracts millions of listeners.

It’s 504.9 million listeners worldwide, to be precise. That’s 23.5% of all internet users, who have around 4.2 million registered podcasts to choose from.

If you prefer words to numbers, let’s put it this way: it’s a massive phenomenon.

However, this wasn’t always the case. Mere twenty years ago, this unique blend of “audio blogging” was mostly a hobby for a handful of tech enthusiasts.

So, how did all boom and why?

The podcasting evolution

At the start of the new millennium, the term “podcast” didn’t even exist. The format began to take shape in the 1980s with online radio and downloadable audio shows, but 2003 is widely considered the birth year of podcasts. That year, software developer Dave Winer created the first audio RSS feed, and with former MTV video jockey Adam Curry, developed iPodder, a program that allowed users to download internet radio broadcasts to their iPods.

In the same year, former New York Times journalist Christopher Lydon launched Radio Open Source, the first show we’d recognize as a podcast today, which remains the longest-running podcast in the world.

The term “podcasting” was coined a year later, in 2004, by journalist Ben Hammersley in an article for The Guardian. He cleverly combined “iPod” and “broadcasting” to create a catchy term that quickly became a household name.

However, the true turning point for podcasting came in 2005, when Apple integrated podcast subscriptions into iTunes, now known as Apple Podcasts. This made it easy for users to find, subscribe to, and download podcasts, and off they went from niche to mainstream.

Podcast popularity continued to grow, but it wasn’t until 2014, with the release of Serial, that podcasting truly took off. The show’s compelling investigative journalism and serialized storytelling captivated millions, and true crime still remains one of the most popular genres in the podcasting world.

In the following years, the podcasting landscape evolved dramatically. Between 2019 and 2021, Spotify expanded aggressively into the market through various acquisitions and a landmark $200 million deal with Joe Rogan. By 2021, it had overtaken Apple as the top podcast platform in the U.S.

Today, podcasting is stronger than ever. We get to enjoy all sorts of niche content, from baby sleep advice to beekeeping tips, and, why are you even surprised, podcasts written and hosted entirely by generative AI.

The irresistible appeal of audio

When it comes to why podcasts are so popular, some point to Steve Jobs’ magic touch. And there’s no denying it – Apple’s support opened the doors to the devices of billions of users. Others might argue that Serial was the key catalyst, being the first show to capture millions of listeners and bring unprecedented attention to the medium.

But regardless of what initially sparked the podcasting craze, here’s what keeps that craze alive: the irresistible appeal of audio.

Humans love to hear other humans’ voices. When we listen to the same voices week after week, discussing topics close to our hearts, a podcast starts to feel like hanging out with friends.

When TV rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, many claimed radio was dead. But radio never died. It continued to peacefully coexist alongside the dominant visual medium, eventually branching away and evolving into podcasts. At the core, podcasts are no more than highly specialized, on-demand radio shows distributed online.

And why do we love audio so much? For one, there’s the low-commitment factor. Watching video requires more cognitive effort and engagement (as evidenced by the struggle many face in curbing their YouTube or TikTok time). Audio, on the other hand, is something you can consume while on the go – driving, walking your dog, folding laundry, or simply enjoying the scenery. And yes, while many podcasts now come in video form, they remain an audio-first medium at heart.

Another reason for their popularity is their intimate and personalized nature. Humans love to hear other humans’ voices. When we are listening to the same voices week after week, discussing topics close to our hearts, listening to a podcast starts to feel like hanging out with friends.

Podcasts are the next-generation radio, finely tuned to what you want to hear.

We deliver you… the Delivered podcast

If you’re among the nearly a quarter of the internet population that has a taste for content consumption via the auditory system, you’d be pleased to know that our monthly live online event Delivered is now also a podcast.

Available on all major podcast platforms, Delivered is now accessible to you where you like it and when you like it. In case you joined us only recently, it’s a great opportunity to catch up on some of the past episodes like:

Captivating conversations with change-makers who delivered, out-of-the box advice from top industry experts, and of course, our charismatic host Chris Bradshaw all wait for you on the platform of your choice.

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From Modems to GPT-4o – 5 Tech Revolutions That Changed Lives

Mia Maček — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:31:55 +0000

Prompted by ChatGPT’s latest game-changing update, we look back on five major events in tech history that profoundly impacted society, culture, and the way we live our daily lives.

The world’s most popular AI-powered chatbot recently got a major update, and it can be best described as eerily impressive. GPT-4o is multimodal, meaning it can reason across audio, vision, and text in real-time.

There’s no need to type prompts anymore – you can speak out loud and get the response in the same format. The lag is barely noticeable, and unlike its predecessors, the model makes up for its knowledge cutoff with the ability to browse the web. Interaction with artificial intelligence is now very close to the experience of a real conversation with a friend, one who happens to know everything.

As we’ve written a while back when ChatGPT first saw the light of day, it’s a revolution. Technological breakthroughs happen every day, but advancements of such magnitude that they change not only the technological but also the societal landscape don’t come by very often.

As we marvel (or freak out about, or both) the rapid progress of artificial intelligence, let’s look back on five tech milestones that profoundly impacted society, culture, and the way we live our daily lives.

Ready for your own AI revolution? Before you dive in, it’s important to evaluate your current state. Fill out our survey and get a free personalized assessment of your business’s readiness for AI implementation.

Top 5 tech revolutions past

Artificial intelligence continues to evolve, and it will undoubtedly reshape our world in ways we are only beginning to understand. However, we tend to forget how the road to this development is paved by revolutions no lesser in scale, even if their effects seem mundane today.

1. The advent of the internet (1990s)

Just a little over 30 years ago, we lived offline. When we wanted to get somewhere in a new town, we had to ask for directions. We sought out knowledge in libraries and used landline phones to arrange dates. And then revolution hit, with the urrrr EEEE urrr noise of the dial-up modem as its soundtrack.

Technological impact: Created a global network for information exchange and communication.

Cultural impact: Changed how we consume information, leading to the rise of digital media and online communities. Enabled new forms of social interaction and democratized access to knowledge. And let’s not forget, prompted the far-reaching distribution of cat videos.

2. The rise of social media (2000s)

Online communities have existed as long as there was internet, but the true revolution was set in motion in 2004 when Mark Zuckerberg and friends launched their student directory called TheFacebook. New platforms like Twitter and Instagram soon surfaced, the number of global social media users surged, and our social dynamics evolved never to be the same again.

Technological impact: Enabled instant sharing of content and real-time communication.

Cultural impact: Changed how we form relationships and communities, influenced politics, culture, and even personal identity.

3. The iPhone (2007)

Before Apple’s intervention, we had mobile phones that were just that – phones, primarily used for calls and texts. The iPhone ushered in the era of smartphones, pocket-sized computers that transformed how (and when!) we interact with technology, offering unprecedented access to information, entertainment, and communication tools, all the time and everywhere.

Technological impact: Pioneered the smartphone era with touchscreens and mobile apps.

Cultural impact: Transformed daily life by putting powerful computing in everyone’s pocket. Interwove micro-interactions with technology into our daily routines. Also, replaced lighters at concerts.

4. Cloud computing (late 2000s)

Gone are the days of server rooms. Cloud computing brought about a paradigm shift in how we store and process data. It enabled businesses to operate more efficiently and opened the door to remote work and digital collaboration.

Technological impact: Provided scalable and flexible data storage and processing solutions.

Cultural impact: Facilitated remote work and digital collaboration, leading to new business models and work environments. Enabled the concept of Netflix and chill.

5. The AI revolution (2010s-present)

The latest technological revolution is profound. Machine learning and automation are transforming entire industries, while personal-use tools and integrations in various digital products are putting AI capabilities into everyone’s hands.

Technological impact: Advanced machine learning and automation capabilities.

Cultural impact: Changed the concept of homework-writing, research, creating digital art, data crunching, medical diagnosis, language translation, customer service, financial trading, content creation, supply chain management, predictive maintenance, virtual assistants, fraud detection, personalized marketing, gaming, environmental monitoring, legal analysis, social media management, human resources, personalized education, smart home automation, scientific discovery, film production, etc., etc., etc. Has the potential to change: the future of work, the future of education, the future of society.

Sometimes, the innovation we create ends up transforming us

As we live through the latest technological revolution, it’s important we do it with eyes wide open. What we build today just may end up changing us tomorrow, and while technology holds immense power, we must never forget that power and responsibility are a package deal.

Eerily impressive seems accurate, wouldn’t you agree?

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Apple Vision Pro – Impressions from an App Development Agency

Mia Maček — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:49:32 +0000

Apple Vision Pro impressions are everywhere. If you want to step back from the usual user reviews and see the big 3D picture, read what a product strategist, a designer, an iOS and an Android developer have to say about Apple’s trending headset.

Launched on February 2, 2024, Apple Vision Pro is the Cupertino tech giant’s first venture into a completely new product category since the Apple Watch in 2015. The headset is finally out, and so are a gazillion user reviews.

As a digital agency with almost two decades of experience covering the full digital product development process, including web, cloud, and mobile app development services, we have no shortage of tech enthusiasts willing to examine the wider implications of Apple Vision Pro.

What does it mean for the extended reality (XR) landscape?

What opportunities does it open up, and what challenges does it bring?

Should you be thinking about building digital experiences for this futuristic interface?

Here’s what our experts had to say on the matter.

Apple Vision Pro impressions – from a product, design, and development perspective

Featuring:

Chris Bradshaw, Product Strategy Director

The Workshopper Pro who has personally been the secret ingredient behind many innovative product market launches. He has the answer to any product question, and that answer is “Strategy first!”

Ana Krapec, Designer

UX/UI designer who creates user-friendly retail execution apps and killer B2B platforms in her work time and is highly curious about the potential of AR/VR/XR technologies at all times.

Goran Brlas, Product Architect & Lead iOS Engineer

Seven years of experience in developing, leading, and architecting, and twice as much in being an Apple fan. He didn’t see the promise of extended reality until last summer Tim Cook said, “But we do have one more thing…”

Renato Turić, Android Team Director

Our Android wizard with nine years of development experience under his belt, AR/VR apps for Google Glass included. When asked to choose between Apple and Meta, says to keep an eye on Microsoft and Google.

APPLE VISION PRO SPECIFICATIONS

Chris, Product Strategist: “Apple is playing the long game”

What market opportunities does Apple Vision Pro create for businesses looking to innovate in the field of extended reality? What are the challenges?

The benefits of this innovation are extensive. It has the potential to improve various experiences – from learning, industrial design and prototyping to remote collaboration. But with each benefit comes a potential risk.

For example, if we visualize products for purchase in a virtual environment, we need to ensure their accurate representation and reconcile the potential discrepancies between the physical and the virtual world.

We also need to take into account that with the Vision Pro, there are no ports for sharing content with non-Apple users. Apple TV is the default media management system where things like YouTube apps don’t exist. When building for the headset, be prepared to play in the Apple ecosystem.

Are there specific sectors or industries where you see the Vision Pro having a significant impact?

Industries I see as best positioned to realize immediate value are:

Healthcare: apps can be used for medical training, patient education, and therapeutic sessions.
Education: enriching traditional experiences with immersive educational content.
Retail: creating a digital experience that mirrors the physical retail environment so that customers can explore products and procure from the comfort of their homes.
Industrial Design and Prototyping: we could expedite and simplify these processes by enabling engineers and designers to collaborate in virtual environments.

Do you think the visionOS marketplace will be crowded, or will it will flop like the ones for Apple Watch and Apple TV?

This approach will only be effective if there are highly beneficial functions for specific tasks that outperform other devices. The Vision Pro is designed to eventually replace your computer, but it still has a long way to go before it reaches mass market adoption.

I believe Apple’s strategy is to play the long game. While Meta offers a lower-cost product for mass entry, Apple employs superior technology at a higher cost to build a platform progressively. The idea is to encourage the market to follow their lead – and they’ve done this successfully in the past.

CHRIS BRADSHAW, PRODUCT STRATEGY DIRECTOR

Should businesses be thinking about integrating Apple Vision Pro into their product strategy?

Even in its early days, Apple Vision Pro already opened up a lot of possibilities with the immersive nature of its experiences. However, businesses shouldn’t be too quick to jump on the bandwagon just because something is popular.

A strategic plan should always come first to make sure:

The tech is an asset for the business and has a clear purpose
We know how we will measure success
We create a roadmap for monitoring and improvement to know what to do with the data as the results come in

When companies just blindly follow a tech trend, this is when we see time, money, and resources wasted.

Ana, Designer: “The infinite canvas calls for a perspective shift”

What innovative interaction models have you seen or would suggest for enhancing user engagement on Apple Vision Pro?

Personally, I’d love to see the integration of gamification and interactive learning features. They could make learning fun and keep users engaged, which is super important for overall enjoyment and involvement.

The Vision Pro could incorporate object recognition so users can interact with the real world. It would be great for learning or shopping experiences – you get content related to the objects you encounter.

Another suggestion would be to add feedback mechanisms like tactile responses to virtual interactions to make the experience more tangible. And what about adaptive environments? The virtual spaces could adjust dynamically based on user actions or preferences for a highly personalized experience.

Based on your impressions of Apple Vision Pro, what are the most significant challenges designers will face when designing for an extended reality environment?

We will be designing for a completely new paradigm, and it will be interesting to observe how interaction standards evolve and whether Apple’s design pattern will become the standard.

First, we will need to make a shift from designing for fixed screens to creating experiences for a boundless 3D space. We need to learn how eye movements and gesture control work to be able to shape interaction in those environments.

It’s also important to think about passthrough. People can “see” through the display, and designers need to use this feature in a way that it enhances the experience, not disrupts it.

When we are creating immersive experiences, we need to strike a delicate balance. We want them to enrich basic experiences like learning or reading a book rather than complicate them.

ANA KRAPEC, DESIGNER

We should also be mindful of motion sickness. We want to minimize discomfort, especially for users prone to this, like those who struggle with FPS games. Spatial orientation is another challenge – users need to navigate through the infinite canvas without feeling overwhelmed.

How well does Apple Vision Pro address accessibility and inclusivity in its design?

The Vision Pro does show a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. For example, adjusting for vision impairments like low sharpness and focus issues, including features like larger text and the ability to ignore rapid eye movements.

It also tackles accessibility for blind people through the implementation of VoiceOver, a screen reader feature that provides spoken descriptions.

How do you see the field of XR design evolving over the next few years?

There will likely be much more emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity, with features like voice control and alternative text descriptions making experiences more accessible to people with disabilities.

I expect that the interaction between the physical and digital worlds will become even more seamless and natural, and their boundaries more blurred.

The experiences will be enhanced by using environmental data, and the 3D graphics and immersive video capabilities will improve further.

Devices like the Vision Pro will likely become more available and widespread, and we’ll have scenarios like watching Netflix through our mixed reality headsets. We could see films or concerts produced specifically for this type of experience.

Goran, Lead iOS Engineer: “Immersive 3D experiences for the win”

How does the app development process differ when you’re dealing with a mixed reality environment rather than traditional screen-based apps? Especially in terms of user experience and interface design.

In the screen-based development that we’re used to, apps are designed for a flat, 2D space. Even without the immersive 3D experience, such window-based apps are still valid and can find their place on Apple Vision Pro, especially now that everything is new and developers are still getting their footing.

But if we want to get the most out of the device and offer something unique, we need to make a fundamental shift in user experience and interface design, focusing on 3D objects, spatial interaction, and environmental awareness.

How well does Apple Vision Pro integrate with the existing iOS ecosystem, the iPhone, iPad, and Mac?

As expected, the Vision Pro continues the trend of seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem.

One of the main strengths of Apple’s walled garden is that devices work great together. Continuity features, shared iCloud services, and compatible apps are all there from the get-go. It’s a big plus for initial adoption.

I found it really cool that if you look at your Mac’s screen while wearing the headset, a small pop-up will appear, prompting you to expand your Mac screen into the virtual space. Then you can resize and move it around.

It’s interesting that starting with the iPhone 15 Pro, you can shoot spatial videos to be watched on the Vision Pro. This is great, but it also raises a question. If I don’t have the device right now, should I still shoot them in the spatial format for later?

What are the provided SDKs and development tools for visionOS like? Are there any new tools or features that developers should be excited about?

The tools extend Apple’s existing developer ecosystem, incorporating ARKit, RealityKit, and SwiftUI for augmented and virtual reality, along with new APIs tailored for mixed reality experiences.

I wrote about ARKit five years ago, before it was cool, and these advancements are making it even more exciting. In hindsight, Apple has been preparing us for something like a headset, even though the AR experiences of the time were mostly intended for iPhone and iPad games.

Using the provided APIs differs from the traditional iOS/macOS app development process. We are no longer dealing with screens and views but 3D objects and scenes. This is much more similar to game development and will require a shift in our mindset.

GORAN BRLAS, PRODUCT ARCHITECT & LEAD iOS ENGINEER

Still, Apple didn’t ignore the development experience and made sure everything was intuitive and easy to grasp for existing Apple platform developers.

What types of apps do you expect we’ll be seeing on the Vision Pro?

The use cases will likely include immersive audiovisual environments, gaming, and educational apps. Apple is promoting Vision Pro as a spatial computing device, but in its current iteration, it’s more suitable for consuming than creating content, especially with the somewhat clumsy and slow user input.

I recently saw a great example of this use case. I’m a Formula 1 fan, and this concept of a spatial F1 broadcast stood out as an excellent innovation and a type of experience I’d like to see come to life.

How is the developer community responding to the Vision Pro so far?

The developer community interest seems to be rather strong, especially since this is Apple’s first XR offering. The SDKs and APIs are familiar to those who’ve developed for Apple’s platforms before, and having a lot of eager early adopters will certainly help with building hype for the development experience.

Who do you think will win the VR battle, Meta or Apple?

This is a tough one. Meta was at the forefront of VR and has accumulated a lead in this domain. Quest has been out for some time, gaining valuable user feedback and improving in each iteration. However, Meta is mostly focused on gaming and not the user experience and integration with other devices.

Apple went straight for the premium market, relying on being the best in class and the existing ecosystem of compatible apps to kickstart the platform.

We still have to see if the spatial computer vision will pan out or if we will be left with an expensive, albeit great, virtual movie theater.

I’m biased, so I’d like to see Apple “win” and deliver on its promises. That being said, competition in any space is always good, and ultimately, the consumers should be the real winners here.

Renato, Android Team Director: “Google is still in the VR game”

Who do you see as the primary target audience for the Vision Pro?

The word “Pro” suggests that Apple is targeting industry professionals. Many imagine people walking the streets with the headset, but such a heavy device with an external battery is clearly not designed for that.

The Vision Pro truly shines in specific workflows when you leverage the power of the Apple ecosystem. While it can be used as a standalone device, it unleashes its full potential when you use it with a Mac, for example.

Mirroring your screens in the development process, for example, debugging some issues on multiple screens around you, sounds very refreshing and productive. This works for other industries, too, like video and audio editing, industry 4.0, education, health, etc.

How well does Apple Vision Pro integrate with Android devices and services?

The fact that you have to have an iPhone to scan your face in order to buy Apple Vision Pro says a lot about the exclusivity of the current setup. So, no luck there for the Android developer community, at least for now.

Android and Apple Vision Pro are not a good match. There seems to be no practical scenario where an Android device would be effectively used alongside it, if at all.

RENATO TURIĆ, ANDROID TEAM DIRECTOR

Are there any tools, libraries, or resources available for Android developers interested in the visionOS development environment? How accessible are these resources for them?

For native Android developers looking for development opportunities on the Vision Pro, the resources are non-existent. Nonetheless, for those with cross-platform development experience, utilizing frameworks such as React Native or Flutter presents a fair chance for developing apps for Apple Vision Pro.

On the other hand, should JetBrains update their Compose Multiplatform framework to support visionOS, that would definitely broaden the development landscape. This is mostly because the development environment for creating VisionOS apps would consist of Kotlin and Compose, something the majority of Android developers are already familiar with. That would be cool.

Where is Google in the XR game? Can we expect it to launch its own product to rival Quest and Vision Pro?

Google has been in the game much longer than most people are aware of. Just remember the advent of Google Glass in 2013 and Google Daydream in 2016.

Since I have experience developing VR/AR apps for Google Glass back in the day, I can say it definitely showed some promise. However, the hardware was just not ready for any serious app use case because of battery drainage and the device’s overheating issues.

Both devices ended up being discontinued, but the hype was real back then.

Recent news now suggests that Google, together with Samsung and Qualcomm, is working on a mixed reality platform. Keeping that in mind, along with Google’s presence in the AI world today, it will be an interesting year.

Who do you think will win the VR battle, Meta or Apple?

It’s hard to tell. Meta is a step forward, in my opinion. Their device is much more affordable and lightweight and has many more apps available. They already have a large and diverse user base that includes professionals, casual users, and gamers.

However, Apple is Apple, and they usually know what they are doing. We also shouldn’t forget about Microsoft with their HoloLens and the announced Google/Samsung/Qualcomm collaboration. If they get their strategy right, it’s going to be a very interesting and competitive year.

What’s your brand’s vision for Apple Vision Pro?

While mass adoption might still be some time away, Apple once again introduced an innovation that will leave a mark on the tech landscape.

Apple Vision Pro sets a new standard in extended reality, requiring us to…well, think different about our approach to both design and development. As we await to see how the other contenders for the XR space will respond, it’s a perfect time to start thinking about the next generation of apps – spatial, immersive, and offering a spectrum of new possibilities. We’d love to help you with that.

The post Apple Vision Pro – Impressions from an App Development Agency appeared first on Infinum.

Build Operate Transfer – The Key to Strategic Business Scaling

Mia Maček — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:46:49 +0000

The Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model is an effective strategy for companies looking to scale their business, develop new capabilities, and stay competitive without the heavy lifting of starting from scratch.

New beginnings are inherently exciting. Venturing into something unknown, thinking about the prospect of what it can become. However, when starting a new business chapter, that excitement is often accompanied by increased stress levels.

Whether you’re expanding the existing pack of products or services, extending operations to a different domain, or entering a new market, there is a lot of work involved. You need to pour both human and financial resources into it, not to mention the potential risks involved.

Fortunately, there is a business tactic that alleviates much of the hassle in the above scenarios, and it is called the Build Operate Transfer model. As we can confirm from experience, this type of outsourcing model is an elegant method that helps companies scale, develop new capabilities, and stay competitive, all the while saving on costs and resources.

The 1, 2, 3 of the Build Operate Transfer model

The magic wand of business strategies and the secret behind many a success story, the Build Operate Transfer model has a history in the infrastructure sector and was typically employed in public-private partnerships. Today, it has been widely embraced by the tech industry as an elegant approach for private companies to establish an office in a new location or build an offshore software development team.

Many companies use the BOT model as an alternative to expanding their in-house teams or outsourcing the work to external developers. The idea is to find a local service provider, a partner company with the right expertise, who will be in charge of building and operating the team and, when the time comes – transfer it back to the client company.

As the name suggests, the BOT model comprises three phases.

Build

The first step involves creating an operating unit. This covers everything from choosing an office space and securing the necessary equipment and tools to employing the right talent and making legal arrangements.

Operate

During the operational phase, the partner company takes full control of managing and operating the newly established entity and its teams. They handle day-to-day activities, ensuring smooth functioning and providing ongoing support and maintenance.

Transfer

The last stage comprises a transfer of ownership from the service provider to the client company. In a smooth transition, the client gains full control and autonomy over the operations.

From scaling up teams to tapping into new talent pools, the model lends itself well to various private companies, and especially large and established corporations that perhaps lack the specific expertise to utilize the power of technology to their advantage.

Efficiency and cost savings

One of the primary reasons why companies go with BOT projects is the undeniable efficiency that comes with their plug-and-play nature. This, coupled with a significantly reduced upfront investment, is in itself a substantial benefit.

Any owner of a private entity will know how the initial setup of a company can be costly. There’s the infrastructure, hiring a skilled team, acquiring all the necessary tools and equipment, and a number of “misc” expenses. With the Build-Operate-Transfer model, the service provider assumes responsibility for acquiring all of these or already has much of what is needed at their disposal. This presents an immense savings opportunity for the client company, not only in terms of money but also time.

Probably the most significant asset a business can gain access to via the BOT model is human resources. Hiring and training a team alone takes up a great deal of time and a hefty budget. Partnering up with an experienced business with an established company culture, the client company gets a skilled team with processes already in place, which makes for a highly efficient business kickoff.

Risk mitigation

Starting a new venture is never completely risk-free; however, outsourcing operations through the BOT model can help businesses significantly reduce the common risks connected with establishing and running a successful company.

Whether is regulatory compliance, inherent market risks, or potential operational hurdles, a local partner is a significant asset in risk mitigation.

The partner company is typically an expert in their field. They have the experience and the know-how that in itself decreases the risk of problems in the operation. Responsible for all operational activities, they are in a position to quickly and effectively address any challenges before they can cause significant damage.

And even in a less desirable situation where not everything goes according to plan, neither party bears the full burden of potential financial losses associated with the business. In that regard, the BOT model is considered a substantially safer outsourcing strategy than other options.

Knowledge transfer and skill development

Access to specialized expertise and technologies is crucial for organizations in today’s highly competitive and rapidly evolving market. Sometimes, a company wants to expand its offering, start a new project, or introduce a new product but lacks the internal capabilities and resources to do so.

The Build-Operate-Transfer model is a great opportunity to complement one company’s strengths with those of another. Rather than going through a lengthy hiring process or upskilling an existing team, companies can tap into specific skillsets of existing teams. Specialized expertise providers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. What’s more, they can offer a fresh perspective and insights that can be instrumental in driving business growth and success.

When the time comes for the transfer of ownership, the outsourcing company may partly or fully integrate the new team into its workforce or simply part ways, depending on the contractual agreement.

Whichever the case may be, combining teams creates the perfect surroundings for knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. Working alongside knowledgeable and experienced experts enhances the skills of the client company’s teams, which is a benefit that extends far after the concession period expires.

Scalability and flexibility

If the Covid-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is the importance of the ability to adapt to changing business needs. Private entities looking for efficient market entry and strategic growth can benefit greatly from the flexibility and scalability inherent in the BOT model.

With the partner company handling initial setup and day-to-day operations, companies gain a far quicker time-to-market – a critical factor in today’s fast-paced business landscape.

This not only speeds up the path to revenue but also gives the client company the opportunity to “test the waters” of a new market before committing to long-term investments.

Utilizing local expertise also contributes to operational flexibility – the partner company comes with a deep understanding of the target market, its nuances, and consumer behaviors. That way, a business can more easily tailor their strategies to local preferences.

Finally, the model also provides a simple approach to scaling. Companies can expand or contract operations without incurring all the upfront costs usually connected with establishing and maintaining a local presence. And the transfer phase offers additional flexibility – it can be accelerated or prolonged, once again in alignment with the business needs.

Long-term sustainability

The BOT model is, by definition, employed for a limited time duration. However, the effects of building such a partnership contribute to long-term sustainability and business growth.

A sustainable business can withstand challenges and continue to function effectively in the long term. With the hassle of company establishment removed and the risks inherent in running operations reduced, the client company maintains stability. It has more space to focus on its core competencies, innovation, strategic initiatives, and long-term growth.

Further, the knowledge and skills acquired during the Operate phase don’t go away when the partnership ends. They remain a constant asset in the client company’s toolbox, making it well-equipped to manage the same type of operations on its own.

Build, Operate, Transfer, and Prosper

Overall, the BOT model offers a structured approach to tech outsourcing, providing private entities with a clear path for building, operating, and ultimately transferring ownership of the new company to the client. It brings significant benefits for corporations seeking to enter a new market or upgrade their product offering, including cost savings, lower risks, access to specialized skills, better scalability and flexibility, and a sustainable perspective.

As the tech industry continues to evolve and expand, the BOT model is likely to remain a valuable tool for companies looking to innovate and grow.

The post Build Operate Transfer – The Key to Strategic Business Scaling appeared first on Infinum.

Embracing Change – Financial Institutions in the Digital Age

Mia Maček — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 13:24:07 +0000

Two important stakeholders in the Slovene finance industry, Matej Golob Matzele and Mitja Učakar, share insights on how digital transformation in the finance industry has revolutionized the way financial institutions operate and interact with their customers.

Can you imagine that up until recently, one had to visit a bank’s physical branch and get in line just to check their account balance? Today, interacting with our financial services provider via an app is second nature to us.

Digital transformation swept through all industries, and the financial sector is no exception. Knowing that it still is an abstract concept for some, we wanted to find out what digital transformation in finance looks like in practice today.

To get these insights, we decided to ask those who’ve not only witnessed it first-hand but have actively participated in transforming a traditional business with the help of digital products.

Matej Golob Matzele and Mitja Učakar know digital finance

Matej Golob Matzele and Mitja Učakar are both important stakeholders in the Slovene finance industry. Matej is the Chairman of the Board of Modra zavarovalnica, the largest supplementary pension insurance provider in Slovenia, while Mitja is the CIO of the Slovene Export and Development Bank. Both have years of experience in leadership and management roles and have been involved in a number of digital transformation initiatives throughout their careers.

Since we were fortunate enough to host Mitja and Matej as panelists at our Business Breakfast event in Ljubljana, it was a perfect opportunity to ask them about the meaning of digital transformation, its implications, the role of traditional institutions in a market disrupted by fintech challengers, and changing user expectations that come with changing times.

Digitalization improves both processes and experiences

We know that digital transformation, in general, helps businesses, disrupts industries, improves processes, and increases efficiency. But how does it help a financial institution on an everyday, operational level?

“First of all, digitalization helps institutions adapt to client needs,” said Mitja. “It allows us to address those needs more efficiently and, by doing so, sell our products and services in a way that is convenient and simple for the end user. Technology enables us to manage clients in a way that would no longer be possible with a traditional approach.”

Matej pointed out that digitalization in the finance industry can be utilized at two levels
– it improves the customer experience as well as internal, back-office processes.

“Our customer-facing app enables us to have better interaction with our customers. We can adapt it to those who are used to the mobile-first or mobile-only approach,” he explains.

In addition, heavily regulated institutions like Modra are required to maintain formal communication with their customers. Various types of reports and other documents must be sent out regularly, which is much easier to do with an app. Not only are there substantial cost savings in comparison to using traditional mail, but this way, users can easily find the documents they want when they need them.

According to Matej, digitalization can have an even greater impact on internal, back-office operations. This includes the tech architecture itself, ways of working, and optimizing processes.

“Processes are usually not that easy to change in a traditional industry like ours because we’ve been doing things in a certain way for a very long time. This is why this is even more important than the customer-facing part,” Matej concludes.

Meeting changing user expectations with digital tools

We have grown so accustomed to using digital tools to aid us in different aspects of our lives that we’ve come to expect a certain level of convenience when we interact with them. We want them to provide some additional value, save us time, and offer a smooth experience.

“With all the digital tools available today, we have the amazing opportunity to find out whatever we want immediately. The experience we are looking for is – I want it now. This also applies to financial services. We used to send out yearly reports about the balance on our users’ pension accounts. Now, they can access it on their phones at any time, and this is what most customers expect, said Matej.

Leveraging the power of digital also includes developing a thorough understanding of the end user. Digital tools enable us to gather information and then utilize that information to offer personalized service.

“Today, the user expects the service provider to understand the context they are in. For example, a bank shouldn’t offer a loan to a customer if it knows that they are not eligible, nor if they have excess liquidity in their account. A bank has to use the information it has to approach the user with a product that addresses their need at the right moment,” Mitja explained.

Traditional institutions in an age of fintech

In the past years, we’ve witnessed the disruption of the financial services market with the rise of fintech challengers. There is now an abundance of fintech tools available, and traditional service providers are faced with serious competition that operates in the digital realm.

However, according to Mitja, we shouldn’t be too quick to write them off.

“In the beginning of the fintech revolution, some predicted that these challengers would drive traditional financial institutions out of business,” he says. “Now, a couple of years later, we know that we need to strive toward some form of coexistence. Fintechs are more advanced in the technological sense, but functionally weaker. They don’t know how to guide a more demanding customer through all the steps in the user journey. For example, they don’t offer loans or advanced savings options, or they do so in a way we don’t find familiar,” Mitja explains.

Mitja emphasizes the importance of creating an outstanding customer experience. We need to embrace the user’s perspective and think about how we can help that person overcome their challenges by offering them something useful at a given point in their journey.

This goes beyond a great user interface or just one product – we need to think about a whole package of services. For example, a banking app notifying the customer that they may be paying too much for electricity and offering them to switch their provider with just a single click.

“Banks have large databases of information, and if they start using them in the right way, they can win over their competition,” Mitja explains.

“Fintech challengers have forced traditional financial institutions to take customer experience in digital channels very seriously. Their creativity and focus on design push traditional providers to become more attractive to users. However, we need a solid balance between the two approaches. On the one hand, something safe, stable, and regulatorily compliant, and on the other, something that’s appealing to the end customer. In the future, I don’t see it as disruption but more of a synergy between these two sides, Matej concluded.

Financial services and the rise of AI

Of course, we had to touch upon the unavoidable topic of artificial intelligence. With tools like ChatGPT in widespread use, businesses are racing to get AI capabilities working for them. We were curious to know what kinds of implementations we could expect in the finance space.

“In my opinion, AI will have a positive influence on the industry on two levels. First, if the customers agree to it, we can provide them with tailor-made services. And secondly, we can utilize AI for streamlining communication such as claims or inquiries, and it can help us develop new products,” Matej predicted.

Similarly, Mitja believes AI can have a great influence on the way financial institutions operate.

“AI enables us to digest great amounts of unstructured information, which reduces the time needed for performing various analyses. For example, we could generate company performance summaries based on publicly available information. Combining that with banks’ data and internal documentation, we will be able to perform complex tasks in significantly less time. That will allow us to focus only on business decisions and structuring client affairs. I think that is a situation where everyone wins,” Mitja concluded.

It’s an exciting time to be in finance

Matej’s and Mitja’s expert insights gave us a closer look at how digital transformation in the finance industry has revolutionized the way financial institutions operate and interact with their customers. Embracing digital tools, institutions can adapt to client needs more efficiently, offer convenient and simple ways to access products and services, and improve both customer experiences and internal processes.

With fintech challengers dictating new requirements for digital products in the finance sector and the inevitable developments in AI, there is no doubt that exciting times lie ahead for the entire industry.

If you’re ready to embrace the synergy Matej Golob Matzele was talking about, and you need support navigating the digital landscape, book a call with us and let’s see how we can upgrade your business.

The post Embracing Change – Financial Institutions in the Digital Age appeared first on Infinum.

An Epic Human-Machine Write-Off

Mia Maček — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 16:04:43 +0000

If you didn’t catch the latest Internet fad captivating our short attention spans, let me fill you in. On November 30, the non-profit OpenAI released ChatGPT, a quirky AI-powered chatbot that will change the concept of homework writing forever.

ChatGPT is a large language model trained on the mountains of information available online. It comes from the same company behind DALL-E, an image generator that made the tech-media headlines this summer. It’s also the next iteration of the text generator GPT-3.

After signing up for ChatGPT, users can ask the AI system to answer questions or generate content based on “prompts.” From birthday wishes to school essays, the thing can even write usable code. But what it most definitely can do is the same thing that I do, write marketing content.

Gasp! Here comes a low-flying panic attack.

I could get all philosophical as many authors have, but I’m just going to focus on the question every normal self-centered human being working at a laptop right now is covertly asking themselves: Is AI a better writer than I am, and will it take my job?

On first glimpse, my reaction was PFFT. Unless somebody broke all ten of my fingers, I could be hungry, underslept, cold, and hungover and still beat the shit out of that “robot writer.” Then I decided to conduct an experiment.

Let’s have the AI take its best shot at writing about the things I’ve already written, a couple of this year’s Infinum newsletters. An epic human-machine write-off.

Source: dall e

Competitor #1: Mia, 38-year-old human female, content writer with a degree in journalism and English.

Competitor #2: ChatGPT, chatbot based on the large language model GPT-3.5 trained by OpenAI

Exhibit 1: February 2022, Make Me Stream

Writing about how streaming platforms influence our relationship with video and music content, I used the example of Disney’s Encanto and the incredible popularity of the hit song from the animated picture, We Don’t Talk About Bruno. Here’s what I wrote:

Streaming has this characteristic that is especially favorable for children’s content. You can play it again and again. And again.

“Bruno” was played 100 million times on Spotify by January 20, while the entire soundtrack had 494 million all-time plays globally by early February. YouTube count is 186 million at the time of writing this. I won’t even go into TikTok’s trending videos because I’m exercising my right as a millennial not to.

I prompted ChatGPT with “write me an introduction to a column about the popularity of streaming platforms, journalistic style, funny.” Here’s what it wrote:

Welcome to the streaming revolution! It seems like every day, another streaming platform pops up, offering endless hours of content for us to bing-watch until our eyes go square. But with so many options out there, it can be tough to keep up with the latest and greatest. That’s where we come in. In this column, we’ll be exploring the ever-changing world of streaming, from the biggest players like Netflix and Hulu to the niche platforms you may not have heard of. We’ll take a closer look at what sets each platform apart, what kind of content they offer, and which ones are worth your time (and your money). So grab some popcorn, find a comfy spot on the couch, and let’s dive into the world of streaming!

What’s bing-watch, ChatGPT? Ok, if I don’t get too nitty-gritty about spelling mistakes, this could work with some minor editing. It could be more specific, but I couldn’t ask it about Encanto because its knowledge ends with 2021. It’s not half bad, but I’ll say I’m better.

Mia : ChatGPT 1:0

Exhibit 2: May 2022, #neverstop branding

Infinum did a major brand revamp and a new website launch, and I did a special on tech companies rebranding over the years.

Some of the companies that produce the devices and the software we spend far too much of our waking time glued to, have been around for a very long time. You can’t be around for a very long time and always look the same. Just ask Madonna.

Here’s what ChatGPT had to say on the subject:

Tech companies are always looking to make their brands stand out in a crowded market, and one way they do this is by changing their visual identities. Over the years, we’ve seen some major transformations, like when Microsoft decided to ditch its old, boring logo in favor of a new, hip one that looked like it was designed by a high schooler in their graphic design class. Meanwhile, Apple has gone through more logo changes than Taylor Swift has had boyfriends. And let’s not forget Google, whose logo looks like it was drawn by a toddler with a box of crayons. All in all, it’s clear that tech companies are willing to try just about anything to stay on trend.

This is very good, but unfortunately, my editor is a huge Taylor Swift fan and definitely wouldn’t appreciate the sexist reference. It’s also not entirely accurate because Apple did make many logo changes, but they were so minor that their logo has practically stayed the same for 40 years. This is a problem with ChatGPT called hallucination; it makes things look very plausible while, in fact, it’s all bluff.

Exhibit 3: July 2022, Sense of Impending Doom

Catching the zeitgeist, I wrote about the flood of bad news that struck us this summer and how every crisis is an opportunity for growth.

Did you know that the sense of impending doom is an actual medical symptom?

Seriously, if you feel like something bad is about to happen, it may be a sign of an oncoming heart attack. However, it may also be a sign of being in a state of perpetual moderate panic because so many bad things did in fact happen recently.

What the actual F, world?

I gave ChatGPT very literal instructions. “Slightly funny introduction to a column about the sense of impending doom felt because of actual bad things happening in the world.”

As we navigate the current state of the world, it’s hard not to feel like we’re living in the end times. Between the ongoing pandemic, the climate crisis, and the constant stream of bad news on our screens, it’s no wonder many of us are feeling a sense of impending doom. But fear not, dear reader! In this column, we will explore the reasons for this feeling and offer some tips on how to keep the doom at bay (or at least hold it at arm’s length). So grab your apocalypse survival kit and join us on this journey to the (hopefully not) end of the world.

Ok, so it understandably didn’t know about the war, inflation, and gas prices. It’s still in pandemic times. I love the last sentence, though. You win this one, chat robot.

Mia : ChatGPT 2:1

Exhibit 4: September 2022, Are You for Real?

I used the newly popular social media platform BeReal as a segue to comment on social media features in general. Here’s a snippet about “likes” on Facebook.

Did you think that “likes” are a Facebook invention? Wrong. Back in the early 00’s, there was a site called B3ta.com, a newsletter and a message board (these things were popular back then), a place to share jokes or images that would today be called memes. By 2005 the community grew so large that it was becoming difficult to navigate the front page, and lots of the “good stuff” would get lost. They needed a way to curate content et voilà – they came up with a button that said “I like this.” It wasn’t completely original, though. Even before B3ta, FilePile, and Digg used buttons to measure users’ approval.

Facebook introduced the like button in 2009, but not before it bought FriendFeed, a service that had already had its own like button for several years.

Here’s the ChatGPT version:

Ah, the good old “like” button – a staple of the social media experience. But have you ever wondered where this little icon of approval came from? It all started back in the wild west days of the internet, when the cool kids were hanging out on MySpace. Yes, that MySpace. The site had a “thumbs up” button that users could click to indicate that they liked a post, and this feature quickly caught on with the other cool kids on the block. Fast forward to 2009, when Facebook introduced its own version of the “like” button. And the rest, as they say, is history. Nowadays, you can find likes on just about every social media platform, from Twitter to TikTok. So next time you double tap that heart icon on Instagram, just remember – you’re participating in a time-honored tradition of internet approval.

Again, it’s exhibiting the hallucination problem. MySpace didn’t even have the like button. Or definitely not in its glory days. But wow! That last sentence, a time-honored tradition of internet approval. Fire emoji reaction for this one, ChatGPT.

Mia : ChatGPT 2:2

Enough with the competition, I stand humbled. Ok, I was both a competitor and the judge, but you catch the drift. This is one very capable bot. Still obviously a bot, but with mind-blowing writing skills.

The human take

We’ve had some fun with robochat, but it’s time to get serious. Chat GPT crossed over one million users in only five days, something that took Instagram two and a half months and Facebook ten months.

While everyone is going ha-ha, look at the stupid mistake it made, we’re glossing over the fact that it’s sometimes wrong and prevailingly right. It’s also worth mentioning that it takes 3-5 seconds to write a couple of paragraphs, while I take… much longer than my team would like. And it doesn’t require health insurance, vacation time, team syncs, or coffee breaks. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be more efficient than you.

And it will get better. This technology took years to build, but now that the groundwork has been put in, the acceleration will be incredible. GPT-4 is already in the works, and we can expect its release in the next couple of months.

Mark my words, it’s a revolution. The last decade was marked by the shift to the mobile paradigm, and this one will be marked by AI. Once the technology is there, other companies can build their own tools on top of it. And I assure you, they will. By the end of next year, Forrester predicts that 10% of all Fortune 500 enterprises will use AI to generate content.

Here’s a portrait of me in five years, befittingly commissioned from DALL-E.

source: dall e

I jest, again. But before I get any more why-so-negative comments, I’m not being negative at all. I am truly and honestly amazed by this accomplishment. Changes are inevitable, and technology changes lives. The industrial revolution changed lives two hundred years ago. Maybe I’ll be begging on the street while AI is working the job it stole from me, but maybe I’ll be working half the time for twice as much. Maybe we’ll all be.

Tech vs. Product

Why are we talking about ChatGPT with such fervor? It’s actually not a new thing. Chatbots have been around since, believe it or not, 1966. The first version of this particular model by OpenAI, GPT, was released in 2018. So why is everyone talking about this now?

Because ChatGPT is an amazing product. While the technology has been around for a while, OpenAI decided to release the latest version of their model publicly, packed in a super simple user interface. When you read an article about some AI writing essays, you think it’s mildly interesting and scroll on to the next clickbait. But when you actually get to prompt it yourself and have it write a farewell card to a colleague you hate, you are amazed.

The reason for this can be explained in two letters – UX. You can create ground-breaking, world-changing, industry-disrupting technology, but if you don’t know how to package it so that it appeals to people – good luck on the market and close the door on your way out.

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