ChatGPT got a memory. Google launched Gemini 1.5. OpenAI showed off the videos created by its new text-to-video model, Sora. All in the space of a few days. AI tools and breakthroughs continue to arrive at a feverish pace, leaving many unsure where to get started.
Conor Grennan, Dean of Students at New York University’s Stern School of Business, has the answers, and shares them with Greg Matusky on the latest episode of The Disruption Is Now. They cover why English majors and other creatives hold the keys to the future, the change management needed to spur adoption of generative AI, and why so many people still haven’t fully explored the advantages of AI in their work.
Watch now:
Key takeaways:
English majors, not coders, have an advantage with generative AI
The ability to craft compelling stories and clearly articulate ideas in plain English is becoming more valuable than the ability to write code.
Generative AI is fueled by natural language prompts, so the ability to translate business needs into clear, effective prompts is crucial. This means writers, strategists, and creative directors may become more valuable than software developers in applying AI.
For marketers and communicators, skills in narrative construction, empathy, and emotional engagement allow them to amplify their creative visions with AI even if they have no technical expertise.
Despite awareness and usage, transformative AI adoption is still low
Many surveys show high awareness and usage rates for generative AI, but Conor estimates that truly transformative usage is around 5% at most organizations.
Many have tried basic applications, like creating content, but few have strategically reinvented workflows, operations, or business models. To get to that level requires significant mindset and behavior shifts that depend on encouragement from leadership.
Continuous learning and adaptability are key in the age of AI
An openness to experimentation, a readiness to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and the ability to think laterally are all crucial skills for transformative AI use. With major AI announcements arriving nearly every week, a learning mindset can help you identify new opportunities. People who are more adaptable and OK with receiving all sorts of results from AI tools are less likely to be intimidated.
The future belongs to creators
The release of Sora and other text-to-video tools will almost certainly upend Hollywood and the current production workflows. Like Uber uncovered pent up demand for transportation, Sora could reveal all the demand for personalized content that current production bottlenecks constrain. We could see an explosion of indie media from super creators who can realize their creative visions with AI tools instead of being blocked by gatekeepers.
Key moments:
● How Conor went from the nonprofit world to AI enthusiast (1:17)
● Why the future belongs to English majors (5:23)
● How Conor’s approach to teaching AI has evolved (7:00)
● Socializing AI in a way that transforms organizations (10:36)
● Why some people don’t pay for GPT-4 (11:55)
● One of the most exciting weeks in AI (15:00)
● The best Sora videos (18:00)
● Why video content creation could explode with AI (18:57)
● What surprises Conor most about generative AI (21:20)
● How AI is changing PR and the job interview process (22:59)
● The perfect is the enemy of the good in AI adoption (25:05)
● Conor’s advice on how to get started with generative AI (28:24)
