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I recently shared insights with Andy Medici of The Business Journals on how the consulting industry faces unprecedented disruption from multiple fronts.The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is scrutinizing contracts with consulting giants while AI tools increasingly question the value proposition of traditional consulting services.As I noted in the article, "Smaller firms (or even in-house teams) can now deliver top-notch insights without requiring an army of senior associates and associates in tow."This evolving landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for firms that can adapt quickly and deliver genuine value beyond what AI can provide off-the-shelf.Read my complete thoughts in today's Business Journals article, where I join other industry experts in analyzing this pivotal moment for the consulting world.<a data-mce-href="https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2025/03/10/doge-musk-trump-2025-consulting-ai-federal.html" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2025/03/10/doge-musk-trump-2025-consulting-ai-federal.html" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Link</a> to article.

When the Consultants Need Consulting: My Take on the Industry's Perfect Storm

<figure id="figure-tkbz4ks8itm7xe7olq" class=""><img id="tkbz4ks8itm7xe7olq" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/bnAU25xetiANJtLdBDpuhN2HX2S9QuTZYZ6L4b9ToVWDCKRmPCcSKGDp64HKpNw4.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: 100% 25%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="1:1" data-caption="" data-positionx="100%" data-positiony="25%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/bnAU25xetiANJtLdBDpuhN2HX2S9QuTZYZ6L4b9ToVWDCKRmPCcSKGDp64HKpNw4.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: 100% 25%;"></figure>Remember the good old days when the worst privacy violation was your mom reading your diary? Well, buckle up, buttercup—artificial intelligence has entered the chat, and it's turning your private information into a self-replicating army of data points you never consented to create.<h3>AI: The DJ Remix Nobody Asked For</h3>AI isn't creating entirely new privacy problems; it's just remixing the greatest hits of privacy invasions into a chart-topping disaster track. Imagine if all the privacy concerns you've ever had decided to form a supergroup—that's essentially what we're dealing with here. AI takes existing issues with data collection, generation, decision-making, and analysis, throws them in a blender, and serves up a smoothie of privacy violations that our current laws can barely recognize, let alone regulate.&nbsp; &nbsp; Your "Consent" Is About as Meaningful as a Terms of Service Agreement&nbsp; Let's be honest: when was the last time you actually read a privacy policy? The current legal framework relies on this fiction that we're all making informed decisions about our data. It's the digital equivalent of saying, "I left the front door wide open, but I put up a sign that said, 'please don't enter' in 4-point font written in invisible ink."&nbsp; The notice-and-choice model is failing spectacularly in the age of AI. Companies are scraping data from every corner of the internet with all the restraint of a toddler in a candy store, while "consensual" data collection relies on mechanisms so flawed they wouldn't pass muster in a high school ethics class (do those classes, like home economics still even exist?).<h3>Your Data Is Now Cloning and Mutating</h3>Here's where it gets really fun: AI doesn't just collect your data—it clones and mutates it. Through inferences, AI systems generate entirely new information about you that you never explicitly shared. Thought you were just uploading a photo? Congratulations, you're now the unwitting source of dozens of data points about your emotional state, health conditions, and consumer preferences. Your original data is out there replicating like a digital amoeba, splitting and evolving without your knowledge or consent.<h3>Algorithmic Bias: When Your Past Mistakes Follow You Forever</h3>Remember that one time you made a poor financial decision? Or outfit choice? AI does, and it's not planning to let you forget it. AI-driven decision-making systems have the memory of an elephant and the nuance of a sledgehammer. They're turning patterns of the past into predictions that can determine your future, creating self-fulfilling prophecies that threaten human agency and fairness. Your past mistakes aren't just lessons anymore—they're permanent records that algorithmic systems use to keep you in your place.<h3>Big Brother Has Upgraded to Big AI</h3><a data-mce-href="https://george-orwell.org/1984/" href="https://george-orwell.org/1984/">George Orwell's 1984</a> looks quaint compared to what we're facing now. AI has supercharged surveillance capabilities to the point where privacy invasion isn't just a bug—it's the whole operating system. Everything from how Placer.ai uses phone location data to track visits at stores like Walmart, Target, and Costco to facial recognition, voice analysis and behavioral tracking—AI is turning the world into a <a data-mce-href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/panopticon" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/panopticon">panopticon</a> where escape from observation is increasingly impossible. And unlike human surveillance, AI never gets tired, bored, or distracted by joke telling Bernese Mountain dog videos.<h3>The Transparency Illusion</h3>"But we've made our algorithm transparent!" cry the tech companies, as they hand over incomprehensible and incomplete code that even most computer scientists struggle to decipher. Traditional oversight mechanisms like transparency and due process become meaningless when confronted with dynamic algorithms that even their creators can't fully explain. It's like being handed the assembly instructions for a nuclear reactor written in hieroglyphics and being told, "See? We're being transparent!" <h3>When AI Goes Rogue: The Misinformation Machine</h3>As if all that weren't enough, AI can now generate deceptive content so convincing your own mother might fall for it. From deepfakes to synthetic text, AI-powered misinformation threatens to undermine trust in our information ecosystem. When you can't believe your eyes or ears anymore, privacy becomes just one casualty in a much larger war on reality itself.<h3>The Way Forward: More Than Just Digital Band-Aids</h3>So, what do we do? Clearly, asking individuals to manage their own privacy through checkboxes and toggles is like asking someone to stop a tsunami with a beach umbrella. We need structural solutions that place meaningful requirements on organizations, not just individuals.Here's what a real solution might look like:<ul><li>Shift the burden: Stop pretending individuals can control their data destiny and start holding organizations accountable.</li><li>Focus on harm, not just procedures: Privacy isn't just about whether companies followed their own policies—it's about whether people are harmed.</li><li>Treat inferred data like collected data: If AI derives information about you, that should have the same protections as information you explicitly shared.</li><li>Examine decisions for bias: Algorithmic decisions need to be fair, not just efficient.</li><li>Real transparency and oversight: Independent bodies should be able to audit AI systems without needing a computer science PhD.</li><li>Meaningful consequences: Privacy violations should result in more than just a slap on the wrist—they should hurt enough to prevent future violations.</li></ul><h3>The Bottom Line</h3>Our current privacy framework is like trying to regulate modern warfare with rules designed for swordfights. AI has fundamentally changed the privacy landscape, and our laws need to catch up. Until they do, your data will continue having children, grandchildren, and distant relatives you never agreed to create, all working together in a family business you never signed up for.The choice isn't between innovation and privacy—it's between thoughtful regulation and a future where the concept of privacy becomes as obsolete as the floppy disk. And unlike your old embarrassing photos, once privacy is gone, no amount of technology can bring it back.So, the next time you click "I Agree" without reading, remember you're not just sharing your data—you're potentially unleashing a chain reaction of information that will long outlive your memory of ever having shared it in the first place.

Your Data's Secret Life: How AI is Creating Digital Twins You Never Agreed To

<figure id="figure-okoc2c4osrm7q7mosd"data-full-width><img id="okoc2c4osrm7q7mosd" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1dimA5HpHbCmhm2Uch3A8hAFbd4I7TnQRs31auPdDtLJmHDTfNjXW93H1EmsZDXq.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="true"/></figure>My heart races with both excitement and trepidation as I share with you, a technological breakthrough that could fundamentally reshape our world. Microsoft's announcement of Majorana 1, the world's first quantum chip powered by a groundbreaking Topological Core Architecture, isn't just another tech headline – it's a pivotal moment in human history that demands our attention, understanding, and most importantly, our conscious consideration.<h3>The Dawn of a New Era: A Technical Revolution</h3>Before we dive into possibilities, let me break down what makes this breakthrough so revolutionary in a way that speaks to hearts, minds and profits.Imagine trying to balance thousands of spinning plates on poles – that's similar to how traditional quantum computers work. Each spinning plate (represents a qubit) is incredibly delicate and can wobble or fall at the slightest disturbance, requiring constant attention and energy to keep spinning. Even a slight change in temperature or a tiny vibration can cause them to crash. This makes building larger quantum computers extremely challenging – it's like trying to keep more and more plates spinning without letting any fall.Now, Microsoft's breakthrough – the Majorana 1 – is like discovering a completely new type of plate that's naturally more stable – think of it as a self-balancing plate. These special plates (called Majorana particles) don't exist in nature, but Microsoft has figured out how to create them by combining specific materials in a precise way, similar to how a chef might combine ingredients to create a completely new dish with unheard/unknown ingredients that none of the original ingredients had. The Topological Core Architecture leverages these Majorana particles to create qubits that are inherently more stable and error-resistant at the hardware level, rather than requiring extensive software-based error correction. This fundamental stability stems from the topological protection of quantum information, making the system more robust against environmental disturbances.This breakthrough matters because it means we can potentially build much larger and more practical quantum computers – moving from juggling a few dozen delicate plates to managing millions of stable ones. And that's the scale we need to solve real-world problems that could transform our lives.The chip's innovative design uses aluminum nanowires arranged in H-patterns, with each H containing four controllable Majoranas forming a single qubit. This architecture allows for digital control rather than analog fine-tuning, dramatically simplifying the scaling process. Microsoft has already demonstrated eight topological qubits on a chip designed to scale to one million - a feat that would require a facility the size of a football field using conventional approaches.But what truly shifts the paradigm is the promise of practical scalability. Let me paint you a picture of possibility: Imagine a world where bridges heal themselves, where the scourge of microplastics vanishes from our oceans, where hunger becomes a distant memory through revolutionary agricultural breakthroughs. I keep saying this but - this isn't science fiction – it's the potential promise of Microsoft's new quantum computing technology. By achieving what was once thought impossible – creating and controlling Majorana particles to produce more reliable and scalable qubits – Microsoft has kicked down the door to computing power that could solve problems our most powerful current computers can't even begin to approach.Now, you can’t run out and buy one of these things and throw it in your desktop—we're still a long way away from that. &nbsp;And quantum algorithms and programming frameworks are an entirely different beast. &nbsp;But this was a big enough announcement that I couldn’t ignore not only this development but also the opportunity to remind you all: you need to pay attention.<h3>The Promise and the Business Potential</h3>As I've always said, with great power comes great responsibility, and the business implications of this technology are staggering. Let's look at how this quantum breakthrough translates into tangible business value:Operational TransformationThe ability to perform TRILLIONS of operations on a million qubits transforms how businesses can approach optimization problems. Supply chain optimization, financial modeling, and resource allocation - problems that currently take weeks or months to solve - could be tackled in hours or minutes. For a global manufacturing company, this could mean reducing inventory costs by 30-40% while improving delivery times by optimizing routing and warehouse operations - in real-time.R&amp;D AccelerationThe quantum advantage in simulating molecular interactions could cut pharmaceutical R&amp;D cycles from years to months to possibly days. A drug development process that typically costs $2.6 billion and takes 10+ years could potentially be compressed to a fraction of that time and cost. Similar advantages apply to materials science, where quantum-computed simulations could replace years of trial-and-error experimentation.Financial Services RevolutionQuantum computing's ability to analyze vast combinations of variables could revolutionize risk assessment, fraud detection, and portfolio optimization. Banks could offer more personalized financial products while better managing risk, potentially unlocking trillions in new economic value.As for specific transformative applications:<ol><li>Environmental Restoration: The ability to break down microplastics and develop non-toxic alternatives could be our planet's saving grace. Imagine calculated solutions for carbon capture, waste reduction, and ecosystem restoration – all powered with quantum precision.</li><li>Healthcare Revolution: By understanding enzyme behavior at the quantum level, we could unlock new treatments, personalized medicine approaches, and solutions to diseases that have long evaded our understanding. The implications for global health equity are staggering.</li><li>Infrastructure Innovation: Self-healing materials could revolutionize construction, manufacturing, and urban development. Think about bridges that repair themselves, buildings that adapt to environmental stresses, and infrastructure that grows stronger, not weaker, with time.</li></ol><h3>The Shadow Side: Risks and Responsibilities</h3>This all sounds amazing, technically astounding and mind blowing but we need to pause and reflect on the deeper implications. With every technological leap forward, we must ask ourselves: Who benefits? Who might be left behind? What are the risks we must address?Security ConcernsThe same computing power that could crack environmental challenges could also break current encryption standards, potentially exposing sensitive data and communications. We must proactively develop quantum-safe security protocols to protect our digital infrastructure BEFORE we scale its use.Bias and ExclusionThis is becoming eerily similar to businesses approach to cloud computing in the beginning, the race to the bottom to swap CapEx for OpEx without thinking through all of the things that need to happen to really derive value and enable business outcomes that move the needle.As we rush toward this quantum future, we must ensure that the datasets and problems we choose to solve represent all of humanity, not just a privileged few. The risk of embedding existing societal biases into quantum-powered solutions is real and must be actively prevented. Without this intentional step, honestly as a Black woman – this is straight up terrifying.Access and EquityWill this technology widen the digital divide, or can we ensure its benefits reach all corners of society? The answer lies not in the technology itself, but in our choices and policies around its deployment.<h3>A Call to Conscious Innovation</h3>What moves me most about this breakthrough is not just its technical achievement, but the opportunity it presents for humanity to do better – to learn from our past and create a more equitable future. Here's what we must commit to IMMEDIATELY:<ol><li>Ethical Framework Development: We need robust guidelines for all AI use not just for quantum computing applications, ensuring they serve the greater good while protecting individual rights and privacy.</li><li>Inclusive Development: Diverse voices must be at the table as we develop quantum applications, ensuring solutions address the needs of all communities. The persistent and continued underrepresentation of women and people of color in technical development and decision-making roles within the tech and manufacturing industries is a significant concern. This abject lack of diversity not only perpetuates systemic inequalities but also hinders innovation and inclusivity in product development. Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion (DE&amp;I) has been weaponized as an initiative and is currently being systematically dismantled, but the not-so-secret to our success is that diversity is the future of this country. Sticking to math, because it doesn't have an opinion, diverse markets and women in America are $16.3 trillion of the American $27 trillion GDP—that's 60% of the US economy. This is the reason why I like math. This is just bad business rejecting the business case of diversity. If you purely look at the math, do you want more customers or do you want them to go someplace else? Do you want employees who can understand the customer base? Do you want products on the shelf that reflect that? Business leaders, inclusivity is good business. Do the math and develop with inclusivity in mind (i.e., revenue, revenue, revenue).</li><li>Environmental Responsibility: As we scale this technology, we must consider its environmental impact and ensure it contributes to, rather than detracts from, our sustainability goals.</li></ol><h3>Technical Implementation and the Path Forward</h3>For businesses looking to prepare for this quantum future, the roadmap starts now. Microsoft's integration with Azure Quantum provides a pathway for organizations to begin experimenting with quantum algorithms and hybrid quantum-classical approaches. The platform's compatibility with existing AI frameworks means companies can start building quantum-ready applications today, ensuring they're prepared for the scaling advantages of tomorrow.<h3>Key steps for business leaders:</h3><ol><li>Quantum Literacy: Invest in building quantum computing expertise within your organization to understand the pros, cons, and downstream impacts not only across your organization, but your customers and the world.</li><li>Use Case Identification: Identify and map your most computationally intensive problems that could benefit from quantum advantage.</li><li>Infrastructure Preparation: None of this is going to work if your infrastructure isn’t ready – modernized, secure, resilient and scalable.</li></ol>So, before you go off jumping on the quantum computing band wagon, out of FOMO (fear of missing out), make sure you have a modernized data infrastructure, inclusive of data controls, governance, and security to support quantum-classical hybrid approaches.We are standing at a crossroads. The power of quantum computing, combined with AI, could either exacerbate existing inequalities or help create the more equitable world we dream of.The choice is ours.So, let us embrace this technology not just for what it can do, but for what it can mean for humanity when guided by intentionality, wisdom, compassion, and a commitment to the greater good. Let us ensure that as we build this quantum future, we build it for everyone.Remember, the true measure of any technological advancement isn't just in its processing power or technical capabilities – it's in how it serves humanity as a whole.As we step into this quantum age, let us do so with intentionality, humanity at its core, critical minds, and an unwavering commitment to creating a future that uplifts us all.In the end, the question isn't whether quantum computing will change our world – it's whether we'll be intentional enough to ensure it changes it for the better.And that is a responsibility we all share.This is our moment to shape the future.So, let’s do so with wisdom, intention, and an unwavering commitment to the greater good.The power is in our hands.&nbsp;

Taming Quantum Chaos: The Breakthrough That Could Turn Science Fiction into Monday Morning

<figure id="figure-c1egdpgwscm7l2jlao" data-full-width="" class=""><img id="c1egdpgwscm7l2jlao" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1f3iHrVxcs1rgdxm1Ke5KYJDbTNKfl2se7EVYoXzhw2G1kzc4pcaeWNF3rVEEMHR.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="true" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1f3iHrVxcs1rgdxm1Ke5KYJDbTNKfl2se7EVYoXzhw2G1kzc4pcaeWNF3rVEEMHR.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><blockquote><h3>Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. - James Baldwin </h3></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(18px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-weight: inherit; font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal); background-color: rgba(249,250,251,var(--tw-bg-opacity));" data-mce-style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(18px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-weight: inherit; font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal); background-color: rgba(249,250,251,var(--tw-bg-opacity));">In a world where AI increasingly determines who gets a loan, who receives medical care, and whose resume lands on the hiring manager's desk, Block's announcement of Goose isn't just news - it's a moment that demands our attention and challenges our consciousness.In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, yet again, a new player has emerged that promises to reshape how we think about AI development and accessibility. Block, under the leadership of visionary Jack Dorsey, has introduced Goose - an open-source AI framework that stands as both a beacon of hope and a mirror reflecting our deepest concerns about the future of technology and humanity. At a high level, Goose allows a connection between LLMs and real-world (primarily software) actions. &nbsp;So, Goose can act as an Agent that uses the output of LLMs to do other stuff, like writing files, etc. While pretty darn cool, this moment stretches far beyond lines of code and technical specifications. It challenges us to define not just how we build AI, but who we build it for and what world we want it to shape.<h3>The Promise and Paradox of Digital Democracy</h3>Goose represents something profound - a step toward democratizing AI development. Yet, as we celebrate this technological milestone, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: for millions around the world, the promise of AI remains as distant as the infrastructure needed to access it.Consider these transformative possibilities - and the stark realities that limit them:<ul><li>Healthcare Revolution: Imagine rural hospitals gaining access to sophisticated diagnostic tools, leveraging AI while maintaining patient privacy through on-premises deployment. But what of clinics operating without reliable electricity? Communities where internet connectivity is a luxury, not a given? The bitter irony is that areas most in need of AI-enhanced healthcare often lack the basic infrastructure to implement it. When a hospital struggles to keep the lights on, how can we expect it to deploy advanced AI systems?</li><li>Financial Inclusion: Small community banks could develop AI-powered risk assessment tools that understand local contexts and communities. Yet in regions where basic mobile connectivity is intermittent, where power outages are daily occurrences, these tools remain theoretical. The informal economy traders, the unbanked millions who operate entirely in cash - they remain invisible to AI systems not because their economic activities aren't valid, but because the digital infrastructure to capture their reality doesn't exist.</li><li>Educational Empowerment: Educational institutions<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(16px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-weight: inherit; font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal); background-color: rgba(249,250,251,var(--tw-bg-opacity));" data-mce-style="font-family: inherit; font-size: calc(16px * var(--body-fontSize, 1)); font-weight: inherit; font-style: var(--body-fontStyle, normal); background-color: rgba(249,250,251,var(--tw-bg-opacity));"> could create personalized learning experiences that adapt to diverse learning styles and cultural backgrounds. But this vision crumbles in communities where schools lack computers, where students share outdated mobile devices, where broadband is nonexistent. The digital divide isn't just about access to AI - it's about access to the basic tools needed to participate in the digital age. Moreover, giving a kid an iPad without the support to navigate it is as useless as the number 9 on microwave.</li></ul>Infrastructure Reality: Before we can talk about AI democratization, we must address fundamental questions:<ul style="list-style-type: circle;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: circle;"><li>How do we bridge the gap when <a data-mce-href="https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/Pages/PR-2023-09-12-universal-and-meaningful-connectivity-by-2030.aspx" href="https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/Pages/PR-2023-09-12-universal-and-meaningful-connectivity-by-2030.aspx">2.6 billion people </a>still lack internet access?</li><li>What happens when unreliable power grids make cloud computing impossible?</li><li>How can communities benefit from AI when basic digital literacy remains a challenge?</li><li>What about regions where the cost of data makes consistent internet access prohibitive?</li></ul>Community Empowerment: The promise of tools like Goose must be paired with initiatives that address basic infrastructure needs.<ul><li>True democratization means: Investment in reliable power infrastructure</li><li>Affordable and accessible internet connectivity</li><li>Basic digital literacy education</li><li>Support for local technology hubs and training centers</li><li>Solutions that can operate with limited or intermittent connectivity</li></ul>The digital divide isn't just about technology - it's about fundamental human rights in the digital age. Until we address these basic infrastructure gaps, the democratization of AI will remain a privilege of the connected world, not a tool for global empowerment.We must ask ourselves: How can we ensure that the path to AI democratization includes building the bridges necessary for all communities to cross the digital divide? Without addressing these fundamental gaps, tools like Goose, however revolutionary, risk widening the very inequalities they aim to address.<h3>The Shadow Side: Ethics in the Age of Accessibility</h3>With great power comes great responsibility. Everything from economic opportunity, university admissions, detecting cheating, organ transplants, to insurance applications and everything in between: algorithmic discrimination is impacting people's lives every day. As someone who has spent years examining the intersection of technology and human progress, I must ask: Are we ready for this level of AI democratization? My immediate answer is NO. And, hell NO for the people in the back.The open-source nature of Goose, while beautiful in its intention, raises critical concerns. When we lower the barriers to AI development without establishing robust ethical frameworks, we risk amplifying existing societal biases. Incomplete or biased datasets could be used to train AI systems that perpetuate discrimination, all while wearing the mask of technological objectivity.<h3>The Ethics Gap: A Global Blindspot</h3>In the constant stream of tech headlines, rare moments emerge that transcend innovation and force us to examine our collective journey. Block's Goose is one such watershed moment. Let me be direct: While Goose offers impressive technical capabilities, it spotlights a glaring absence in our global AI landscape - the lack of a unified ethical framework that ensures AI serves all of humanity, not just those whose data happens to be included in training sets.&nbsp; Think about this:<ul><li>When an AI system is trained primarily on data from urban areas, what happens to rural communities?</li><li>When facial recognition algorithms are developed using predominantly Western datasets, what about the global majority?</li><li>When medical AI is trained on data from one demographic, who pays the price?&nbsp; </li></ul>These aren't hypothetical concerns - they're playing out right now in real communities, affecting real lives.<h3>The Data Divide: A Modern Crisis</h3>Picture this: A small community bank in rural Kenya wants to use Goose to develop an AI-powered lending system. They have the technical capability now - but where's their training data coming from? Silicon Valley? Wall Street? How can we expect such systems to fairly evaluate the creditworthiness of farmers whose economic patterns differ fundamentally from Western models?This is the silent crisis of AI democratization - access to technology without access to representative data perpetuates digital colonialism under the guise of innovation.<h3>A Bold Vision for Inclusive AI</h3>Imagine if Goose's release had been accompanied by:<ul><li>A Global Data Coalition: A partnership of nations and communities committed to building truly representative datasets</li><li>An Ethical AI Certification: Like Fair Trade for coffee or FSC for timber</li><li>Mandatory Inclusion Metrics: Requirements for documenting and improving dataset diversity</li><li>Community Data Sovereignty: Frameworks for communities to maintain control over their data while contributing to global AI development.</li></ul>We need these structures not tomorrow, but today. Each AI model deployed without them exponentially widens the digital divide.<h3>Looking Forward</h3>As we embrace tools like Goose, we must remember that true progress isn't measured by technological capability alone, but by how that technology uplifts all of humanity. The framework's open-source nature and focus on privacy and security provide a foundation, but it's up to us to build upon it with conscious consideration of ethics and inclusion.<h3>The Path Forward: Your Role in AI's Future</h3>This isn't just about technology - it's about power, representation, and the future of human society. As Maya Angelou said, "When you know better, you do better." Now we know. The question is: What will we do?<ul style="list-style-type: square;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: square;"><li>To developers: Document your data sources. Question your assumptions. Seek out diverse datasets.</li><li>To businesses: Invest in data collection from underrepresented communities - not as an afterthought, but as a priority because it’s bad business if you don’t. Don’t run away from the words diversity and inclusion. Yes, Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion (DE&amp;I) has been weaponized as an initiative and is currently being systematically dismantled, but the not-so-secret to our success is that diversity is the future of this country and the world. Sticking to math, because it doesn't have an opinion, diverse markets and women in America are $16.3 trillion of the American $27 trillion GDP—that's 60% of the US economy. This is the reason why I like math. This is just bad business rejecting the business case of diversity.&nbsp; If you purely look at the math, do you want more customers or do you want them to go someplace else? Do you want employees who can understand the customer base? Do you want products on the shelf that reflect that?</li><li>To policymakers: The time for voluntary guidelines has passed. We need robust frameworks that ensure AI development serves all of humanity.</li><li>To everyone reading this: Your voice matters. Demand transparency about the data used to train the AI systems affecting your life.</li></ul><h3>A Moment of Choice</h3>The release of Goose represents more than a technological milestone - it's a moment of choice. Will we accept the convenience of building AI systems with whatever data is easily available? Or will we do the harder, more vital work of ensuring our AI systems truly represent and serve all of humanity?The answer to this question will shape not just our technological future, but the very fabric of human society for generations to come.Which side of history will you be standing on?What role will you play in ensuring AI serves all of humanity, not just the privileged few?How can your community's unique experiences and data contribute to more inclusive AI development? Let's continue this crucial conversation.

Beyond the Goose Chase: AI's Promise, Peril, and the Path Forward

I recently shared my story with Authority Magazine about transforming from a young girl who was told to "stay in her lane" to a tech leader advocating for inclusive innovation.&nbsp; In this candid interview, I open up about: ✨ Building my first computer with newspaper route money ✨ How Star Wars ignited my tech passion ✨ Why "nothing about us without ALL of us" became my rallying cry ✨ The power of authentic leadership in tech<blockquote> "Your identity is yours and yours alone to define, protect, and express. If you don't claim it, someone else will tell you who you are—and their version will never do you justice."</blockquote> Ready to challenge the status quo? Read the full interview here: [<a data-mce-href="https://medium.com/authority-magazine/yvette-schmitter-of-fusion-collective-on-how-we-can-increase-womens-engagement-in-leadership-and-b09f9b8f58c6" href="https://medium.com/authority-magazine/yvette-schmitter-of-fusion-collective-on-how-we-can-increase-womens-engagement-in-leadership-and-b09f9b8f58c6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>]

From Girl Scout Cookie Savings to Tech Leadership: My Journey of Defiance and Determination

<figure id="figure-vkl7n8rurcm76r0k03" data-full-width="" class=""><img id="vkl7n8rurcm76r0k03" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2f1GLVYGsutDg3PfxBX09AqEzn2Gma9nxNAhdcUC1pYBoDNOyx7NVAegynRQRyY9.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="true" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2f1GLVYGsutDg3PfxBX09AqEzn2Gma9nxNAhdcUC1pYBoDNOyx7NVAegynRQRyY9.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Picture this: You walk into your office tomorrow, and suddenly you have access to a million Nobel Prize-winning minds, each capable of working 100x faster than any human. These geniuses can write code, design products, analyze markets, solve complex problems, and innovate at a pace that makes your head spin. Oh, and they never sleep, never take vacations, and never complain about return to office, summer Friday’s or the coffee in the break room.Sound like science fiction? Think again. This is exactly what Anthropic's CEO described in his October 2024 article as the near-future reality of AI: "a country of geniuses in a datacenter." And, this isn't just another tech buzzword to throw around at your next board meeting.&nbsp;<h3>The Elephant in the Boardroom</h3>Let's get real for a moment. Right now, organizations have over-indexed on the productivity aspect of AI doing the grunt, tedious work. You’re probably using AI to write emails, summarize meetings, or maybe generate some social media posts. Well, that’s cute but it’s like using a Ferrari to deliver pizza. Really, your approach is not entirely wrong, but you sure are sorely missing the bigger picture.This may hurt a little bit, but here's the uncomfortable truth: while you're dabbling with chatbots, your competitors are building entire AI-powered think tanks. They're using AI not just as a tool, but as a full-fledged collaborative force that's reimagining their entire business model. That’s the hard truth and if you’re reading my blog post you aren’t coming here for sugar-coated fluff.<h3>The Million-Dollar Questions</h3>So, let me ask you something, and I want you to really sit with this for a minute or two:1. Is your company prepared and ready to harness the power of a million geniuses?2. More importantly, are you prepared to compete against companies that will?&nbsp;<h3>*Pause for dramatic effect*</h3>Because here's the thing: When your competitors suddenly have access to a country's worth of genius-level talent working around the clock, your weekly strategy meetings and quarterly planning sessions aren't going to cut it anymore. The game isn't just changing – it's evolving into an entirely different sport.<h3>Welcome to the World of Tech – Yes, I'm Talking to YOU</h3>I can hear you now: "But we're not a tech company! We're [insert industry here]!"Let me break it to you not so gently: Every company is now a tech company. That ship has sailed, and it's powered by AI.Remember when having a website was optional? When social media was just for kids? When cloud computing was something only software and tech companies cared about? That's exactly where we are with AI – except this transformation is happening 10x faster and hitting 100x harder.Look around: Agriculture giants are using AI for precision farming. Construction companies are using AI for project planning and risk assessment. Retailers are using AI for inventory and supply chain optimization. Even your local bakery is probably using AI-powered analytics to predict daily sales and reduce waste.The truth is, you don't have the luxury to choose not to be a tech company anymore – you either embrace technology and thrive or resist it and fade away. The dividing line won't be between tech and non-tech companies – that line has already been erased. The new divide will be between companies that harness AI's full potential and those that become case studies in business school textbooks about digital dinosaurs.Just ask Blockbuster how well "we're not a tech company" worked out for them.<h3>Your Actual Tech Transformation Starts Now</h3>The good news? You don't need to become a “Google” overnight. But you do need to start thinking like a tech company. Here's how to begin:1. Stop Treating AI Like a Glorified Assistant<ul><li>Move beyond basic tasksStart using AI for strategic thinking and innovation; use it to play devil’s advocate</li><li>Experiment with AI in product development and market analysis.</li><li>Before investing time and energy in building a product, find out before if it’s really going to work, if it’s needed or if the juice is even worth the squeeze. ]</li></ul>2. Learn the Art of AI Collaboration<ul><li>Treat AI as a thought partner, adviser, a skeptic, not just a spellcheck grammar tool</li><li>Practice giving complex, multi-step projects to AI</li><li>Learn to iterate and refine AI outputs</li></ul>3. Build Your AI Muscle<ul><li>Start small but think BIG</li><li>Experiment with different AI models and capabilities and then maximize the one that enables the most value</li><li>Document what works and what doesn't</li></ul>4. Create a Tech-Forward, AI-First Culture<ul><li>Train your team to think like technologists and innovators, regardless of their role</li><li>Make technical literacy and AI competency core requirements, not "nice-to-haves"</li><li>Reward innovative tech solutions and AI use caseBuild a culture that embraces continuous technological learning</li></ul>5. Invest in Your Data and Tech Infrastructure<ul><li>Audit your current technology stack, can it even support AI tools?</li><li>Do you have safeguards in place to support cultivating a culture of continuous innovation?</li><li>Do you have data governance in place?</li><li>Do you need to build or upgrade your data infrastructure to ensure you have the technical foundation to support advanced AI implementation?</li></ul><h3>The Tech Revolution Waits for No One</h3>The gap between companies that embrace their identity as tech companies and those that don't isn't going to be small – it's going to be astronomical. We're not talking about a 10% efficiency gain here. We're talking about the difference between a horse-drawn carriage and a rocket.And here's the real kicker: This isn't just about having better tools. It's about fundamentally transforming how you think, operate, innovate, and create value. When you have a country of geniuses in your datacenter, you're not just doing the same things faster – you're doing things that were previously impossible.Think about that for a moment.Really let it sink in.Your competition won't just be doing things better – they'll be doing things you haven't even imagined possible. They'll be solving problems you didn't know existed. They'll be innovating at a pace that makes Moore's Law look like a casual stroll.<h3>The Time Is Now</h3>So, here's my challenge to you: Stop reading about AI and start experiencing it. Stop treating it like a novelty and start treating it like your company's future. Because that's exactly what it is.The country of geniuses is coming to a datacenter near you. The only question is: Will they be working for you, or against you?Remember this moment. Because years from now, when people ask about the great AI divide in business, this will have been the turning point – the moment when you either started preparing for the future or decided to become part of the past.<h3>The choice, as always, is yours. Which side of history do you want to be on?</h3>But choose quickly because the future isn't waiting for anyone.

Your Competitors Just Hired a Country of Geniuses (And You're Still Using ChatGPT for Email)

Yvette Schmitter

My name is Yvette Schmitter, and I’m a dynamic, international motivational, keynote speaker and technology leader on a mission to transform the future of tech into a force that includes and uplifts us all. Drawing from my expertise in AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation, I empower audiences to lead with courage, dismantle barriers, and create solutions that bridge divides and drive lasting impact. Let’s build a future where innovation isn’t just progress—it’s progress for all. Join me in shaping the future we all deserve. My mission is to redefine the future of technology by championing innovation that includes and empowers all. As a trailblazer in the tech industry, I lead with purpose and passion, ensuring that every room where decisions are made is filled with diverse perspectives, so that technology truly serves humanity—not just a privileged few. By breaking down barriers and building bridges, I’m committed to creating a tech landscape where every voice is heard, every experience is valued, and every community has the opportunity to thrive.


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