Why Technology Needs to Deliver Real Value: Lessons from ChatGPT
At the Peak of Inflated Expectations
According to Gartner, ChatGPT is currently at the peak of inflated expectations. However, NFTs have already fallen off, meaning that soon we may see ChatGPT follow the same path. And after that, it could be the metaverse’s turn to suffer the same fate.
The Importance of Long-Term Success
Amara’s Law (also known as Gates Law) suggests that humans tend to overestimate the short-term success of technology and underestimate its long-term success. While progress is important, any technology without meaningful value for people still sucks. It’s crucial to figure out what people want and need from technology to ensure its long-term success.
Delivering Real Value
The Ford Model T, the internet, airplanes, mobile phones, vaccines, and sliced bread were all underestimated by humans initially. However, all of these groundbreaking inventions delivered real value to people. We need to look for the underlying jobs that technology helps people do and judge new technology strictly based on its merits.
Building Things that People Want
The unofficial motto of every designer is to build sh*t that people want. This means building things that help people get meaningful things done and add real value to their lives. For ChatGPT, this could mean developing solutions to mundane tasks, providing easier access to information, or taking over certain jobs to make people’s lives easier. However, building technology for the sake of technology is pointless.
Figuring Out What People Want
Sometimes, we need to build things to figure out what people want because they may not even know what they want yet. Regardless, it’s crucial to ensure that we’re building things that people actually want and need.
Lesson Learned from ChatGPT
ChatGPT’s rise and potential fall provides a valuable lesson for the technology industry. To ensure long-term success, it’s essential to deliver real value and build things that people want and need. Technology for the sake of technology is pointless, and it’s crucial to figure out what people want from technology to ensure its success.
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