I wrote a blog about the book “How to Fly a Horse” several years ago. I recently ran an experiment to see how Artificial Intelligence (AI from ChatGPT) would have written it versus me, a human.
Conclusions
The two writings are below. I thought AI actually did a pretty good job. There were a few differences. Perhaps I could have closed the gap by giving more detailed instructions to AI. I can see where AI-generated writings could be a good starting point.
The AI version felt a bit stale to me. Perhaps a lack of passion for the subject. I was kind of shocked that it did not mention employees as a source of ideas and collaboration. I also have to admit my biases. I am passionate about creativity, innovation and challenging the status quo. I am so passionate that I took the time to actually read the book!
I also asked ChatGPT for stock market investment advice. It did not offer any and said investing can be risky. Smart answer on that question. I will have to keep doing that creative work on my own with some help from my financial advisor.
ChatGPT – How to Fly a Horse
The book “How to Fly a Horse” by Kevin Ashton explores the creative process behind great ideas and innovation. While it may seem like a book about creativity and innovation has little to offer small business owners, there are actually several lessons that can be applied to entrepreneurship.
Takeaways for Business Owners
One of the main takeaways from the book is the importance of persistence. Great ideas often require a lot of time and effort to come to fruition, and small business owners can face numerous challenges along the way. But by persisting through setbacks and failures, entrepreneurs can eventually achieve success.
Another key lesson is the value of collaboration. Innovation often comes from the combination of ideas and perspectives from multiple individuals. Small business owners can benefit from seeking out collaboration with other entrepreneurs, industry experts, and even their own customers to generate new ideas and solve problems.
The book also emphasizes the need for experimentation and iteration. Small business owners should be willing to try new things, take risks, and learn from their failures. By constantly iterating and improving upon their products or services, entrepreneurs can stay ahead of the competition and provide more value to their customers.
Finally, the book emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset. Small business owners should not be afraid to challenge their own assumptions and beliefs, and should always be open to learning and growth. By embracing a growth mindset, entrepreneurs can continuously improve themselves and their businesses.
Overall, “How to Fly a Horse” provides valuable insights for small business owners looking to foster creativity, innovation, and growth in their businesses.
Human – How to Fly a Horse
This was my original writing posted on 2/28/18. I have copied it for efficiency.
How to Fly a Horse was written by Kevin Ashton. He is credited with coining the phrase “internet of things” and was instrumental in the development of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. The book is about creativity, invention and discovery. The book has many takeaways for the small business owner.
Takeaways for Business Owners
First, creativity and innovation require real work. Coming up with new ideas is important, but if these ideas are not acted upon, executed and implemented, then change and innovation has not really taken place.
The book says we all have the capacity to be creative. Many companies seem to believe that great ideas can only come from the owner, CEO or leadership team. A recent survey by Inc. Magazine asked 500 CEOs “where does your company get most of its ideas for new products and services”? Employees were at the bottom of the list. Employees can be a great source of creativity, but are apparently under-utilized.
Creativity and innovation can take some time. The book says the process is more like a maze than a straight line. This means there could be some setbacks in the development of a new idea. Changes and refinements may need to be made. This is one of the key reasons why change and innovation are real work.
Finally, Kevin writes “creativity must be structured by process”. It is not enough to just have ideas bouncing around all of the time. A process should be in place not only to help us create new ideas, but also to test and implement the ideas. These ideas may be in the areas of new products, services, processes, methods or business models.