Welcome to The B Word, the podcast that unravels the intricacies of B2B branding. Our monthly episodes feature guests from diverse realms, including technology, venture capital, private equity, and more. Together, we delve into the essence of branding, its mechanics, and its profound significance in the contemporary business landscape.

In this episode: Graham Cooke discusses the transformative potential of Web3 technology, its intersection with AI and its implications for various aspects of society, including business, creativity, equity, and decentralised organisations. Topics covered include the convergence of AI and Web3, the role of decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the mainstream adoption of Web3 technologies, and the profound shifts in work dynamics and creativity.

 

Listen here:

...

Episode highlights:

What changes has Graham observed in AI and machine learning?

1. AI has evolved from specialised tasks like playing AlphaGo or driving cars to mastering language and images, becoming more relatable and human-like.
2. Language is at the core of our humanity, and large language models (LLMs) like GPT have revolutionised AI, making it accessible through chatbots.
3. This shift has propelled AI to unprecedented heights, with chatbots and LLMs becoming the fastest-growing software as a service application ever, surpassing giants like Instagram, Facebook (Meta), and Google.
4. The genius move of transforming LLMs into chatbots has made AI universally understandable, shaping the future of technology.

 

Given the dominance of internet giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, where does Graham foresee the greatest potential for disruption from Web3?

1. Graham discusses the concept of disruptive innovation, citing Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovator's Dilemma' and the challenges faced by large companies in adapting to new paradigms.
2. Google's reliance on its advertising revenue model, could be significantly disrupted by the decentralised nature of Web3 and advancements in AI-driven search technology.
3. Graham emphasises the irony that Google, despite contributing to the development of large language models (LLMs), may face disruption to its core business model due to advancements in decentralised AI and digital twin technologies.
4. Drawing on the parallels to examples like Kodak, which invented the digital camera but failed to capitalise on its own innovation, Graham suggests a similar pattern may unfold in the tech industry.
5. While acknowledging that companies like Amazon and Microsoft may be less susceptible to disruption than Google, Graham predicts that the overall trend towards decentralisation in Web3 will eventually challenge traditional business models and lead to a "supply side revolution."

 

What is the relationship between digital twins, data ownership, and the potential for a new business model that values individual data contributions?

1. Graham emphasises the need for individuals to own and control the data that powers their digital twins, ensuring that they remain relevant and valuable in the future.
2. He discusses the potential for a new business model where individuals monetise their data contributions, shifting away from the current model where big tech companies hold user data hostage.
3. Graham envisions a future where individuals' data contributions are pooled together for collective benefits, such as improving healthcare or advancing scientific research. And he advocates for a community-owned approach to data, where the benefits derived from data utilisation are distributed back to the community, aligning with the principles of Web3.

How do you see Web3 impacting the business landscape, particularly in terms of equity and the distribution of economic and health benefits?

1. Graham highlights the fundamental role of business throughout history and emphasises that while business will evolve, it will remain essential to humanity.
2. He predicts a shift towards a more equitable business model, with fewer trillion-dollar companies and a proliferation of mid-sized companies.
3. Graham introduces the concept of the supply-side revolution, where Web3 disrupts how goods and services are created, leading to more cooperative and purpose-driven endeavours.
4. He anticipates that working less and producing higher-value goods and services will become the norm, ultimately resulting in an improvement in the quality of products and services available to consumers.

 

How does Web3 empower individuals rather than replacing them with AI, and how does it facilitate a better quality of life by leveraging human creativity and knowledge?

1. Graham challenges the mainstream narrative that portrays AI as a threat to human employment, emphasising instead that Web3 empowers individuals to live better lives.
2. He suggests that Web3 enables individuals to derive more value from their knowledge and creativity, shifting away from grunt work towards more fulfilling tasks.
3. Graham believes that even in roles traditionally considered non-creative, there are opportunities for moments of creativity and innovation, facilitated by Web3 technologies.
4. He contextualises this shift within a broader historical journey, from peak centralisation during the industrial revolution to a more distributed and cooperative model enabled by Web3 technologies and AI.

How does Graham view the branding challenge associated with Web3 infrastructure technologies like DAOs, considering their primary function as enabling tools rather than consumer-facing products?

1. Graham sees the branding challenge for Web3 infrastructure technologies, such as DAOs, lying in their role as infrastructure rather than consumer products.
2. He emphasises that for the general public, understanding Web3 will come from experiencing the benefits it enables in their daily lives, particularly as more applications are built on top of this infrastructure layer.
3. Graham predicts that as AI disrupts the traditional workforce, individuals will reskill and embrace Web3 technologies like DAOs and NFTs, leading to greater equity and value creation in the world.

 

What advice would Graham suggest to those looking to build Web3 or even Web4 products or services?

1. Graham recommends reading his book "Web3: The End of Business as Usual", which is written for entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing insights into the future of Web3 without technical jargon.
2. He suggests experimenting and exploring the space, emphasising the importance of curiosity and hands-on learning.
3. Graham highlights the significance of using AI tools like chat GPT to simplify complex concepts and to enhance understanding.
4. Overall, he encourages individuals to read extensively, explore, and stay curious about the potential of Web3 technologies.
   
   

    

    

...

Available on:

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Google Podcasts
Listen on Amazon Music