Category Archives: Technology

Is AI Overrated?

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This can be a controversial post, but I will still go ahead and share my thoughts.

#AI is not new today, it has been existing since the days of any online word document started highlighting spelling mistakes as you write. The next generation AI tools like Grammerly started showing you sentence construction mistakes and grammatical corrections. Most of the book writing softwares also help you with the same.

As times progressed, auto corrections started coming up in most of the technology we use, for instance when you misspel a place name on Google Maps, it automatically asks “Did you mean this?” or in when you do a Google search, and it does not for the exact match, it asks you “Did you mean this?”.

Even in photographic works, smart corrections for adjusting light, brightness etc have always existed since a long time.

So why suddenly all this AI powered advertisements?

Come 2023, Microsoft invested $10 Billion in OpenAI, founded in 2015 by Elon Musk and Sam Altman. This is when s*** hits the fan. All the world is going ga-ga about the game changing AI and how people are going to loose jobs. What happened between 2015-2022 or even before the launch all the work being done to make ChatGPT? 

I call this marketing. If you notice, almost every year since the 70’s there is something new which was coming along and the next few years will be centred around that term. Lets look at a timeline:

1944 – Neural Network

1965 – Expert System

1970 – Fault tolerant

1976 – Ethernet

1977 – Intranet

1979 – Logout

1980 – TCP / IP

1981 – LAN

1982 – Domain Name

1983 – Virtual Private Network, WAN

1984 – VPN

1985 – IP Address & C++

1986 – Internet

1987 – Virtual reality, JIF

1988 – Hyperlink, JPEG / MPEG

1989 – Cybersecurity

1990 – Internet Service Provider

1991 – Cybercrime

1992 – URL, Augmented Reality, PDF,

1993 – Website

1994 – Cyberterrorism

1995 – Livestream

1996 – Cloud Computing

1998 – Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

1999 – Blog

2001 – Internet of Things (IoT)

2002 – Vlog

2005 – Ransomwear, Microblogging

2007 – Netbook

2009 – Cryptocurrency

2011 – Blockchain

2016 – Machine Learning (ML)

2023 – Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Notice, its something what has been existing, but someone using a name to make it fad.

If you notice carefully, Apple never uses the word AI in any of its products or conversations? Why? Because they want something of their own, Machine Learning. ML has been doing the rounds for the last few years, but never gained so much attention like the AI. What is the difference?

AI is mainly concerned with utilising stored information to make it easier for you to accomplish tasks based on how you use that information. On the other hand, ML focuses on enabling systems to behave automatically even before receiving input.

All AI powered tools work in the similar fashion. After you give an input, they suggest you how you can better it. For instance, I am using Notion as my primary source of all writings and it does not automatically suggest anything, after i write, I can select the sentence and then ask AI to improve it.

So, do you think AI is overrated? I feel overrated is not the right word to use at all. No one will loose jobs, nothing will happen. It will become part of our daily use like how documentation software suggests you to correct a spelling or improve your writing style. And with regards to loosing jobs, the same was said when computers started taking over, did people loose jobs or adopt? The same will apply here.

What do you think?

Automating Coworking

Automating #Coworking

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Any business, be it a cycle repair shop or a departmental store these days uses a technology device to provide consumer satisfaction and also put in order their business workflow. 

Recently, I have been to a cycle shop for a small job. After he finished, I realised I did not carry my wallet for some reason. I apologised to him and mentioned I would be back with the money. He smilingly asked me to do an online transfer. I had my phone and immediately transferred the paltry sum of Rs. 20 (~$0.15). The cycle shop owner is a one-man army and does all the work, but looking at automation for payments. Simple for him and easier on his clients. 

Now, let us move to #Coworking. The #Coworking business model has been evolving over the last few years and it will continue to evolve for the next few years, and then suddenly it will pivot to a different model altogether. 

What should be the solution?

Not complicated, but meaningful and value driven. 

There is one challenge, once you automate the workflow, tweaking the flows as business models change becomes the hardest task. 

How should we design it?

Keep in mind the user workflow. The user workflow remains the same anywhere in the world, however, how it is executed differs. 

Let me take an example – When you walk into a car showroom, the sales person approaching you and inquiring what you are looking for and then showing you the product they have and how it fits into what you are looking for, providing a test drive, explaining all the features and towards the end, offers they have and loan process if any. A simple user workflow for making a sale. 


Now, this is the same process for an entry-level car or a Rolls Royce or Lamborghini. What differs is the execution. 


An entry-level car buyer can be someone who is purchasing a car for the first time, but the Rolls Royce buyer is definitely not a first time car buyer. An entry-level car buyer can be a novice, but a Rolls Royce buyer definitely knows the configuration of the car already and he is coming for purchase. 
This is where the workflow changes. It might be the same sales software both showrooms use, but how they sell is different and there are definitely more KPI’s for Rolls Royce than an entry-level car showroom. 


This is one of the key pain points we wanted to address when we were conceptualising the idea for automating the #Coworking business model. 

Differentiator

In my humble opinion, the software might remain the same, but the options available for customising are tremendously high. 

What should new ideas think of?

There are no new problems to solve, all we are focusing on is the fine tuning of the solutions

When we are conceptualising new ideas, we need to understand the business model in detail. Work with existing business to understand how they do things. If possible even go to outside markets to understand how things are done there. With this understanding, identify the key aspects which your solution would address. I personally recommend to pick all common workflow’s and pick two or three next level workflows. 
We worked with spaces with 40 seats to thousands of seats. The workflows are same, but the pain points are different. 

Value

After you identify the problem you wish to solve, find the client’s value for using your solution. This value is highly recommended to be monitory value, else time value. Because these are the only two things which matter in the end.

 
The other important value can be helping the business owner get to the next level in their business, providing this option has a tremendous value too. 

Automating #Coworking space

There is no set rule to follow while automating your space, pick the technology which matches to your need and if you have not envisioned it yet, helps you envision your long term plan for building your business. 
Yes. I do agree that jazz and beautification is important, but what is more important is the functionality and measuring the time and money. If these two key ingredients are addressed, you could start with it. 


How we do it?

I will not be able to elaborate in detail in this post as to what the exact value we provide (but talk to us and we can show you), but one thing I can mention here is focus on the Experience. This is our Unique Value Preposition along with with many other’s. 

IoT and Healthcare

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Internet of Things will take some more time in playing a crucial role in our lives through Healthcare. I personally see two aspects which are important – Hesitation and Consistency.
Hesitation is in regard to using mobile devices to track Healthcare. Even though there are quite a few apps we use today, depending on them to take care of our health is not in practice by a common user. Giving confidence to users to use their phone as a dependable device is the first step in getting more people connected.
The consistency of Data is the next important aspect. How the data from the device is stored and integrated with other apps or synchronise with Doctor’s system plays a pivotal role.
Of course, Security is also an important aspect, but if we accept and the data is consistent, we can build safer systems.

The Perception Problem

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Let us accept that we do not have answers to all the questions. But, we do not want to accept the reality. It is generally more difficult to not know answers to questions. We try and avoid to say ‘I don’t know’.
What happens when you are thinking of bigger problems like the Economy in the country, or the Healthcare system or Politics? We will go with what the majority of people are saying about the issue and if it matches with our thinking, we go with them. We perceive that what the majority are saying is correct. But, we do not spend time to think if this is the truth or not. If the issue is supported with data, then there is a little support to the bias, but if it does not, then there is a bigger problem. Without understanding the actual facts, we also tend to solve the problem with everyone else.
Apply this to your startup. When you have an idea to solve a problem, doing a market research and evaluating the market potential might give you a certain way to address the problem. But, what really makes the cut is the ability for you to think and solve it the best way which seems possible.
Henry Ford once said “If I ask people what they want, they would ask for faster horses”, he identified the problem and solved it by building a car. He did not go with what the majority said.
When Apple brought out the iPad, there was no competition for them. They were the first. Steve Jobs identified the problem of bringing computers to your hand and the iPad rolled out which not only created history, but the entire pace of computing changed overnight. There is enough competition today and this competition is creating more innovative products.
So the next time you wish to solve a problem, do look at what the majority are thinking, but adapt to your ability to think and address the problem.

Creating an Experience

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Creating Experience in Healthcare is focusing on building personal relationships with clients. How do we incorporate the personal connections into technology?

When you enter any showroom or inquire for a house or participate in any event, they collect your personal details and then based on the assessment of the sales person, they categorize you for what kind of potential client you are. Based on which category you fall into, the system will keep reminding the sales person for timely follow up’s with you for a potential sale.

In a similar way, incorporating the patient experience based on what category they fall into (Inpatient/ Outpatient / kind of treatment they come to the hospital etc.) can help the administration provide the experience. Over the period of time, providing experience becomes a habit.

In their book Patient Comes Second authors Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett highlight how Healthcare organizations are developing the habit of cultivating experience in various places across America.

In countries like India, where we have challenges for various reasons, along with building a culture of experience, technology should also help to cultivate the habit in the workforce by incorporating experience into the workflow.

What do you think?

Anatomy of Healthcare Startup’s

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Healthcare startup’s have raised close to $10 Billion worldwide in 2015 and the numbers are only increasing.
What is interesting is apart from the e-Commerce, finding Doctors and Networking for Doctors, today’s startup’s are addressing almost all parts of the human body re-defining the way we live.
What components of the Human Body are startup’s addressing? 
 
Brain
Autoimmune
Lungs
Liver
Blood
Heart
Gastrointestinal
Kidney
How is it each of the components are being looked at by technologists? We will go deeper into them soon.

Interoperability – Future of Healthcare

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According to the dictionary, Interoperability is ability of a system to work with or use the part of equipment of another system.
Very simple and easy to articulate. But, it is the toughest to execute in the Healthcare space. Most organizations and Healthcare apps work in silos because no one has still figured out how each one can work with each other. So, until then, there will be silence but debates and ideas will exist.
For me, Interoperability does not necessarily mean that each organization has to work with each other and each app has to communicate with other apps freely. Interoperability is a framework and these guidelines are what we should be driving towards executing.
Interoperability is definitely very important component of the Future of Healthcare and it is going to play a pivotal role in the future.

How can Big Data change Healthcare?

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How can Big Data change or transform Healthcare? We capture Insurance information, medical history and wearable devices can track the lifestyle and provide more in-depth information on how the person actually is.
Have you noticed how a couple’s who have been together for longer periods communicate? They talk with their eyes many times. Whereas younger couple speak and share their thoughts and opinions. What happens over a period of time is that one gets to know the other better and mostly each one is proactively involved with each other.
In the same way, initially the data collected by the wearable devices can do a lot of talking and provide various parameters, but only over extended periods of time can the data be providing analysis. Patterns on how various lifestyle’s effect health and how to ensure quality care and take appropriate precautions are just a few things we can analyze from the data we collect. Insurance companies can use data to offer custom Insurance plans which can be more beneficial, Hospitals can provide personalized care, Individuals can themselves monitor and manage their health proactively.
Can Big Data alter the lives? To begin with, Yes. It can. All depends on how we are capturing and utilizing the data.
Do you agree?

Interoperability for Big Data

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You can search for the “most frequent flyer” and you sure will get results. How can the data of one person traveling across continents on different airlines be noticed and tracked? There are two major reservation systems in the world for airlines – <Write the names here>. Anyone buying a plane ticket anywhere in the world has to go through one of these two systems. So, when you search for the most frequent flyer in the world, results are easier to be found.
In America, according to a research, they found out that more than 80% of people are using and tracking Health using, at least, one wearable device (Phone, Step Tracker, Smart Tracker etc). All their information is being recorded and saved.
How do we gather this data and make meaningful use of it? Interoperability is the key here. Organizations which manufacture wearables and store the information should be able to share information with hospitals. Hospitals should be the focus point who gather the data and participate in research activities.
I use a Garmin wearable for tracking my steps, calorie intake and burnt, heart rate and active time. All the data is on Garmin website. When I go to a hospital, to understand my lifestyle, Doctor should be able to pull in my information from Garmin with my permission. This will help him in the better analysis. Second, hospitals should be able to use this information for preventive care.
In India, the PHC which today collects information in the region synchronizes data with the central server. This is how Government takes precautionary measures for any epidemics. Healthcare organizations (Hospitals, Tech Companies etc) should work with the Government to utilize the data for bettering quality of care.
What do you think?

Big Data in Healthcare

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Big Data is going to change the way we live. Wearable devices, Insurance claim information, Electronic Medical Records, Apps collecting data on phone etc are all good samaritans of Big Data.

What can we do with Big Data – Analysis, Predictions, Preventive Care, Best Practices etc are few of the aspects which we can derive from the Data.

There are various sources of data and the need of the hour is tools which can comprehend the details of this data to make it meaningful and usable.

If you look at the investment trends, Healthcare Investments have grown over 176% in 2015 and majority of the investments are in Data Analytics.

We have not yet scratched the tip of the iceberg and personally I feel the next decade will be focused on making meaningful use of the big data.

Do you have a pathbreaking algorithm which we can start with?