Mitch Joel's Blog: Six Pixels of Separation, page 25

Running Circles Around Security – When Your Fitness Tracker Knows Too Much

How safe is your fitness tracker?

Strava, the fitness app beloved by runners and cyclists worldwide (over 125 million active users), has become a surprising security risk for military personnel and the protective teams of high-profile leaders.
Known for its social sharing features and expansive activity maps, Strava’s reach has inadvertently exposed sensitive locations and patterns, from military bases to the daily routines of security personnel guarding figures like Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden.
Which is weird, because at the heart of Strava’s appeal is its ability to create a community for fitness enthusiasts willing to share this kind of data.
Users can track their exercise metrics, compare their progress with friends, and establish public routes.
Still, these same features reveal user locations and routines, creating a potential security breach when used by individuals in sensitive roles.

How did this all happen?

A striking example surfaced when an Australian student observed “glowing trails” over the Syrian desert on Strava’s activity map.
Further investigation revealed these trails represented routes frequently taken by military personnel, inadvertently highlighting the presence and layout of military installations.
More recently, Le Monde took these concerns to another level, noting that the bodyguards of global leaders are identifiable through their public posts on Strava.
The Pentagon and France’s Ministry of Armed Forces have down-played these risks, yet for years, fitness enthusiasts in sensitive positions have continued to share their activity publicly, despite protocols advising otherwise.

Who is responsible for privacy in this case?

Strava, on its end, has pledged to simplify privacy settings, but ultimately shifts responsibility to users, emphasizing that only publicly shared data appears on their maps.
This situation reveals a regulatory paradox regarding consumer data and location privacy.
Fitness apps like Strava generate revenue by collecting user data and often selling it to third parties, leaving sensitive information vulnerable to exploitation.
While consumers agree to data-sharing terms, they rarely understand the full implications, especially in professions requiring discretion.
The lack of government oversight around how apps manage and share location data has raised alarms among cybersecurity experts, who argue for stricter regulations to protect users from unintended exposure.
For the military and security agencies, the risks are complex.

Banning personal devices entirely might be unrealistic, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to safety and convenience.

Digital culture’s boundaries between public and private data are eroding.
Apps like Strava, initially designed for convenience and social sharing, now blur the lines of personal security.
The constant location tracking, while attractive to fitness buffs, exposes vulnerabilities that might not be fully appreciated until they’re exploited (like when might be a good time to rob your home).

For most users, this is a benign choice.

Strava’s security challenges are a reminder that digital tools enhance connectivity and community, but always require a level of awareness and caution – especially when personal safety and national security intersect.

Ultimately, for those in high-stakes roles, privacy settings alone may no longer be enough.

This is what Justine McIntyre and I discussed on CJAD 800 AM. Listen in right here.

Mitch Joel · Running Circles Around Security – When Your Fitness Tracker Knows Too Much – The Elias Makos Show – CJAD 800

Before you go… ThinkersOne is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Ravin Jesuthasan On The Future Of Work – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #956 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to:

Ravin Jesuthasan is a global thought leader, futurist, and bestselling author who has dedicated his career to exploring the future of work, AI, and workforce transformation. As the Senior Partner and Global Leader for Transformation Services at Mercer, he has collaborated with some of the world’s most influential organizations to help them navigate the rapidly changing landscape of work. Ravin has led significant research projects for the World Economic Forum, focusing on topics like digital media’s impact on society, talent strategies in the fourth industrial revolution, and redefining the value of human capital in the new world of work. In this conversation, Ravin delves into his latest book, The Skills-Powered Organization – The Journey To The Next Generation Enterprise that he co-authord with Tanuj Kapilashrami (check out his other five books). He emphasizes that as AI, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts reshape our world, there’s an urgent need for organizations to transition from traditional job-based structures to skills-based models. This shift isn’t just a minor adjustment – it requires rethinking how work is organized and how talent connects to it. By focusing on skills as the new currency of work, organizations can become more agile, resilient, and adaptable. Ravin shares compelling examples of how AI is already transforming industries like healthcare and financial services. As AI takes over more technical tasks, transferable skills – like empathy, creativity, and critical thinking become increasingly important. The Skills-Powered Organization serves as a practical guide for leaders looking to navigate this transition. Ravin provides a step-by-step roadmap, discussing critical organizational capabilities, the transformative changes required, and the role of AI in accelerating this journey. He also examines how this shift enables a more seamless talent ecosystem, blending various types of employee and non-employee labor. Whether you’re a leader seeking to future-proof your organization or an individual aiming to stay relevant in a rapidly changing job market, Ravin’s insights offer valuable guidance on embracing the next generation of work. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcast or whatever platform you may choose):  #956 – Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

SPOS #956 – Ravin Jesuthasan On The Future Of Work

Welcome to episode #956 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Ravin Jesuthasan is a global thought leader, futurist, and bestselling author who has dedicated his career to exploring the future of work, AI, and workforce transformation. As the Senior Partner and Global Leader for Transformation Services at Mercer, he has collaborated with some of the world’s most influential organizations to help them navigate the rapidly changing landscape of work. Ravin has led significant research projects for the World Economic Forum, focusing on topics like digital media’s impact on society, talent strategies in the fourth industrial revolution, and redefining the value of human capital in the new world of work. In this conversation, Ravin delves into his latest book, The Skills-Powered Organization – The Journey To The Next Generation Enterprise that he co-authord with Tanuj Kapilashrami (check out his other five books). He emphasizes that as AI, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts reshape our world, there’s an urgent need for organizations to transition from traditional job-based structures to skills-based models. This shift isn’t just a minor adjustment – it requires rethinking how work is organized and how talent connects to it. By focusing on skills as the new currency of work, organizations can become more agile, resilient, and adaptable. Ravin shares compelling examples of how AI is already transforming industries like healthcare and financial services. As AI takes over more technical tasks, transferable skills – like empathy, creativity, and critical thinking become increasingly important. The Skills-Powered Organization serves as a practical guide for leaders looking to navigate this transition. Ravin provides a step-by-step roadmap, discussing critical organizational capabilities, the transformative changes required, and the role of AI in accelerating this journey. He also examines how this shift enables a more seamless talent ecosystem, blending various types of employee and non-employee labor. Whether you’re a leader seeking to future-proof your organization or an individual aiming to stay relevant in a rapidly changing job market, Ravin’s insights offer valuable guidance on embracing the next generation of work. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 51:59.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.Check out ThinkersOne.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Ravin Jesuthasan.The Skills-Powered Organization – The Journey To The Next Generation Enterprise.Ravin’s other books.Follow Ravin on LinkedIn.Follow Ravin on X.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Chapters:

(00:00) – Introduction and Background.(02:53) – AI’s Impact on Work Processes in Healthcare.(06:11) – AI’s Impact on Work Processes in Financial Services.(10:08) – The Challenges of Rapid Change and Upskilling.(15:09) – The Potential Distribution of Value in the Age of AI.(18:55) – Identifying and Developing Transferable Skills.(27:58) – The Impact of AI and Automation on Work.(30:10) – The Importance of Continuous Learning.(33:04) – Challenges of Reskilling.(39:21) – Creating a Skills-Powered Organization.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast – Episode #956.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Six Links That Make You Think #749

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

The Big Sort – Bill Bishop. “I only heard of this book recently. ‘In 2004, journalist Bill Bishop made national news in a series of articles when he first described ‘the big sort.’ Armed with original and startling demographic data, he showed how Americans have been sorting themselves over the past three decades.’ And that was before we had algorithms to sort us. Nowadays, over 80% of people meet online—and around the same number of people say they’d never date someone with opposing political views. This has me thinking about the long-term genetic consequences of sorting humans into distinct breeding groups. It feels like straying perilously close to eugenics to even think about this – but also foolish to ignore it.” (Alistair for Hugh). One Bias To Rule Them All – Steve Stewart-Williams – The Nature-Nurture-Nietzsche Newsletter . “As we wrapped up Just Evil Enough, my co-author Emily and I realized just how many social science nuggets we’d included. We agonized over the reproducibility crisis in the social sciences. something Hugh has shared links on in the past. But this post by the author of The Ape That Understood The Universe suggests that there’s really just one bias, and a bunch of flavors: Confirmation. It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. After all, once you’ve found a thing that works, do that thing, unless you have a very good reason to change. Eat the foods that don’t poison you… hunt the ways that tend to work. We’re a gigantic self-reinforcement system. But what happens to those long lists of heuristics and biases?” (Alistair for Mitch). Your Awokening Isn’t Special – Geoff Shullenberger – UnHerd . “Musa al-Gharbi is a US based sociologist who has analyzed what he calls the 4 Great Awokenings of the 20th and 21st century. His claim: it tends to happen in times when there is an oversupply of intellectuals, you tend to get these panics. He’s nuanced and thoughtful, however, his basic thesis: woke culture is a performative stance, that doesn’t substantially improve the lives of most of the people it purports to serve; and may well be making things worse.” (Hugh for Alistair). “This Led To My Divorce.” How Toxic Masculinity is Destroying This Generation! – Scott Galloway – Lewis Howes – YouTube . “I’ve been listening to Scott Galloway on his podcast with Kara Swisher, Pivot. He’s writing a book about masculinity (the positive kind). In this fascinating podcast with Lewis Howes, Galloway talks about all the metrics showing how US society is failing boys and young men, and what we should do about it.” (Hugh for Mitch).  What’s So Special About The Human Brain? – Kerri Smith – Nature . “Just think about how long we have been studying our own brains. Even thinking about concepts like consciousness, and where that happens, and what that means… It leaves the most brilliant minds completely astounded. We know a couple of things about the brain… there is a ton of data and biology that is ripping through that spongy thing that lives between your ears. There are so many questions that so many of us have about our brain… Some of them have been answered… Most of them remain a complete mystery. As we all grapple with what our future, artificial intelligence-based world might be like, it might be worthwhile to spend some time thinking about what makes the human brain so special…” (Mitch for Alistair). Solitude Can Be Profoundly Restorative. Here’s How To Savor It – Thuy-vy Nguyen – Psyche . “Yes, I am sharing this link with you… But in truth, I need this more than anybody. As I get older, I’m starting to realize how uncomfortable I can be spending time in solitude. I guess I worry about my limited amount of time, and the last thing I want to do is let that time pass alone… Away from family and friends. Because I travel so much for work, I get a chance to spend a lot of time thinking and being alone. Some people love it… I don’t think that I do. With that, it’s probably an important muscle to exercise. So, I need this article as much as you might…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on X, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement  and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Robots vs. Immigration – A Controversial Plan For Future Workforces?

Can technology end the contentious debate over immigration?

In the province of Quebec, the Parti Quebecois is asking this, exact, question.
They propose reducing temporary foreign workers from 270,000 to 40,000 and filling the gap with automated systems across industries like agriculture and manufacturing.
Inspired by models in South Korea and Japan, this plan pushes Quebec toward a future that relies on automation over immigration.

Why this is interesting…

Automation and robotics can take on tasks that are low-skilled, low-paying, and generally offer limited upward mobility.
For Quebec, this shift promises to create new business opportunities that could offer higher-paying, skilled jobs that might drive local innovation.
As PQ’s approach suggests, it’s not just about reducing costs or numbers – it’s a strategic shift toward investing in technology, which could make Quebec a competitive leader in automation.

Still… let’s be realistic…

Temporary foreign workers fill gaps that machines can’t easily address, especially in fields requiring flexibility and adaptability – qualities that most robots currently lack.
Displacing these roles with machines could risk alienating communities reliant on immigration, while automation’s high costs and infrastructure needs might burden small and medium enterprises unprepared for such a transition.

So, what is the right balance between technological advancement and social responsibility?

Quebec may gain an economic edge by investing in robotics, but a rapid transition risks skill gaps and financial strain in industries shifting from human labor to automation.
Unlike nations like South Korea and Japan, where automation is deeply integrated, Quebec faces a steep learning curve, requiring policies and support for a phased and thoughtful transition.
Still, it’s amazing to think this type of approach hasn’t even been a talking point in the pending U.S. presidential election.
As this debate unfolds, Quebec stands on the edge of a future where robots may indeed do the work, but it must consider whether this move will ultimately be a gain – or a loss – for the province’s identity and economy.

I support/like this idea (which should surprise no one).

Let robots do work that humans no longer need to do (usually low education/low skill which mean low pay/low chance of improvement)
And, this is less about immigration, costs and planning as much as it is a smart shift in philosophy and approach to a wealthier tomorrow.

This is what Justine McIntyre and I discussed on CJAD 800 AM. Listen in right here.

Mitch Joel · Robots vs. Immigration – A Controversial Plan For Future Workforces? – The Elias Makos Show – CJAD 800

Before you go… ThinkersOne is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Michael Morris On Tribes And Togetherness – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #955 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to:

Michael Morris is a renowned cultural psychologist at Columbia University, where he teaches in both the Graduate School of Business and the Psychology Department. With previous teaching stints at Stanford University and a rich educational background from the University of Michigan and Brown University, Michael has dedicated his career to exploring how culture shapes the way we think, communicate, and collaborate. His research delves into the idea that while our genetic programming primes us to learn from our communities, the actual content of what we learn is deeply influenced by the cultural environments we’re immersed in. In our conversation, Michael discusses his book, Tribal – How The Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Bring Us Together. He challenges the often negative connotations associated with tribalism, aiming to reclaim the term by highlighting its positive aspects. Michael explains that tribal psychology is an inherent part of human nature, encompassing instincts for solidarity, imitation, and the perpetuation of traditions. While tribalism can lead to division and conflict, he argues that these same instincts can also foster unity and collective action when harnessed constructively. We delve into real-world examples, including recent tribal conflicts and protests at institutions like Columbia Business School. Michael sheds light on why individuals engage passionately in such issues and how tradition and nostalgia play significant roles in tribal dynamics. He emphasizes that technology and social media aren’t solely to blame for societal divisions – rather, these platforms amplify existing human tendencies rooted in our psychology. If you’re curious about how our cultural instincts shape our interactions and how we can leverage them to bring people together, Michael’s perspective provides a thoughtful and hopeful outlook. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcast or whatever platform you may choose):  #955 – Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

SPOS #955 – Michael Morris On Tribes And Togetherness

Welcome to episode #955 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Michael Morris is a renowned cultural psychologist at Columbia University, where he teaches in both the Graduate School of Business and the Psychology Department. With previous teaching stints at Stanford University and a rich educational background from the University of Michigan and Brown University, Michael has dedicated his career to exploring how culture shapes the way we think, communicate, and collaborate. His research delves into the idea that while our genetic programming primes us to learn from our communities, the actual content of what we learn is deeply influenced by the cultural environments we’re immersed in. In our conversation, Michael discusses his book, Tribal – How The Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Bring Us Together. He challenges the often negative connotations associated with tribalism, aiming to reclaim the term by highlighting its positive aspects. Michael explains that tribal psychology is an inherent part of human nature, encompassing instincts for solidarity, imitation, and the perpetuation of traditions. While tribalism can lead to division and conflict, he argues that these same instincts can also foster unity and collective action when harnessed constructively. We delve into real-world examples, including recent tribal conflicts and protests at institutions like Columbia Business School. Michael sheds light on why individuals engage passionately in such issues and how tradition and nostalgia play significant roles in tribal dynamics. He emphasizes that technology and social media aren’t solely to blame for societal divisions – rather, these platforms amplify existing human tendencies rooted in our psychology. If you’re curious about how our cultural instincts shape our interactions and how we can leverage them to bring people together, Michael’s perspective provides a thoughtful and hopeful outlook. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 1:01:13.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.Check out ThinkersOne.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Michael Morris.Tribal – How The Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Bring Us Together.Columbia University.Follow Michael on X.Follow Michael on LinkedIn.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Chapters:

(00:00) – Introduction and Background.(03:38) – Understanding Tribal Psychology.(06:01) – The Constructive and Destructive Aspects of Tribalism.(08:59) – Reclaiming the Word ‘Tribal’.(21:05) – The Role of Technology in Tribalism.(27:28) – The Potential for Collective Action and Solutions.(30:30) – Tribal Conflicts at Columbia Business School.(36:18) – The Role of Tradition and Nostalgia in Tribalism.(41:45) – Distinguishing Cults from Religions.(52:34) – The Power of Nostalgia and Conformity.(58:54) – Harnessing Tribal Psychology for Positive Outcomes.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast – Episode #955.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Six Links That Make You Think #748

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

The XOXO 2024 Talks – Andy Baio – Waxy. “I first attended Andy Baio‘s creator conference, XOXO, a few years back in Portland. It was always a work of love, with the talks split evenly between ‘isn’t the Internet amazing? Look at what it let me do!’ and ‘isn’t the Internet awful? Look at how much better it was.’ This was the last year of the conference. Several of the talks were outstanding; Erin Kissane‘s explanation of the Covid tracking project gave me flashbacks, Folding Ideas‘ Dan Olson spoke about creativity and envy and it felt way too close to home. I organized a viewing party for some friends (and my partner, stuck in Winnipeg for a family emergency). One in particular, by Cabel Sasser, had us quite literally cheering; it’s among the best talks I’ve ever seen. I won’t spoil it, but these are all worth your time.” (Alistair for Hugh). AI Creativity: Genius or Gimmick? – World Science Festival – YouTube . “The World Science Festival always has excellent talks, and this one in particular is worth watching given the two panelists. The inarguable power of AI runs head-on into the dignity of human labor, and I’m still trying to figure out what comes next. And Brian Greene asks good questions.” (Alistair for Mitch). Why Europe Is Unprepared To Defend Itself – Tom Pfeiffer – Bloomberg . “We are entering a new geopolitical age with challenges to the US-ruled Western order coming from many angles: China, Russia and Iran… with other big countries such as India, Brazil and South Africa playing all sides. It’s going to be a challenging few decades, I guess. The peace-time dividend, defence budgets freed up post Cold War, is about spent, and – like it or not – defense spending is going to go up. If you want an in-depth overview of the challenges faced by Europe, this is a good place to start.” (Hugh for Alistair). I Will F*&king Piledrive You If You Mention AI Again – Nikhil Suresh . “A quite hilarious bucket of cold water poured on the AI boosters. I don’t think he’s right exactly, but it’s a fun read.” (Hugh for Mitch). White-Collar Work Is Just Meetings Now – Derek Thompson – The Atlantic . “I’ve been thinking a lot about work… work from home… AI… the future. I guess I’ve always thought about it, but now it’s all landing in such a different way. I’ve been on the road quite a bit this past while speaking to different kinds of audiences from various industries… trade association meetings… corporate retreats… client summits. I’ve had countless people tell me (anecdotally) that they don’t even know how to network in person anymore… or what the point is. Whether all or part of their work week is now remote, there’s this over-bearing sense of freedom to work in a more personal/convenient way mixed with this haze of loneliness and uncertainty of their professional development. Layer in the thinking of this article and we have a mess when it comes to ‘work’. We’re alone when doing tasks but are often just slammed in meetings… to the point where people like Derek Thompson are asking a more serious question: If all you do all day is attend meetings and then follow-up tasks, what is your actual work/job?” (Mitch for Alistair). James Clear and Seth Godin – LinkedIn . “This week, famed Marketer and Thinker, Seth Godin, published his latest book, This Is Strategy (I spent over an hour discussing the book and more with Seth, so look for that conversation in an upcoming episode of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast). James Clear wrote the book, Atomic Habits. You don’t need to know much else about his credentials. This productivity book has sold over twenty millions copies and still resides at the top of the weekly bestseller lists, which is staggering if you consider that it was published over six years ago. We need to think about this: A brand new business book that was just published can’t seem to beat a book that came out over six years ago. In this quick thirty-minute chat, Seth and James jam on what it takes to write, publish and sell a book that has an idea worth sharing. Well, this conversation is worth sharing, if you’ve ever thought of writing a book or are thinking about publishing your next one…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on X, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement  and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Fake It Till You Make It – The Art And Stealth Of Faking Demos

How do you feel about tech companies faking demos to drive hype?

Tesla’s recent We, Robot event promised to showcase a futuristic vision where humanoid robots like Optimus could serve drinks, entertain guests, and even interact autonomously.
At least, that’s what Elon Musk wanted us to believe.
But as reports now reveal, the reality was far less advanced than Tesla let on.
The Optimus robots, which appeared to move and interact independently, were actually controlled by humans using remote controls.
This is just the latest example in a long history of tech demos designed to overstate the actual capabilities of products – a practice dating back centuries.

The question is this… are you cool with it (I am).

While Tesla (and Elon) continue to paint an ambitious picture of Tesla’s AI future, the real capabilities of these robots are far behind the image presented on stage.
It’s not just Tesla.
Steve Jobs wasn’t above using a little trickery to showcase products.
During the 2007 unveiling of the iPhone, Jobs used multiple prototypes that followed a “golden path” – a carefully curated series of actions that avoided the device’s many limitations.
The demo gave the illusion of a flawless, fully functional product, even though the reality was far less polished.
For my dollar, these staged demos serve a purpose: They drum up excitement, attract investment, and push companies toward rapid innovation.
Sure, it also blurs the line between what’s real and what’s aspirational, but the market is brutal and always makes the final call when a product is launched.

I don’t believe that the use of fake demos in tech is inherently malicious.

I’m fine with a proof of concept for a product’s potential.
We know that technology takes time to mature, and early support is critical for any groundbreaking innovation that hits mass adoption.
As tech companies continue to push the boundaries of innovation, staged demos may provide a glimpse into the future, but they also risk creating a culture of skepticism where audiences no longer believe the promises of innovation.

Real innovation is when tech delivers on a promise… not just the ability to put on a good show.

This is what Elias Makos and I discussed on CJAD 800 AM. Listen in right here.

Mitch Joel · Fake It Till You Make It – The Elias Makos Show – CJAD 800

Before you go… ThinkersOne is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.

Dax Dasilva On Business, Balance And The Big Picture

Episode #954 of Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to:

I’ve know Dax Dasilva for close to twenty years. Dax is the creative force behind Lightspeed Commerce, a company he founded in 2005 that has grown into a leading unified POS and payments platform for ambitious entrepreneurs worldwide. Lightspeed powers some of the world’s best businesses across over 100 countries, helping them accelerate growth, enhance customer experiences, and become go-to destinations in their markets. With a team of over 3,000 employees, Lightspeed has made significant strides under Dax’s leadership, including going public on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. After serving as Executive Chair of Lightspeed’s board for two years, Dax returned as CEO in February 2024, bringing with him a renewed vision for the company’s future. During our conversation, Dax delves into the evolving landscape of retail and hospitality, emphasizing how these industries are increasingly focusing on providing experiential elements that cater to people’s desire for unique experiences and social interaction. He believes that while technology plays a crucial role in modern commerce, the human touch remains indispensable. Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Dax is deeply passionate about environmental conservation. He founded the Age of Union project, an initiative aimed at reconnecting people with nature and spirituality. Through this project, Dax has traveled to various parts of the world, immersing himself in different cultures and gaining a deeper understanding of social and environmental issues. He reflects on the challenges of balancing technological advancement and consumerism with sustainability and emphasizes the importance of supporting local, community-driven businesses. Our conversation also explores the current polarization in society and the impact of social media on politics. Dax expresses concern over the divisive nature of online platforms and the need for more balanced, nuanced conversations. Dax highlights the often-overlooked value of the “middle journey” in business – the day-to-day efforts and experiences that constitute the core of what companies do. He believes that true fulfillment comes from engaging in this journey rather than just focusing on the end goals. Throughout our conversation, Dax emerges as a leader who is not only focused on driving business success but also deeply committed to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and fostering meaningful human connections. His insights offer a thoughtful perspective on how businesses can navigate the complexities of today’s world while remaining grounded in values that promote sustainability and community. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcast or whatever platform you may choose):  #954 – Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast.

Before you go… ThinkersOne  is a new way for organizations to buy bite-sized and personalized thought leadership video content (live and recorded) from the best Thinkers in the world. If you’re looking to add excitement and big smarts to your meetings, corporate events, company off-sites, “lunch & learns” and beyond, check it out.