In this episode of Alchemist X Innovators Inside, host Ian Bergman and Mike Gadsby, Chief Innovation Officer at O3 World, dive deep into the exciting world of AI, customer experience, and innovation. The episode provides a broad discussion that delves into Gadsby's insights, learned from his journey through the tech sector from graphic design to his current leadership role in R&D.

Gadsby explores the essence of innovation, painting it as a solution-oriented process, designed for improved user outcomes. He stresses the vital role of user feedback and the importance of maintaining a balanced approach in design innovation. Furthermore, he advocates for the delivery of comprehensive experiences to users, leveraging contemporary tools for effective implementation.

The conversation takes an intriguing turn towards Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI. Gadsby sees it as a game-changer for digital user experiences, advising careful consideration of its potential applications before incorporating it.

Chatbots come under the lens, with Gadsby acknowledging their limitations and discussing the transformative potential of AI-driven chatbots for creating personalized and emotionally intelligent communication experiences.

The dialogue also touches upon the challenges in innovation, emphasizing the need for a nimble approach to ensure swift adaptation, iteration, and balance between incremental and radical innovation.

Gadsby emphasizes the need for a future-oriented, customer-centric business approach that can anticipate and meet customer needs years ahead. He identifies the link between excellent customer experiences and fulfilling employee experiences, advising organizations to focus on their employees' needs. He closes the conversation on a powerful note, asserting that innovation and leadership are within anyone's reach through problem identification and solution offering.

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in understanding the future of innovation, design, and customer experiences.

These are some of the main takeaways from our conversation with Mike Gadsby:

The Essence of Innovation: Solving Problems for Better Outcomes
Mike Gadsby defines innovation as the art of problem-solving and creating compelling solutions to achieve improved outcomes for users. Understanding pain points and friction in experiences is essential for driving innovation effectively.

Embracing Generative AI for Enhanced Digital Experiences
The conversation explores the potential of generative AI, emphasizing the importance of understanding use cases before implementing AI in digital experiences. Four key use cases—personalization, conversation, prediction, and workflow improvements—highlight the transformative power of AI.

Moving Beyond Traditional Chatbot Experiences
The limitations of previous chatbot experiences are discussed, with the focus shifting to AI-powered chatbots that can deliver more human-like and personalized interactions. Generative AI enables contextually relevant and emotionally understanding conversations, revolutionizing user experiences.

Balancing Incremental and Big-Swing Innovation
Mike and Ian emphasize the significance of striking a balance between incremental and big-swing innovation. Cultural acceptance of failure and the value of iteration are highlighted as crucial factors for successful innovation and growth.

Long-Term Thinking and Customer-Centricity
Organizations should adopt a long-term perspective, anticipating customer needs 5 to 10 years ahead. The connection between the best customer experiences and employee experiences is underscored, encouraging strategies centered around employee needs. Everyone, regardless of their position, can be a leader and innovator by identifying problems and proposing solutions.

Timestamps

🎙️ Introduction to the podcast and guest (00:00:00)
👨‍💼 Mike's journey from design to innovation (00:01:22)
💡 The importance of prototyping, visualizing, and bringing ideas to life (00:06:15)
🚀 Defining innovation as problem-solving and improving experiences (00:08:02)
💬 The importance of user feedback in design (00:12:47)
🔢 Four main use cases of generative AI: personalization, conversation, prediction, and workflow improvements (00:14:27)
💻 The intersection of technology and customer relationships (00:22:37)
🌟 The shift in consumer expectations and interactions with the digital world due to generative AI (00:24:57)
🔄 The necessity of iteration and learning from failures in the innovation process (00:30:12)
⚖️ Balancing incremental innovation and big-swing innovation for sustainable success (00:33:09)
🙌 Acknowledging failure and learning from it (00:36:26)
💼 Companies with sustained growth have models to evolve quickly and adapt to changing circumstances (00:38:05)
🚀 Embracing innovation for constant growth (00:39:31)
😊 The focus on humans and customer experiences (00:40:14)
🤝 Aligning employee experiences with customer experiences (00:42:10)
💡 Encouraging innovation at all levels of the organization (00:46:01)
💻 What’s next for O3 (00:49:00)
🤝 Connecting with Mike Gadsby and O3 (00:53:00)