Last week was one of my most intimidating keynote assignments: The Stanford Faculty Club.

It’s not that the crowd was that much larger than others, per se; it’s that everybody in the crowd was a world-renowned expert in something. Hosting a post-keynote Q&A in such an environment is a dangerous proposition. (It was probably the highest concentration of “I don’t know”s I’ve ever had the pleasure of admitting.)

One of the things that became clear is that folks have legitimate questions and concerns. “Does ChatGPT have to be listed as a co-inventor on my patent application if I brainstorm alternative functions with it?” (see above: I don’t know)

But perhaps more troublingly, something else became clear: many view legitimate concerns as a reason to wait.

I think this is a tragic mistake.

The Dangers of Waiting for Certainty

Many concerns that folks share, such as listing ChatGPT as a co-inventor, are valid, but they highlight a deeper issue: the fear of uncertainty in the face of the unknown. It's a fear that can paralyze us, preventing us from embracing the very tools that could revolutionize our work. I’ve seen it happen before in my innovation training programs, long before GenAI came onto the scene. And I’ve seen firsthand how such fears can hinder learning and progress.

Here’s a classic example: while working with a pharmaceutical company, I observed a similar reasonable-hesitation-moment. We had tasked teams to conduct market-facing experiments – nothing dangerous or unethical, but certainly outside their comfort zone. Emails began pouring in, citing “compliance” and legal issues as reasons they couldn't proceed.

But as I dug deeper, I realized the real issue wasn't legal or compliance. It was fear – fear of taking uncertain action, of being scrappy and putting themselves out there. The organizational obstacles became a convenient scapegoat, a way to justify inaction without admitting — or addressing! — the underlying discomfort.

But here’s the thing: the key to navigating the uncertainties — both in innovation, and with GenAI — is experimentation. We must be willing to play, to try new things, even in the face of legitimate concerns. Don’t wait until legitimate concerns are resolved before you start trying anything. If you wait until your legitimate concerns are resolved to take any kind of action, this moment will pass you by.

Taking Action

So, what can you do to embrace uncertainty and start experimenting with GenAI? Here are a few specific steps you can take:

1. Start small: Use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas for your next project or to generate alternative solutions to a problem you're facing. Make sure you’re using a frontier model (GPT4, Llama3, Gemini1.5, or Claude3). As I have said before, “Friends don’t let friends use GPT3.5.”

2. Set aside playtime: Dedicate 30 minutes each week to exploring a new AI tool and documenting your learnings.

3. Embrace failure: Set "failure minimums" to push yourself to experiment more broadly. Remember, if you're not failing at least some of the time, you're not truly innovating. So set a failure goal, rather than a ceiling!

4. Seek out examples: Subscribe to newsletters, listen to podcasts (like Beyond the Prompt: How to Use AI in Your Company), and actively look for case studies of how others are successfully leveraging AI in your field.

Now’s the Time

The AI revolution is here, and it's not going away. We have a choice: we can let our fears and the lure of convenient scapegoats hold us back, or we can embrace the uncertainty and start experimenting. The path forward is paved with actions, not answers.

What unknowns are holding you back? Identify one area where uncertainty has kept you from moving forward and take a small step today. The future belongs to those who are willing to play, fail, and learn.

If you’re looking for an incredible community of practice, we’d love to have you in the Try Ten™ Community. Let's walk this path together.

Related: Say “I Don’t Know”
Related: Resist the Need for Closure
Related: Beware Scape Goats
Related: Make Scrappy Experiments
Related: Imagine Alternatives
Related: Experiment Broadly
Related: Declare an AI Recess
Related: Try Ten™ Community

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