Imagine two Leaders pitching. Their propositions are simple; they are both promising to make their respective Countries Global Superpowers in the world of AI. Which will you back?
The first Leader looks like an honest chap. He opens his pitch with a heart warming story about a medical use case based on current AI helping to save a life. And from that very real and tangible example he goes on to paint a picture of the future where AI is radically improving our public services, like fixing potholes. But this Leader is not just full of dreams, he has numbers to back up his pitch, already he has attracted more than 25million in investment. Whilst he stands there alone, he recognises two chaps (that you have probably not heard of) who wrote a report, nice touch. He cleverly weaves in more stories of his dad’d Cortina (… he was a tool maker you know), and how that somehow equates to the rapid growth in AI.
Without doubt, all very believable and relatable.
His time is nearly up, so he lands his killer close to the pitch. A quick mention of the THOUSANDS of new jobs… I start to fidget and think “bloody hell man, get to the offer!”. And then he does. He lands it. “Put simply, our message to those at the frontier of AI capabilities is this: We want to be the best state partner for you anywhere in the world…”
We show him out and thank him cordially. Time is running short so we invite in the second Leader.
OFGS… He has brought an entourage. To be honest, first impressions are not so positive, I’m not sure that he really gives me that trustworthy vibe. Bit “used car salesman” for me… Anyway he introduces his “support acts”: Some dude called Sam who runs some sort of AI company, a mobile phone salesman from SoftBank (he might have been the CEO but whatever) and the third guy (who I had heard of) Larry Ellison who you might know has done quite well scaling up his database company: Oracle. Nice chap, sails a lot I think, anyway…
We’re off… In typical sales fashion he opens his pitch telling me what I should be interested in. No rapport building stories of potholes, instead he wants to tell me about some venture that his three pals have set up called Stargate. Apparently this matters? OHHH I see the link, it’s a new company that has been set up in HIS country. Yet another new “tech” company isn’t go to butter my parsnips.
But then he does catch my attention – this is a 500million investment. OK Mr Salesman I’m listening. Same as the previous pitch it’s about data centres and jobs (God I’m bored…), but apparently this time it’s not thousands of jobs, not tens of thousands, but a HUNDRED THOUSAND. The first tranche of money is in: HUNDRED million, rest follows over the next four years.
Oh no they all want a speaking part. Here we go.
All sounds like “jam tomorrow” to me… For goodness sake they are talking about Artificial General Intelligence which is going to replace the ultra new ChatGPT type stuff we are only just exploring to help us draft our emails. This new AGI thing is going to need a new sort of computer, and apparently that is going to need big data centres and POWER. The Sales dude is back, he is talking about a TRILLION dollar investment now in power (I don’t know how many zero’s there are in that).
According to Larry, these data centres are going to be half a million square feet each… and there are twenty of them. Close to where I live in Milton Keynes, we have some large John Lewis warehouses, but I’m not sure they are that big. And they have already started building… Did they not have to reform Planning Processes and have a consultation????
Time is nearly up. So what’s your point Mr Salesman? Something about building the “infrastructure for artificial intelligence, aiming to outpace rival nations in the business-critical technology.” . Vitally these “world-leading technology giants” are building the future right now in his Country and ITS GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL!
I showed Mr Salesman (and his entourage) out.
As I reflected on their pitches, I thought back to the era of the Dinosaurs when I were a lad selling “computers”. Being schooled to always sell the sizzle not the sausage. Get them excited, get them wanting to be part of the amazing beautiful thing. Then describe the journey to get there. Then explain where we are today, which may not be so beautiful, but now everyone is fired up to support you and COMMIT. I think someone once called that “leadership” or some such…
Sir Starmer: Enough now with explaining the details of the health and safety policy of the bloody sausage factory. In fact enough about the sausage FULL STOP. Start helping people smell, taste and hear the SIZZLE.