AI is Not a Fad
Ubiquitous AI and its Impact on the Real World
How many industries are computerized? I don’t mean fully automated. I mean it in the old sense of the term: what industries use computers?
It’s difficult to imagine any industry in this day and age that doesn’t use computers. Even the most technologically resistant, like construction, still use computers to send emails, compose invoices, or make schedules with spreadsheets—and, in certain areas, the industry uses full-on BIM (building information modeling).
Biodata Lessons from the Rise and Fall of 23andMe
An expensive case study in why business models matter for biodata companies
APR 07, 2025
It’s been a rough few years for 23andMe. After going public in 2021 and peaking at a $6 billion valuation, the company’s value has plummeted to just $35 million. On March 24, 2025, they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. What happens to their assets—most notably, the genetic data of 15 million customers—remains to be seen. An auction has been proposed for mid-May 2025. For many, the downfall wasn’t exactly a surprise. The warning signs were there: the company had never turned a profit since its founding in 2006, faced internal conflicts, and saw the resignation of all independent board directors in September 2024.