The Need for Polymaths in the Age of AI

The Power of Polymaths

Over the centuries, polymaths – individuals knowledgeable in many disciplines – have brought forth a wide range of inventions and discoveries. From Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic and engineering pursuits to Benjamin Franklin’s expertise in science, politics, and publishing, polymaths have consistently pushed the boundaries of human knowledge and innovation.

AI: A Tool for Polymaths

In today’s digital age, AI has the potential to empower polymaths like never before. With AI, individuals can access vast amounts of information and expertise, transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries. According to Frank Diana, a futurist with TCS, "Polymaths are uniquely suited to stand at the intersections of knowledge, where invention often takes root. Their intellectual agility allows them to frame problems differently, ask unorthodox questions, and envision solutions that redefine entire domains."

The Rise of Polymaths in the AI Era

As AI democratizes access to information and expertise, we may see a new generation of polymaths emerge. John Nosta, founder of NostaLab, suggests that advanced language models and intelligent tutoring systems now offer personalized guidance across a vast array of subjects, from quantum physics to classical music composition. This accessibility empowers individuals to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, fostering a new generation of polymaths.

The Benefits of Polymaths

Polymaths have long played a critical role in the invention-innovation distinction, pushing beyond conventional boundaries and connecting seemingly unrelated concepts. Their versatility is particularly valuable in today’s world, where AI is sparking a new renaissance, empowering individuals to excel across multiple fields.

The Future of Polymaths

As AI continues to evolve, it has the potential to radically shift the dynamics of invention, replicating and even exceeding human polymathic thinking. With the ability to integrate vast amounts of data across diverse fields, AI may open new frontiers in medicine, energy, climate solutions, and beyond. However, it is still an open question as to whether AI will serve as a force for human well-being or push us toward unintended outcomes.

Conclusion

The need for polymaths in the age of AI is clear. As we move forward, it is essential that we recognize the value of interdisciplinary thinking and the potential of AI to empower individuals to excel across multiple fields. By embracing the possibilities of polymathy, we can harness the transformative power of AI to drive innovation and advance human progress.

FAQs

• What is a polymath?
  A polymath is an individual with knowledge in many disciplines, often combining multiple fields to create innovative solutions.
• How does AI empower polymaths?
  AI democratizes access to information and expertise, allowing individuals to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and connect seemingly unrelated concepts.
• What are the benefits of polymaths in the age of AI?
  Polymaths bring a unique combination of skills and perspectives, enabling them to frame problems differently, ask unorthodox questions, and envision solutions that redefine entire domains.
• Will AI replace human polymaths?
  No, AI has the potential to replicate and exceed human polymathic thinking, opening new frontiers in medicine, energy, climate solutions, and beyond.

Reinventing Innovation

The Idea in Practice

Research Principles

1. Study “technology in use” to improve work processes. PARC customizes behind-the-scenes information technology to enhance work practices and “listen” to customers.

A new software feature on Xerox’s high-end copiers predicts machine breakdowns, calls a branch office to download its predication, and schedules a repair person to visit the site—before the expected breakdown. Customers never see a machine fail, and Xerox uses information generated by the software to design future generations of copiers.

2. Harvest local innovations. Most employees constantly improvise to handle surprises and solve problems. But these “workarounds” rarely spread beyond their local groups to benefit the larger organization. PARC’s solutions? One is easy-to-use programming tools enabling employees to disseminate knowledge throughout the company. Another is revamped training methods to increase organizational learning.

After realizing that Xerox’s service reps learn more by swapping stories than through formal training, PARC began envisioning a multimedia information system—filled with annotated videoclips of useful stories that would let reps from around the world plug into Xerox’s collective memory and learn from past successes and failures.

3. “Coproduce” new technologies and work practices with partners throughout your company. To communicate new insights so that others in your company can grasp their potential, don’t simply pour knowledge into their heads. Instead, help them develop whole new mental models.

With the advent of digital copying, Xerox had to challenge long-held assumptions about products, markets, and customer needs that the older, light-lens xerography had created. Before building the technology, PARC helped managers think about copiers in fresh ways. It created a video in which researchers acted out the new technology’s potential, then challenged viewers to imagine additional uses for digital copying.

4. Innovate with customers. Research’s ultimate partner? The customer. Collaborate with customers to co-produce technology and work systems they’ll need in the future.

Xerox’s pharmaceutical customer, Syntex, wanted to better manage the 300,000+ drug-test report forms it collects annually. Through Xerox’s Express project team, Syntex employees spent time at PARC learning about Xerox’s technologies-in-progress. PARC researchers, engineers, and marketers observed them in action at Syntex. Results? A new document-management system that solved Syntex’s problem and became a prototype with potential value for the entire pharmaceutical industry.

Conclusion

To prevail amid rapid and unpredictable change, your company must do more than simply invent new technologies and breakthrough products. It must reinvent the innovation process itself. By designing cutting-edge work processes that enable your organization to innovate continuously, your research department can reinvent your corporation.

FAQs

Q: What are the four powerful principles to reinvent the innovation process?
A: Study “technology in use” to improve work processes, harvest local innovations, “coproduce” new technologies and work practices with partners, and innovate with customers.

Q: How can we improve our work processes using technology?
A: By customizing behind-the-scenes information technology to enhance work practices and “listen” to customers.

Q: How can we spread innovative solutions across our organization?
A: By using easy-to-use programming tools to enable employees to disseminate knowledge throughout the company and revamped training methods to increase organizational learning.

Seagate Mozaic 3+ Hard Disk Drive

New Shipment of Exos M Hard Disk Drives

Seagate Technology has announced the shipment of Exos M hard disk drives, HDDs, with up to 36TB storage capacity to customers. These HDDs utilize Seagate’s Mozaic 3+ heat-assisted magnetic recording, HAMR, technology, which employs lasers to reduce the magnetic fields from the write head required to write high-densities on stable high coercivity magnetic recording media.

Increased Storage Capacity and Areal Density

The 36TB HDDs feature 10 disks, providing 3.6TB per disk. This likely results in about 1.8TB per square inch areal density, a 13% advance over the prior 32TB HDDs. The chart below shows Coughlin Associates’ history of shipping HDD areal densities.

Hard Disk Drive Product Areal Density Growth History

[Coughlin Associates]

Seagate projects that 10TB per disk is attainable, enabling a 100TB 10-disk HDD. This trend indicates that HAMR allows HDD areal density growth, and thus the increased capacity per HDD, could grow as much as 15-20% annually.

Data Center Storage Advantages

Seagate claims that these drives will provide significant advantages for data center storage, including scale, total cost of ownership, and sustainability. The company says that these drives can provide 300% more storage capacity within the same data center footprint, a 25% cost reduction per TB, and 60% power reduction per TB compared to prior generation products.

AI-Driven Storage Demand

A Recon Analytics survey, commissioned by Seagate and conducted in November 2024 with 1,062 participants, showed some interesting trends on how AI is creating increased digital storage demand. The survey found that:

* 61% of infrastructure buyers who predominantly use cloud storage for AI data management expect storage requirements to at least double by 2028 due to retention times increasing from 6 months to forever.
* 73% of respondents using daily or weekly LLM checkpointing.
* 80% deeming data replication for AI very or moderately important.
* 95% of storage buyers using AI or planning to adopt it are taking measures to accommodate the growing storage requirements.

Conclusion

Seagate’s Exos M hard disk drives with Mozaic 3+ technology offer significant advantages for data center storage, including increased storage capacity, power savings, and cost reductions. The growing demand for storage driven by AI adoption highlights the importance of cost-effective storage solutions like HDDs.

FAQs

Q: What is the storage capacity of Seagate’s Exos M hard disk drives?
A: The storage capacity of Seagate’s Exos M hard disk drives ranges from 32TB to 36TB.

Q: What is HAMR technology?
A: HAMR technology is a heat-assisted magnetic recording technology that employs lasers to reduce the magnetic fields from the write head required to write high-densities on stable high coercivity magnetic recording media.

Q: What are the advantages of Seagate’s Exos M hard disk drives for data center storage?
A: The advantages of Seagate’s Exos M hard disk drives for data center storage include scale, total cost of ownership, and sustainability. These drives can provide 300% more storage capacity within the same data center footprint, a 25% cost reduction per TB, and 60% power reduction per TB compared to prior generation products.