Theory Thursday: The Future of AI Is Here, but Unevenly Distributed 🚀

Art by @basilonmypizza

“The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.”
– William Gibson

Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory (1962) reminds us that breakthroughs spread in stages—early adopters get the benefits first while many lag behind. Today, three vivid examples highlight this uneven progress:

DeepSeek’s Spike-Based Processing (Mixture of Experts) 🤖
DeepSeek takes inspiration from biology by activating only the “experts” needed for a task—similar to how neurons fire selectively. This approach, echoing S.B. Laughlin’s 1981 findings in Vision Research, maximizes efficiency and cuts costs. It’s a reminder that sometimes, focused intelligence beats sheer power.

Battery Innovation for a Solar-Powered Future 🔋
Utility-scale battery farms like those at Moss Landing (California) and Hornsdale (Australia) store solar energy to stabilize grids during peak demand. While these projects deliver cleaner air and enhanced energy security, they’re still confined to a few pioneering regions—leaving many areas dependent on fossil fuels.

ETH Zurich’s Breakthrough in Breast Cancer Metastases 🎗️
Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a way to eliminate circulating breast cancer cells before they form metastases by “tricking” them into self-destruction. Although this promising therapy faces regulatory and R&D challenges, it could revolutionize cancer treatment—showing how life-saving innovations take long before reaching the masses.

What Does This Mean for AI & Innovation? 💡
Innovation is accelerating - and its benefits often arrive in pockets. While cutting-edge labs like DeepSeek push the boundaries, many organizations still grapple with basic AI adoption due to mindset, limited resources, outdated infrastructure, or regulatory hurdles.

Key Takeaways:
🔗 Collaboration is key: Cross-disciplinary efforts spark breakthroughs
⚡ Efficiency wins: Moving from “more compute” to “smarter compute” is essential
🚀 Act now: With top institutions like ETH Zurich, Switzerland leads—if we bridge the gap from lab to market.

Not everyone sees the future at the same time—but together, we can close the gap. How do you see these innovations reshaping our world? Drop a comment or send me a message—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The D ONE x-mas card talks about how big ideas take time: the https://lnkd.in/eJbXVbNE

Art by @basilonmypizza: https://lnkd.in/eF8FkWzN, https://basilhefti.ch/