Very happy to see our new research ( @niallgmackenzie & @drsaracarter) on Artificial Intelligence and new venture processes published in @etpjournal. It was good to look into some of the grand challenges that are coming down the line. #AI @ASBSresearch @ScotAIStrategy 1/11

We build on great foundational papers by @eship_prof, Richard Hunt, @MartinObschonka
David Audretsch & @satishnambisan We extend things by analysing how novel technological affordances might reshape a range of core venture activities, e.g. information search, scaling etc 2/11

We are particularly interested in how different paradigmatic approaches to machine learning e.g. symbolist, connectionist, evolutionary, Bayesian and analogist, might lead 2 different methods of information search & knowledge integration – what does this mean for idea production?

Probably the most significant finding related to org structure. We suggest AI adoption will lead to scaling ventures with fewer employees with more responsibility. This wide span of control over a flatter organisation will burden leaders with time-consuming low value prblms 4/11

Added to this is the black box ‘unexplainable’ nature of many AI algorithms. We suggest these factors combined can be conceptualised as ‘liabilities of technological leverage’ – a 2020 play on Stinchcombe’s ‘liabilities of newness.’ 5/11

We were keen to analyse the political economy of AI too. Specifically, we were influenced by @NBERpubs work on the economics of AI. There have been some good debates by Anton Korinek @JosephEStiglitz @DrDaronAcemoglu &many others about the likely impact on income& employment 6/11

We extend this by considering UBI as a policy response to automation, and what this might mean for new venture activity. Controversial area, but the recent transfer payments because of #COVID19 are an interesting precedent 7/11

I think this might be one of the first mentions of UBI in an ENT journal :-) It will be a big issue in the future I reckon –check out @JamieACooke @scottsantens who are doing excellent work in this space 8/11

For me one of the most interesting aspects of AI are ethical implications. My main thoughts after doing this research are that it is moving too fast and It is quite alarming how much the technology may affect privacy, wellbeing and equality. 9/11

The power structure of the technology industry is troubling. The work of @AInowinstitute is amazing for an insight to this @katecrawford @meredithwhittaker - the annual reports give me about 100 paper ideas every time I read them 10/11

Finally, we are pleased 2 join @f_welter, Pahnke& Audretsch’s conversations abt a narrow focus on Silicon Valley models of venture creation. Given AI&automation may wipe out swathes of white&blue collar jobs a more critical take on monopolistic tendencies of scale-ups is required