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Dive into the world of generative AI with Michael Cusumano, Sloan Management Review Distinguished Professor of Management and Deputy Dean for Faculty at the MIT Sloan School of Management. This video, based on Cusumano’s October 2023 column Generative AI as a New Innovation Platform in Communications of the ACM, puts generative AI into perspective as a significant player alongside other technologies that have reshaped industries.
Note: This video was recorded in 2024. Specific tools, companies, and examples may have changed since then, though the core ideas still hold. For current information, start with our AI Hub, or check the vendor’s own site for any specific product mentioned in the video.
Cusumano structures his presentation to demystify generative AI, breaking it down into three layers:
He also critically addresses the potential risks of generative AI’s widespread adoption, from the concentration of market power to privacy concerns and the accuracy of AI-generated information. The video prompts viewers to consider the need for responsible development, ethical norms, and the technology’s environmental implications.
In a rapidly advancing digital world, this video serves as a call for a collective, thoughtful approach in harnessing the potential of generative AI. It underscores the significance of collaborative efforts among industry leaders, policymakers, and experts in steering this technology toward a beneficial and sustainable future.
Note: DeepSeek’s January 2025 release of its R1 reasoning model matched GPT-4-level performance at a fraction of the training cost, challenging assumptions about AI platform concentration and the dominance of U.S.-based frontier labs. For Cusumano’s follow-up analysis about DeepSeek, see his June 2025 Communications of the ACM piece on DeepSeek (Vol. 68, No. 7).
