In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson discusses the rise of digital agents and non-human platforms and how they are changing business models. He explains how these technologies are being used in various industries and how they could change the way we live and work. Towson also talks about the potential benefits and risks of these technologies and how companies can prepare for their impact.
In this thought-provoking discussion, Jeffrey Towson analyzes the impact of machine learning and prediction on businesses. He questions whether these capabilities can truly serve as competitive advantages or if they merely pass value onto customers, maintaining business as usual. Although he concludes that these technologies do not provide a competitive edge yet, they indeed bring about significant changes to business operations and strategies.
I have used the terms digital and data technology interchangeably. And I have described them as things made of bits and bytes. Of ones and zeros. Instead of physical products and services. And I have spoken quite a bit about how things made of bits and bytes have different economics. They have powerful but also […]
Jeffrey Towson, a China tech expert, believes that TikTok is difficult to copy because it is more than just an app. It is a culture and a community that has been built over time. Imitators may be able to copy the app’s features, but they will struggle to replicate its success without the same culture and community.
I had a good interview with Arthur du Passage and Edouard de Mezerac of Artefact, a data consulting and digital marketing company. And I thought they had a really good vantage point for how AI / ML is being used on the ground in China. I’ve summarized my 3 take-aways from our discussion. An Introduction […]
Use cases are a good way to approach the subject of AI. Just hunt industry by industry and see what companies are using AI for and not. It’s the best way to separate out the hype. And make sure you look at industries other than your own. I find scanning use cases across industries is […]
Online insurance company ZhongAn was the first mover in “digital meets insurance” in China. A strategy Ant Financial would later refer to in its IPO filing as “InsureTech”. And in both the ZhongAn and Ant cases, we saw: An awesome digital strategy and vision in a very big market. Limited traction after years of effort. […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how revenue scale and operating leverage differ for software and AI companies. He argues that software companies can achieve economies of scale more easily than AI companies, which can lead to higher profit margins. Towson also discusses the importance of data and talent for AI companies, and how these factors can affect their ability to scale.
I have listed 5 types of platform business models: Marketplace and transaction platforms (e.g., Taobao, Meituan, Lazada) Innovation and audience-builder platforms (e.g., YouTube, TikTok, Android) Collaboration / coordination and standardization platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Adobe) Payment platforms (e.g., MasterCard, Alipay) Learning platforms Here are examples of the first two. But I have not really […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how Bytedance’s “attention factory” business model is a threat to Facebook. He argues that Bytedance’s ability to collect and analyze user data, combined with its focus on short-form content, gives it a significant competitive advantage. Towson believes that Facebook needs to adapt its business model to compete with Bytedance.