Firms today are establishing market leadership by mastering digital innovation. For example, the traditional "Mad Men" advertising agencies now have to be able to blend digital products and services with creative strategy. Amazon is as much a retailer and supply chain powerhouse as it is a digital innovator. Similarly, the Netflix business model is heavily reliant on continuously building and enhancing digital products and services to compete against incumbents in the entertainment industry. Ford is realizing that its future competitors are likely to be Facebook and Google and not BMW and Toyota. Meanwhile, Local Motors, an HBS-alum led startup, is using crowdsourcing, digital fabrication, and 3D printing to disrupt the automotive industry.

Digital Innovation and Transformation is a Harvard Business School course designed to equip students to confidently help conceive, lead, and execute digital innovation initiatives. To enrich the course experience, Professor Greenstein has elected to use this platform for assignments. The goal of using Platform is to stimulate deeper conversation, cross-pollination between ideas, and inclusion of the global "digital transformation" community.

We invite you to read more and dive in by adding your own thoughts through contributions and comments.

Most Recent Assignment

Machine Learning

December 07, 2023

Read The Full Prompt

Many companies deploy machine learning or other aspects of deep learning. Amazon uses AI to anticipate when an ad has value. Google uses natural language processing to automate Translate. For this assignment, please choose a company that uses AI in a creative way to drive value creation, value capture, or innovate in its operating model.

You may focus on use of AI as a service, or you may focus on the use of AI as an enhancement of some part of a service or business. In other words, please describe how the organization deploys AI as a free-standing service around which it develops a business, or as a complement and improvement of its business process.

Describe the current challenges and opportunities the company faces in this deployment. Then assess the changes the company needs to make to address these challenges or take advantages of these opportunities. In your post, please consider any organizational changes the company needs to make to achieve its aspirations. While you should devote most of the space to value creation, please make some observations about aspects of the value capture strategy.

(Once again, to make it interesting, please stay away from big data use by the big five – Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft.)

1000 words max.

Assignment

Create an approximately 1000 word post to make your contribution by December 7, at 6 p.m.

Please use graphics, data, videos, and links to other sites to corroborate your points. These additional links do not count against your word limit.

Please also comment on three other posts. Comments are due by December 8 at 9 a.m. 

Please prepare a 2-3 min summary of your blog post before class.

 

If you have any problems with the d3.harvard.edu platform, please and visit the digital platform resources page for helpful advice. or email diplatform@hbs.edu for help.

Submitted (15)

Woebot: The Robo-Therapist Supplying Comfort, Consolation, and Care at Scale
Aliza Ohnouna
Last modified on December 5, 2023 at 6:02 pm
By leveraging mobile technology and NLP, Woebot, the chatbot therapist, promises to help more people than healthcare providers can in coping with common mental health problems.
Blizzard: AI and Games
Sam Wang
Last modified on December 5, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Blizzrd, AI and games? Sounds like a match, but exactly how?
Autodesk AI: Assistant for Architects
Sreeni
Posted on December 4, 2023 at 11:19 am
Autodesk improves architects' workflows with a set of generative AI features within their toolkit.
Relume – Web Designers Get A Massive Productivity Boost in the No-Code & Generative AI Era
Ben P
Posted on November 27, 2023 at 11:21 pm
What started as a web design agency pivoted into a generative AI powerhouse.
Digital Diagnostics – The First Autonomous AI Healthcare Diagnostic
RuruH
Last modified on December 3, 2023 at 9:17 pm
Exploring the game-changing impact of Digital Diagnostics in healthcare—how innovation meets accessibility, and AI transforms diagnostics. 🌐✨
The Hunt for Lost Water
dwang
Posted on December 5, 2023 at 4:35 pm
From data pipes to water pipes
TikTok – Transform Entertainment with AI
Serena Fang
Last modified on December 5, 2023 at 5:50 pm
TikTok is currently using various cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to lead the global trend of short videos.
Is Savage X Fenty the next Victoria Secret?
Mellissa Kim OConnor
Posted on December 4, 2023 at 4:35 pm
Savage X Fenty, the intimate apparel brand founded in 2018 by Rihanna, has been revolutionizing the fashion retail industry with its innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The brand stands out for its commitment to inclusivity and diversity, and AI [...]
Toku: Pioneering the Future of Fintech with AI-Driven Recurring Payments
Carmen Edwards
Last modified on December 5, 2023 at 6:37 pm
Discover how Toku is reshaping the fintech world with its AI-powered approach to streamline and secure recurring payments, boosting customer experience and operational efficiency.
Flight of the Future: Exploring DJI’s AI-Driven Drone Evolution
Wabantu Hlophe
Posted on December 5, 2023 at 8:58 pm
DJI's trailblazing path in integrating AI with drone technology is redefining aerial capabilities, pushing the boundaries of innovation and safety in the skies.
Using AI and ML to Improve Energy Efficiency
EleanorM
Posted on December 5, 2023 at 10:36 am
AI and ML can be used to address energy efficiency challenges and reduce global carbon emissions.
Darktrace – Leveraging AI in Cybersecurity
A.D
Last modified on December 5, 2023 at 6:14 pm
Bridging the gap in AI forwardness between cyber criminals and enterprises
AlwaysAI: a Practical Computer Vision Solution to Optimize Operations
cs24
Last modified on December 4, 2023 at 4:52 pm
We explore AlwaysAI, a solution that detects operational anomalies for a variety of industries including retail, restaurants, and event venues.
Sprinting into the Future: Nike’s AI Strategies for Tomorrow
Asra Khan
Posted on December 4, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Explore how Machine learning (ML) has become a powerful tool for Nike, creating personalized experiences, innovative products, and staying ahead in the ever-evolving industry.
Everlaw: Accelerating the Hammer of Justice
Ankit Tandon
Last modified on December 6, 2023 at 10:47 am
Everlaw is one of the many companies capitalizing on the breakthrough innovations in Generative AI applied to legal research, litigation, and matter management.