Innovation Snapshot

“In life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action”

— Tony Robbins, Author & Coach.

In today's lineup:

Robots

• Top Bites: AI headlines that matter

• Unlocking $1T in Real Estate?

• 3 ways AI is improving human lives

• Microsoft Sales Agent & Top Automation Tools

People

• Turing winners urge AI caution

Love

• How to lead through change by Bree Groff

• Book rec: Use Design to Design Change

Reading time: 5 min.

Top Bites ⚡

OpenAI reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI ‘agents’

Meta accelerates voice powered AI push

Anthropic’s recommendations to OSTP for the U.S. AI action plan

Google co-founder Larry Page reportedly has a new AI startup

Google debuts ‘AI mode’ for search

Alibaba launches DeepSeek rival, sending stock surging

OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 AI model comes to more ChatGPT users, and…

Gen AI in action 🌊

3 ways AI is improving human lives and experiences as we speak.

• SURA's optimizes investment strategies with AI-based customer intelligence.

• Michelin's AI tools boost employee productivity 10x.

• Intesa Sanpaolo's AI democratic data lab transforms financial risk analysis.

The $1T AI opportunity reshaping real estate

C40 Cities' groundbreaking research reveals a $1T untapped market in sustainable construction, with workforce growth projections up to 193% in emerging markets. Recent McKinsey analysis estimates AI could generate $110-180 billion in value across real estate sectors.

Three ways market leaders are getting ahead:

• AI-enabled monitoring systems are reducing construction project timelines by up to 40%.

• Tools like Revive Vision AI are generating detailed renovation costs and profit forecasts for strategic investments.

• AI solves the industry's data fragmentation problem by centralizing information from multiple sources into actionable insights.

Forward-thinking organizations are leveraging AI not just for visualization but for strategic decision-making.

If you're still manually gathering data or waiting weeks for document reviews, you're operating at a disadvantage. Within 18 months, AI-driven underwriting will become the industry standard.

Tool Spotlight 🔧

Your weekly dose of AI-powered tools delivering real results.

Microsoft's new AI sales agents

Microsoft's new Sales Agent and Sales Chat are designed to handle the heavy lifting of the sales process.

These AI tools can:

• Autonomously research leads using CRM and Microsoft 365 data

• Schedule meetings without human intervention

• Draft and send customer outreach messages

• Prepare personalized talking points before client calls

Both tools will be available in public preview through Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat starting May 2025. Learn more here.

Top AI tools: Sales automation

MarketingBlocks: Create complete marketing assets in minutes with AI-powered copy, design, and video generation.

Copy.AI: Generate persuasive sales copy for any channel with one-click content that converts.

PipeLime: Automate your entire sales funnel from lead capture to deal closure without manual effort.

Transformation Champion(s) 🏆

Turing award goes to A.I. pioneers Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton

Rich Sutton, John Moore, and Andrew Barto. Courtesy of University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Insights from Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton were sobering. As they put it, "We're building bridges and asking people to walk across them before we've tested if they'll hold."

What stood out was their emphasis on the tension between speed and safety. "In our rush to commercialize AI," they cautioned, "we're letting business incentives override proper testing protocols." It's a powerful reminder that true innovation leadership requires balancing progress with responsible governance.

Are we moving fast and breaking things, or moving thoughtfully and building something that lasts?

Read more here

LEAP Forward 🐸

How to lead through change

Narrate, don't cheer. Teams need narrators who acknowledge challenges, emotions, and progress honestly. This approach builds trust, resilience, and stronger teams.

Step 1: Acknowledge reality

Instead of: “We’re on track! Stay positive!”, try: “This week was tough. We had unexpected pivots and late nights. It was exhausting, but we learned a lot. How are you all feeling?”

Step 2: Balance positivity with reality

Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “two things are true” method validates different emotions while keeping progress in focus. Acknowledge that, “AI integration is exciting and overwhelming.

Step 3: Call out wins

Leaders should declare wins to reinforce confidence. Instead of silence after a meeting, say: “Team, we nailed it in there!”

Looking to improve your leadership during change? Bree Groff's piece has some helpful ideas.

Help us make Lighthouse better

Two quick questions that will transform Lighthouse into exactly what you need.

The Transformation Bookshelf 📚

This week I'm super excited to share a book by my longtime friend and collaborator James Hurst, who's been crushing it as Head of Brand Design at Google, Global Creative Director at Pinterest, and Principal at DesignStudio.

'Use Design to Design Change' is a rallying cry for anyone crazy enough to think they can build something that matters. It shows how strategic design transforms brands, organizations, and markets.

Perfect for: Brand leaders, entrepreneurs, and execs looking to drive real change through design.

👉 Grab your copy here and see why I think it's a game-changer for anyone building something meaningful.

In Culture 🤌

Here's something to laugh about this week…

THANK YOU!