Irresonsible innovation anyone?

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Responsible innovation (masquerading under many different labels over time) is now highly visible in conversations around innovation. Whether we’re looking at AI or genetic engineering or geo-engineering we can see the issues being widely debated and discussed. Organizations, public and private, are increasingly measured on their commitment to thinking and acting responsibly in terms of key themes like sustainability and social responsibility. This has prompted a growth industry around helping develop strategy statements and corporate positions in the responsible innovation space — and in making sure this image is widely promoted.

RI has moved centre stage — and it’s not just words. There are regulations enacted to control the rate and direction of innovative activity and adoption, there are multiple research journals exploring issues raised, there are toolkits and consultants able to deploy them, there’s even an ISO standard around it. RI is very much part of the fabric of innovation thinking in 2024.

Which is where the problem comes in. By moving centre stage RI becomes something impossible to disagree with. It’s a slogan which hangs there above us, an important and good thing, along with ‘motherhood’ and ‘apple pie’. And the risk is that we swap slogan for substance; RI becomes a bit of a religion to which we all pay lip service. Try and imagine any organization today (public or private sector) talking about its ‘irresponsible innovation’ or its disregard for sustainability and the future of the planet. It’s impossible. The words are everywhere — but the meaning and action may often be missing.
This podcast explores the challenge this poses and suggests that we need to rethink the narrative around RI, to reframe it as an essential, much as was the case with the 'quality revolution' in the last century.
You can find a transcript here

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