Unscaled

By: Hemant Taneja, Kevin Maney

Narrated by: Sunil Malhotra

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Unscaled identifies the forces that are reshaping the global economy and turning one of the fundamental laws of business and society - the economies of scale - on its head.

An innovative trend combining technology with economics is unraveling behemoth industries - including corporations, banks, farms, media conglomerates, energy systems, governments, and schools - that have long dominated business and society. Size and scale have become a liability. A new generation of upstarts is using artificial intelligence to automate tasks that once required expensive investment, and "renting" technology platforms to build businesses for hyper-focused markets, enabling them to grow big without the bloat of giant organizations.

In Unscaled, venture capitalist Hemant Taneja explains how the unscaled phenomenon allowed Warby Parker to cheaply and easily start a small company, build a better product, and become a global competitor in no time, upending entrenched eyewear giant Luxottica. It similarly enabled Stripe to take on established payment processors throughout the world, and Livongo to help diabetics control their disease while simultaneously cutting the cost of treatment.

The unscaled economy is remaking massive, deeply rooted industries and opening up fantastic possibilities for entrepreneurs, imaginative companies, and resourceful individuals. It can be the model for solving some of the world's greatest problems, including climate change and soaring health-care costs, but will also unleash new challenges that today's leaders must address.

©2018 Hemant Taneja and Kevin Maney (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Hemant Taneja provides important insights on the possibilities for AI to transform fields ranging from education to healthcare. He equally shows the need for transparency and clear values in deploying these powerful new technologies." (David Kenny, senior vice president, IBM, Watson & Cloud Platform technologies)

"An important and fascinating read for anyone looking to better understand the forces driving innovation and disruption which are affecting every sector of our economy." (Penny Pritzker, chairman of PSP Capital Partners and former US Secretary of Commerce)

"A thought-provoking look at the technology that is changing the world of business and the benefits, pitfalls, and challenges for society as a whole." (Kenneth I. Chenault, chief executive officer, American Express Company)

"Unscaled presents a paradigm shift in how we should think about the role of technology and policy in addressing the real threat of climate change.... Thoughtful innovation can help us take on some of the biggest challenges facing society." (Bill Ritter Jr., former Colorado governor and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University)

"The world is changing rapidly. In Unscaled, visionary venture capitalist Hemant Taneja shows us how. Even in an industry as resistant to change as health care, data and technology are upending traditional models and ushering in a new era of precision. This book is for anyone who wants to understand how to leverage the economies of unscale to address the challenges of the modern world." (Lloyd B. Minor, MD, dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine)

"Unscaled demystifies that little acronym with big meaning - 'AI' - and lays out where you can participate in the revolution." (Carter Cast, clinical professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School, Northwestern University)

Rosetta Stone for the Future

Reading Unscaled is exhilarating. Hemant Taneja unfolds an expansive view of the world which is developing before our eyes, all the while grounding his vision in an incisive description of the twentieth century scaled economy. This is a must read for all seeking to navigate disruption.

Inspiring, daring, visionary

Hemant is ahead of his time. Not only had he invested in companies that are revolutionizing the spaces they occupy, they are defining new categories altogether.

The whole last part of the book provides a unique perspectives all innovators should consider before embarking on an AI-based journey.

one of the most thought provoking book I have read

This book is a must read for High School students and upwards who will enter the working world.

2029 revisited - a look back

Compelling and comprehensive work. Flawless narration. A keeper. Might be equally as interesting in 2029.

Inspirational read for the creative and curious

What did you love best about Unscaled?

In Unscaled, Hemant shares his vision of a world in which unscaled companies challenge (and beat out) the big incumbents, and individuals live happier, more entrepreneurial lives. I found this book opened my mind, changed my perception of the role of the corporation and the individual alike and made me want to share that experience with others. I would recommended this book to individuals who - regardless of industry - enjoy thinking critically, are curious about the world and have a desire to make an impact (so far I've suggested the book to an investment banker, a writer, an entrepreneur and a teacher). It's a great read (or listen) and may just inspire you to change your path!

Remarkably unenlightened

This book has been seriously overhyped. Someone told me of a tech firm ordering copies. It's surprisingly weak. Sketchy and not much more substantial than a newspaper article in USA Today. The author inserts himself in the story repeatedly.

Ok introduction to the topic -- Not about AI

I found "Unscaled" to be an okay introduction to the topic at hand, but disagree with the author's casting of artificial intelligence. I would argue that nearly every usage of the term "AI" in the book is really talking about "deep learning". It assumes that all of the possibilities are knowable. I listened pretty closely for an example that would meet the definition of AI, but could not identify one anywhere in the book. Perhaps I am quibbling the point -- but it is problematic that the term AI is being co-opted for other things. My guess is that true AI will have to go by another name once it becomes a thing in 20-50 years.

Otherwise the book makes a few good points about the undoing of companies and organizations that rely on competitive advantages generated by scaling operations, though does not make an effort to dive into how these companies might be able to pivot, only that they will be disrupted.

this title was take out of my library

I payed for this and was robbed of listening to it I wish I didnt waste time