Mind over motherboard: Get on the ChatGPT train
My take is as follows. If you have not used ChatGPT or Co-Pilot, download both, and dive in. Have them run reports, generate graphs, pull data, compile notes and ask for a summary, run comparisons and see where it can help you run your business and life.
Honors: An All-America City three-peat: Tallahassee 'on the move' with latest designation
For those thinking no jobs will be lost to AI, you are wrong, there will be some casualties. There are losses in all revolutions, and we are in the middle of one. There will be a Blockbuster Video like disruption just like there was in the streaming internet of things revolution.
For those thinking AI will take over the world you are also wrong. It will be somewhere in the middle, just make sure your trade/craft/job is in a role where human interaction and emotional intelligence intersect and are required.
The reason things will land in the middle is because no computer can lead the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce for 25 years, start a music and literature festival, or fight for the Americans with Disabilities Act. A computer didn't start the Kearney Center or lead Florida and Tallahassee through a pandemic or start a scholarship contest.
People in Tallahassee did those things. Our neighbors Sue, Mark, JR, Rick, Ron D, John, and Ron S. did those things. A computer also didn't introduce me to Aegis 20 years ago, a Tallahassee heavy hitter with off the scale Heart Intelligence (H.I) named Steve did.
To lead, inspire, motivate, change, correct, cultivate, nurture, create, that's the mind over motherboard (the main circuit board in a computer) difference.
Granted there will be experiences like I had when I woke up one day in 2001 and pulled up Napster for the first time as a music business executive. I think my first words were cool, followed by uh-oh. There will be wake up calls for many like that as the next disruption hits, so please return to your seats, put your tray table up, and buckle your safety belt for digital turbulence on Flight 2025.
Classic eateries: 5 longstanding Tallahassee restaurants that keep the spirit of Old Florida alive
Back to heart intelligence, this year we lost two titans in our community. John Thrasher and Bill Jablon were legends and, most importantly, they were kind.
I think one of the greatest conversations I have had this year was with Mr. Thrasher at the Distinguished Leadership Awards put on by Leadership Tallahassee. I was the MC of the event, and he was going to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill and Paula Smith.
He and I were talking shop before the show while I was prepping my introductory comments and making sure I was ready to appear competent in front of the 500+ crowd.
He was so kind and gracious, and I completely forgot to get nervous. Even when my opening joke had a delayed laugh. I believe it was 'I was going to open with an unemployment joke, but those never work.' The same goes for when I saw him at our office, everyone on our team loved it when he stopped by. Many will remember him for his epic service, but I will remember him for his heart.
The same goes for Mr. Jablon. Bill was my Headmaster in high school. He put up with a lot of my shenanigans back in the day, but he still found time to talk to me one on one and have a few laughs in between said shenanigans. He also loved my columns in more recent years.
He would offer kind words on them every time I saw him. Especially if I happened to mention Maclay in one, which was the school he spent his life's work making into a powerhouse learning institution. His legacy of 45 years at the school and being an integral part of thousands of student's lives is the definition of heart intelligence.
Tallahassee and all of us in it have created something real special from the Magnet to Masa to Maclay to Mainline, to Madison Social. Am I wrong?
I will attempt a business and high school analogy as we reach today's finish line. I feel like I am in my junior year of High School. Remember that feeling where you have somewhat found your footing and you love what the Senior class is doing. They even invite me to some of their parties now.
But what I am really excited to see is what the freshman and sophomores are going to do when they get moving as we have some awesome young leaders here in Tallahassee.
There will always be drama and problems in Tallahassee. There will also always be stars and leaders that inspire others to do better, correct the problems and create the next great thing in Leon County.
To those people that lead and work behind the scenes to make our lives better with Heart Intelligence every day, we salute you.
Thank you, Steve Evans, for the introduction to the company where I work, Aegis, 20 years ago and for your friendship ever since. For everyone placing your A.I and H.I bets out there, forget Silicon Valley, and bet on Tally where the mind always beats the motherboard.
Blake Dowling is CEO of Aegis Biz Tech and the host of the Biz & Tech Podcast.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Mind over motherboard: Don't miss the ChatGPT train
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Fun fact: the car needed to hit exactly to time travel, a number chosen because it looked cool on the speedometer! Eric Stoltz Was Almost Marty: Hard to believe, but Michael J. Fox wasn't the first choice. Actor Eric Stoltz filmed for six weeks as Marty before Zemeckis recast Fox, who was juggling the role with his TV show Family Ties. Fox's charm and comedic timing made the role iconic. Hard to believe, but Michael J. Fox wasn't the first choice. Actor filmed for six weeks as Marty before Zemeckis recast Fox, who was juggling the role with his TV show Family Ties. Fox's charm and comedic timing made the role iconic. Huey Lewis Powered the Soundtrack: The film's hit song, 'The Power of Love' by Huey Lewis and the News, became a 1980s anthem. Huey Lewis even cameo'd as a judge who tells Marty's band they're 'too darn loud.' The film's hit song, by Huey Lewis and the News, became a 1980s anthem. Huey Lewis even cameo'd as a judge who tells Marty's band they're 'too darn loud.' Reagan Loved It: President Ronald Reagan was a fan and even quoted the film in his 1986 State of the Union address, saying, 'Where we're going, we don't need roads.' How's that for cultural impact? President was a fan and even quoted the film in his 1986 State of the Union address, saying, 'Where we're going, we don't need roads.' How's that for cultural impact? Johnny B. Goode Moment: Marty's performance of 'Johnny B. Goode' at the 1955 dance was a nod to rock 'n' roll history. Chuck Berry's cousin in the scene calls him to say, 'You gotta listen to this guy!'—a playful origin story for the song. A Cultural Time Capsule Back to the Future wasn't just a movie; it was a love letter to the 1980s and 1950s. The contrast between Marty's 1985 world—think Walkmans and Pepsi Free—and the 1955 Hill Valley, with its soda fountains and poodle skirts, gave the film a nostalgic warmth. It made us laugh at how much had changed while reminding us that some things, like love and courage, are timeless. The movie grossed over $381 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film of 1985. It won an Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Its success spawned two sequels, an animated series, a theme park ride, and even a Broadway musical in 2023. Why It Still Matters Forty years later, Back to the Future still feels fresh. It's the kind of movie you watch with your kids, quoting lines like 'Great Scott!' or 'This is heavy!' It inspired generations to dream about time travel—who hasn't wished for a DeLorean to fix a mistake or peek at the future? The film's optimism, humor, and heart keep it alive, even as hoverboards and self-lacing sneakers (predicted for 2015 in Part II) remain mostly sci-fi dreams. For me, rewatching it feels like catching up with old friends. Marty's determination, Doc's wild ideas, and that iconic flux capacitor remind us to embrace adventure and believe in the impossible. As Doc says, 'Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.' Join the Celebration This 40th anniversary is a perfect time to revisit Back to the Future. Stream it, dust off your VHS, or catch a special screening. Share your favorite moments with friends—maybe debate whether Biff ever stood a chance. And if you see a DeLorean cruising by, give it a wave. After all, it might just be headed to 1955… or 2025. Here's to 40 years of Back to the Future, a movie that proved the past, present, and future are all worth celebrating.
