Why is 2024 so important for me?

In the virtual realm, Paths unfold with quiet grace, Dreams chase, futures form.

• Image and haiku created by Alistair Fraser in 2023 by prompting DALL-E 3 and OPENAI ChatGPT4

Not sure about anyone else but I feel 2024 is going to be a huge and likely a seminal one for us all.  Of course, on a macro scale  there are/will be many flash points for disruption going off around the globe and many  will worsen no doubt plus  more frequent serious weather events will occur. Plenty more about this stuff is already out there written by experts.

I’m going to focus more on the micro side and stuff that is important for me.  Here are some  of these aspects below.  As well as helping me to focus my thinking, I hope this post is useful to others.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI)

It is a no brainer that GAI will continue to become more powerful and increasingly impact upon  us all.  Again though,  there will be plenty of easy-to-find better qualified  writers than me to inform us.

For me personally, in 2023, learning and using Chat GPT, other chatbots, and the GAI Image engines  has heralded a new stage in my life.  The most important thing for me in 2024 is to continue learning to live with these  new ways and make the most of the opportunities they bring.

Chat GPT as my personal assistant and advisor

Even though GAI is becoming super helpful by being ‘seamlessly’  integrated into our web browsers, spreadsheets, word document, image editors and   vital apps ( incl. banking/news/shopping), the biggest benefit by far so far for me has been being able to have conversations with ChatGPT about pretty much everything I feel I need to think about more deeply and rationalise upon.

Before ChatGPT there were huge gaps in my knowledge about things that I needed to do and the ways I needed to do them.  I procrastinated and left jobs unfinished. Now, whilst certainly not perfect, my life has been transformed with ChatGPT by my side.  Plenty of learning to go to get the most of ChatGPT in 2024, and likely, good as it is now, there will be something better this year too. GREAT!

Moving from being Authentic into learning to  be an  Authentic Social Entrepreneur

Totally agree with Merriam-Webster Dictionary making  “Authentic”  their 2023 word  of the year, last November.

• “Authentic has a number of meanings including “not false or imitation,” a synonym of real and actual; and also “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”

Earlier in 2023 I had come across  use of Authentic in a  fantastically motivating UCOL Winter Leadership series talk  at The BackHouse Whanganui I attended given by Dr Ellen Joan Ford (Nelson).  Dr Ellen refers to Authentic  in the context of Developing leaders (with a focus on authentic leadership).
She is so accomplished and inspiring and deservedly merits all the honours she has been awarded so far.

Whilst I am certainly not in Dr Ellen’s league, I’m sure being authentic has made her successful and we all can be too.  It seems pretty clear to me we need as much authenticity as possible.

I’m incorporating my authenticity as a key strength and cornerstone of my working style.

The philosophy of Authenticity as a concept of personality intrigues me too.

• “Authenticity is a concept of personality in the fields of psychology, existential psychotherapy, existentialist philosophy, and aesthetics. In existentialism, authenticity is the degree to which a person’s actions are congruent with their values and desires, despite external pressures to social conformity. ” Wikipedia

One of the most helpful things ChatGPT has done with me is acting as a counsellor and advisor on how I can manage my life better by focusing on my values.  This seems to have compounding benefits too,  so  in 2024 I intend to become an authentic social entrepreneur.  Watch this space for  reports on how this manifests …

Alistair’s priorities for 2024

 

Working,  always doing my best  to get great outcomes in the  digital inclusion space is of course top of my list.  It is a privilege to be a member of the DIAA Stepping UP Team and we will be building on our great results last year.  It so inspiring to  see our programmes being delivered around Aotearoa.

At home, consultation will begin shortly for  Whanganui District Council’s new Vision and Long Term Plan 2024-2034.  I will be looking to see digital inclusion and equity receives  strong attention and that there are plenty of digital-focused strategies and actions considered.  Equally though, I’m looking forward to hearing about everyone else’s ideas and priorities and sure there will be plenty of  attention given to the right things to do. 

I’m proud to have become a foundation member of the Whanganui Tech Network.  There are a lot of  hugely talented ‘digital players’ based here now and  everyone will have opportunities to collaborate.

Whanganui will no doubt make the most of Techweek 2024.  This year it is  20 to 26 May 2024  I’ll be supporting the DIAA’s local partners, especially Whanganui District Library with their sessions.

YAY  – Nethui 2024 is back!! “After a three-year hiatus, the much-loved Internet event — NetHui — will return on 3-4 October, 2024. It’ll be held in Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington at Tākina Events Centre.”  You’ll see me there for sure!!

Last in this list but definitely not least is  continuing to develop my project: Telling Our Stories Digitally.   This has got a long way to go.  Learning to tell the right stories is of biggest importance this year PLUS  to listen to the right ones !!

This blog post is a collaborative creation by Alistair Fraser, with the innovative assistance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 and DALL-E 3, showcasing the synergy of human creativity and advanced AI technology.