EXO lays out a path for organizations to succeed with AI.
TL;DR
Compare a studied path to succes with a thousand experts shouting “Me! My way! Look here!” This gives the organization or leader a way to focus on what works.
Don’t let EXO’s fancy lingo and references to academic papers distract you.
We do not treat it as doctrine — we test practices on real work and keep what produces an observable result.
Size
EXO works for large enterprises, small shops, and everything inbetween.
What Works?
If a group is willing to spend a decade on what works, publishing and then revising it twice with fresh data as AI continues to march on - that's good information to have.
So that's the good part.
The better part is that the latest revision is published for free on the internet, and you can sit down on saturday morning and scan it for the best structures, and have a good plan for your own organization, on monday morning.
It is very useful, as a way to separate the signal from the noise.
Example - Start With Small Groups
Successful organizations of any size tend to migrate to AI usage, one small group at a time, not fighting the natural resistance of a larger enterprise.
Build small successes, one group at a time with staff that really wants it to work. Expand one small group at a time.
This feels like "Doh" but then you realize that's not what everyone is doing! No wonder AI rollouts are struggling, everywhere.
There is also an implicit message here. Don't push AI on the subset of your staff that is going to resist. This applies quadruple, in the initial years.
The Bad News About EXO
The jargon will scare you away, on every page. They use terminology that normal people don't, and never would use, in polite company.
What jargon? Don't even ask. It's a palooza of trips to the dictionary. Oh please.
These guys are extremely concerned that you would view them as authoritative They aren't going to give you an opinion, they give you observations that have been measured for years.
Sure, these guys are brilliant, focused on measuring, calibrating and comparing notes with others who are brilliant and focused on calibrating and comparing notes. Sounds good until you realize instantly that they have their own language, their own way of nerding out, and it is dense to the point of feeling inpenetrable.
Pro tip: Make AI read the book for you. Tell it you just want the tips, jargon free. Even shorter, if you tell AI to give you just the tips that apply to your size and type of organization.
There is nothing wrong with you if you don't understand or care what singularity or exponential means, or who any of the dozens of academics are, that push through this research.
WoAH - Wasteland of Acronyms, Huh?
You just want the sequence. "Do this before that. Here's the part that's easiest to screw up."
Instead, EXO wants to help you by defining lots of very cute acronyms. One for every set of processes that you might need to focus on.
Pro tip: Eye roll, then another AI prompt Spare me the cute acronym. This is obviously important, otherwise you wouldn't have made it. Just "tell me in plain english - maybe 3 or 4 main points".
Whew.
Strategy Recap
We do not treat EXO findings as doctrine. Even though they probably rate highly enough to do so.
Test practices on real work. Keep what produces an observable result.
The Links
Salim's youtube channel Salim is super approachable and his organization does great work, even if it is inpenetrable, at times.
Follow Salim on Moonshots Not for the weak of heart. Bring your slide rule. If you have a graduate degree from MIT, all the better.