Jason Cox

October 31, 2025October 28, 2025

Trick or Treat?

Every year, as we drift into the darkest days of fall, pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, and spooky decor arrive in our neighborhoods. Then, just when you think all is safe, nocturnal, costumed spirits visit our homes with petitions for tricks, or more often, the more desired, treats. They zip from door to door, sharing their fanciful charm and catching fun and festive Halloween vibes along the way.

I’ve been buying candy for the past four weeks. We now have a gigantic mountain of fun- and snack-sized sweets, all ready for our Friday visitors. The stash I have is about 10x what we actually need. I don’t know why, but I instinctively grab some each week. Sometimes it’s the variety, a special deal, or just the delight of having enough to pass around. Yes, they got me!

Do you like Halloween? The history is fascinating! You can trace it back a few millennia to the Celtic festival at the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. They saw this time as a bridge between the living and the dead, believing spirits would roam the earth. To ward off evil spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes. Many centuries later, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day (aka All Hallows’ Day), honoring martyrs, which meant that the day before, October 31, would be called Hallows’ Eve. We now call it Halloween. The blend of traditions somehow became the fun and spooky annual event that brings cute, costumed princesses, heroes, goblins, and ghouls to our neighborhoods.

I don’t know about you, but I love it! I can’t wait to see the characters of all ages visiting our home and roaming the neighborhood. It reminds me of my own childhood, doing the same, and the joy of taking my own kids on those fanciful evening visits.

Halloween ushers in a season of traditions, celebrations, and gatherings. Each year adds a ring of memories to our story. Layer upon layer, those previous years show up like ghosts, visiting us and bringing to mind fond and powerful sights, scents, and sounds. Spirits of our past, our departed friends and family, visit us. We remember them. We see them in photos and imagine them sitting in those empty chairs. We savor those precious times and are grateful for the gift of memory that lets those spirits visit us once more.

As we go into this season, I encourage you all to live each day to the fullest. Cherish the fun. Treasure the spirits that visit you. Enjoy the traditions that decorate our days! Life is short, so be sure to buy plenty of candy.

Happy Halloween!

October 20, 2025October 28, 2025

The Ocean of Days

They are like waves. Every day rolls in and crashes on the sandy beach of our lives. A gentle swell forms as the sunlight bends over the horizon. The shadows of the night’s slumber deepen and then disappear as the crest of the day roars to life. Noon welcomes the midday cap, foaming and churning as the evening gravity pulls the day’s energy into the afternoon churning surf. Soon, the evening beach catches the breaking swash of the ending day, spreading out the final momentum as the fading sound bubbles across the glistening night sky. The ebb of today retreats to form a new tomorrow.

At first glance, every day looks the same. They crash upon our lives with a dependable rhythm. We can gaze upon our calendar and even see the forming swells of tomorrow. We can predict the sights and sounds that will be much like today, or yesterday, or the day before. But the truth is, every day is different. Some will come in with a roar, some with a gentle whisper. Each day has a new energy. It may follow the same flow, but the story will be different. It will wash new memories into your life. New encounters. New adventures. New challenges. Every day is unique. It is a gift, a precious experience that will soon fade tonight and begin anew.

Look out into the ocean. Your day is arriving. What does it look like today? How will you meet it? What will it bring? I don’t know about you, but I’m going in! I’m ready. I feel the cool foam of yesterday on my feet and can hear the new crescendo rising. Today’s crest is approaching, and it looks magnificent. I think I’ll take this one, enjoy it, and embrace the energy as it carries me through the joys and trials of today’s story.

Will you join me?

October 13, 2025October 19, 2025

My TRON-Inspired Journey

My first exposure to the movie TRON was in the 1980s. My brother rented a portable LaserDisc player and brought home a copy of the iconic 12-inch optical disk of TRON. We could barely contain our excitement as we hooked it up to the TV and pressed play. Instantly, we were transported into the Grid. I was hooked!

Until then, tinkering with computers had just been a fun hobby and a welcome distraction. But in that moment, watching TRON light up our living room, I realized I wanted to make computer science my career. I started applying to college programs and eventually earned a spot in the CS program at the University of Tulsa. In my sophomore year, I experienced a personal TRON milestone when I modeled and animated a LightCycle on a Sun workstation in C++ and X11 Motif. Later, I converted it to POV-Ray (see https://github.com/jasonacox/lightcycle-povray if you dare).

“I kept dreaming of a world I thought I’d never see. And then one day…I got in.”

My career took me to Civil Engineering, where I put my skills to work creating CAD software. We modeled the world in ones and zeros. Roads, bridges, detention ponds, and utilities were all drawn onto the digital canvas. Those models became real-world projections, guiding survey crews with lasers and transits to shape our physical environment. Construction crews transformed empty fields into housing subdivisions, shops, highways, and bridges. It was TRON brought to concrete.

The internet bug then bit me. A friend and I began dreaming up a platform to connect families, a network designed for safe, wholesome communication, learning, and exploration. With the help of supportive investors, we launched our idea and quickly expanded, building multiple datacenters linked across the digital grid. Our web guardian stood watch, fighting for the users to ensure they felt safe and welcomed. It was TRON in business.

After a few more adventures, I got a call from a Disney recruiter. On my first day as a Disney Cast Member, over twenty years ago, I remember seeing a TRON poster on the wall. This was before iPhones, so no photos, but if I’d had the chance, I would have snapped one. I honestly struggled that day to contain my emotions. I was working for the very company that had inspired my journey. Years later, I even had the serendipitous opportunity to meet Steven Lisberger, creator of TRON, at our Studio offices. It was TRON brought to life.

“Bio-digital jazz, man!”

Just this past weekend, I took my family to see TRON: Ares. It was absolutely fantastic. The experience was surreal. If you haven’t seen it yet, please make some time to catch it in theaters. For TRON fans, there is so much to love in this script.

As I reflect on my journey, TRON inspired me and helped shaped my life and career. It taught me to be bold, to embrace new challenges, and to imagine a world, with limitless possibilities, where our digital talents can shape reality.

Whatever your “TRON” is, I encourage you to chase it. Let inspiration fuel your imagination, your work, and your life. We have the power to inspire the world. Your passions matter. Your creativity shapes dreams. Whether you’re terraforming digital worlds, telling stories, creating digital magic, connecting users, or supporting fellow travelers, remember: You are a part of something truly extraordinary.

Together, let’s build, dream, and innovate. The Grid awaits.

“You’re a User. You can do anything!”

End of line.

October 6, 2025October 19, 2025

The Gilded Season

The gilded season is upon us! In our neighborhood, the transformation has already begun. The autumn landscape has started its cool, crisp transition into golden yellows, rich browns, and vibrant reds. Nature herself is adorning our part of the world in a lavish royal cloak before settling into her deep winter’s slumber. Slowly, the redshift of fall will bleed into the foliage, trees, and lawns, washing away the summer emeralds and crystallizing the blazing hues of the year’s final sunset days.

During this time of year, nature unspools her tapestry with a breathtaking flourish. A cool, crisp breeze heralds the transition as the emerald city fades, and the world ignites in a golden age. It’s as if the earth itself is donning a lavish royal mantle. Each tree and bush, jeweled in autumn’s opulence, readies itself for winter’s gentle, silent embrace. Slowly, the vibrant memory of summer unravels. Sunsets linger longer on the horizon, their fiery hues crystallizing in the leaves, a final, brilliant coronation before surrendering to the tranquil blues and silver grays of winter’s winds.

This parade of color, a dazzling spectrum over the year’s shoulder, is a spectacle to behold. In these brief, gilded days, the world is radiant, serene, and wistfully beautiful. It reminds us that all things change. Every story, every transition, and every year must come to an end. Our journey around the sun has entered its final act of the year. It reminds us to reflect, to appreciate, and to celebrate the brilliance before it slips quietly beneath the frost. Fall is here. The gilded season is upon us.

It’s time to remember and bid farewell to summer, and to welcome and embrace these new golden days. Take time this week to notice the change, soak in the emerging colors, and prepare yourself for the season ahead. And yes, you may need a jacket.

September 29, 2025October 19, 2025

AI and the Universe

How are you feeling about AI lately? Excited? Anxious? A bit bewildered? If you’re like most of us, you’re probably riding a rollercoaster of emotions. That’s completely normal. After all, we’re witnessing the birth of a technology wave that’s set to rival the discovery of the steam engine or the rise of the internet. As a technologist, I find myself marveling at the possibilities. But I also understand the concerns, questions and especially change at this scale. It can feel unsettling.

Today, I want to explore what this is all about, why it matters, and what practical steps we can take.

What is AI, really? Artificial intelligence isn’t just about building clever machines or automating tasks. At its heart, I believe AI is humanity’s bold quest to extend our minds. It is the ultimate tool for understanding ourselves, our world, and the universe beyond. Imagine a technology that doesn’t simply crunch numbers but helps us solve mysteries that have stumped us for generations. The grand purpose of AI is to accelerate discovery, deepen insight, and help every one of us flourish through knowledge.

Will that happen? Is this happening? Absolutely! We’re already seeing AI move from science fiction to real science. It is impacting everything from disease diagnosis to energy production, from weather prediction to artistic expression. Here are some examples that I recently came across that inspired me. Warning here, this is very nerdy content, so feel free to skip to the end if you are so inclined.

Solving Biology’s Biggest Puzzle: For decades, predicting a protein’s structure from its amino acid sequence was one of biology’s toughest challenges. This is essentially a problem of physics and chemistry, predicting a stable 3D structure from a 1D amino acid sequence. This painstaking experimental work could take a PhD student their entire doctorate to solve for a single protein. AlphaFold’s AI cracked this puzzle in seconds, transforming structural biology, accelerating advanced drug development, and bringing deeper insight into disease. Its latest version, AlphaFold 3, extends this impact by modeling complex interactions between proteins, RNA, and DNA. This breakthrough suggests a paradigm shift. While physics can be described by elegant mathematics, biology’s immense complexity may be best understood through AI. It may even unlock the mystery to truly decode life.
Taming the Hottest Matter in the Universe: Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) has been applied to control high-temperature plasmas that are hotter than the sun, within tokamak fusion reactors. Plasma is highly unstable, requiring a controller to predict its behavior and adjust massive superconducting magnetic fields within milliseconds. The AI system created a controller able to contain and hold the plasma in specific shapes for record amounts of time, successfully addressing a bottleneck in fusion research. By learning to balance magnetic fields in real time, AI edges us closer to abundant, clean energy.
Modeling Intuitive Physics and Dynamics: Video generation models like Google’s Veo demonstrate an ability to reverse-engineer physics from passive observation (e.g., watching YouTube videos). They accurately model complex dynamics such as liquids, specular lighting, and materials flow. This capability suggests these models are learning an underlying structure, or a “lower dimensional manifold” of the very nature of all creation and our reality. That’s mind-blowing! It is fundamental to building generalized understanding and may even unlock the mysteries of our universe.
Advancing Quantum Chemistry and Materials: AI is learning to approximate solutions to Schrödinger’s equation, enabling us to simulate the quantum behavior of electrons with remarkable efficiency. This breakthrough is vital for materials science, as it makes it possible to model the properties of large, complex materials that were previously too costly or computationally intensive to study with traditional methods.
Accelerating Algorithmic Innovation: Systems like AlphaEvolve, which blend large language models (LLMs) with evolutionary computing, are already evolving and improving algorithms, finding, for example, faster solutions to complex problems like matrix multiplication. This marks a leap toward intelligent systems that can generate and optimize their own tools. They are evolving themselves. It’s amazing to witness. Yes, I know, also terrifying!

The ultimate aim of creating powerful AI is to build tools that help us. It allows us to better understand the universe and accelerate science to the maximum. If successful, I believe this technology will usher in an era of radical abundance and lead to the profound transformation of the human condition.

Picture a world where disease can be cured mostly in computers, where clean energy is limitless, and where anyone can explore vast new knowledge with the help of an intelligent partner. AI is guiding us towards a time where scarcity, of knowledge, health, and opportunity, can be truly challenged. It’s not about replacing people. It’s about augmenting our potential, surfacing new connections, and igniting a new golden age of discovery. The mission is not to hand over control, but to embrace this power for all humankind.

As AI continues to reshape our world, I believe we have a responsibility to meet this moment with adaptability, humility, and genuine curiosity. We should be experimenting with new tools, asking bold questions, and venturing beyond familiar boundaries. The most exciting breakthroughs emerge where creativity, technology, and storytelling intersect, so let’s embrace collaboration across disciplines and learn from one another. Above all, let’s serve as ethical stewards, ensuring these innovations benefit everyone, not just ourselves. And as we explore, let’s stay connected to our passions and strengths, blending them with new opportunities to grow, make a difference, and shape a future we can all be proud of.

AI is here, the revolution is real, and the mission is bigger than any one team or company. Let’s approach this with wonder, humility, and courage. Let’s steward this technology toward outcomes that inspire hope and serve the flourishing of all people.

What will you learn next? What new ideas can you bring? What story do you want to help tell? The future may be unpredictable, but together, we can make it magical.

Let’s build, learn, and dream!

September 22, 2025October 19, 2025

Rewire for Hope

This post is a bit heavy. If you need to skip it, I won’t mind. I will understand. But if you do read on, I hope you’ll stay with me to the end.

Let’s be honest: things feel pretty bad right now. We have problems. Many people are hurting, frustrated, or scared. Conflicts are erupting in every direction. There are disasters, wars, and pain across the globe. Social media is perpetually buzzing with anger, violence, shocked emotions, and unmitigated outrage. Nothing good is happening, or ever will, it seems. It feels like evil has infected the planet like a parasite and is sucking the life out of us.

Do you ever feel that way? If so, you’re not alone.

I don’t know if you realize it, but it turns out that we are designed to focus on the negative. We fixate on threats, real or imaginary. We tell stories about doomsday and relish revisiting trauma, bad news, and disasters, over and over. This is our natural bias. It’s part of how we’re made.

But why?

Well, I’m sorry to say, it’s because we are human.

Simply put, it helped our ancestors survive. It meant we needed to amplify threats more than rewards. After all, it makes sense: overlooking a predator would be lethal! Forgetting a pleasant sunset or delicious treat wouldn’t matter, but avoiding a treacherous enemy could be a matter of life or death. Our brains have an asymmetrical “negativity bias” to survive. Specifically, the brain’s amygdala (linked to emotion, fear, and threat detection) is highly sensitive and processes negative stimuli much faster than positive ones. Studies show that negative experiences are even encoded in memory more intensely than pleasant ones. That’s why insults stick longer than compliments, and why we prefer to talk about the evil lurking in the clouds of uncertainty rather than the hope of the untapped horizon.

I suppose I could end here. We are built to worry and fret. It’s survival. Optimism is cake without calories and nothing good will come of it. Sorry, everyone. You are doomed. Was that what you were expecting? Ha! Well, I see a ray of hope starting to form on your face, and you don’t even know why. It’s because you know the truth.

Here’s where the story changes, and it’s why I wanted you to read to the end. It turns out that we have more power over ourselves than we give ourselves credit for. It’s true. We hold in our hands the ability to choose. Our natural, survival-tuned human wiring is merely an autopilot that, left unattended, can lead us to despair. But the truth is, we can absolutely take control. Every one of us is equipped with that override. That’s right, you can flip off the autopilot and take the wheel.

In a world full of negativity, doom-scrolling, and reactivity, we can choose a different path. Let’s strive to be the ones who bring light to the darkness, who offer kindness in the face of adversity, who choose to overcome evil with good, and who meet hardship with hope. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t be easy or popular. The autopilot is strong. And this doesn’t mean ignoring struggle or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about being proactive and intentional in our approach. It’s about believing in the magic that we hold in our own hands, to bring out the best in ourselves and each other. It’s about making this a better world.

We have the power to inspire, uplift, and transform lives. Let’s use that power to make a positive impact, not just for ourselves, but for each other, right here, right now. Let’s choose to be the change we want to see in the world. Let’s choose to be the ones who bring joy, who bring hope, and who bring light to ourselves and those around us. I believe in each and every one of you, and I know that, together, no matter what’s happening in the world, we can make a positive difference.

Overcome evil with good.
Choose kindness.
Choose compassion.
Choose to be the spark that ignites a brighter future for us all.

We need it, and the world needs it… now more than ever.

Thank you for being here and helping us make a brighter world!

References & Further Reading

Daniel Kahneman — Thinking, Fast and Slow (on the brain’s “autopilot” systems)
Baumeister et al., “Bad Is Stronger Than Good,” Review of General Psychology (2001)
Viktor Frankl — Man’s Search for Meaning (on hope amid suffering)
Romans 12:21 — “Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Desmond Tutu — “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

September 15, 2025October 19, 2025

Unleashing Impossible Dreams

When Fred first stepped into the world of television, he was surrounded by a medium filled with slapstick, noise, and mindless distraction. Executives told him children’s programming had to be loud, fast, and flashy to work. But he believed something different. He believed children deserved to be listened to, respected, and gently taught about feelings, kindness, and community.

His calm, caring approach seemed impractical, even foolish, compared to what was “working” in the industry. But he cared. He wanted to make a difference. He was willing to do more than others thought was wise. And in doing so, Fred Rogers built one of the most trusted and enduring voices in American life. His story reminds us that real impact often comes from daring to go against the grain.

Claude T. Bissell once put it this way:

“Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible.”

Those words aren’t just inspirational; they’re a roadmap to bold leadership and meaningful work. They are a call to action. Each line pushes us past comfort, beyond convention, and against the current. It says leadership requires energy. It pedals when others just coast. It swims when others float. It defies gravity. It takes the path few dare to take and challenges the rules others refuse to defy. It does the impossible.

Like Fred Rogers, Walt Disney embodied this as well. At a time when most people saw amusement parks as noisy, dirty carnivals, Walt imagined something radically different: a place where families could step into a world of imagination, where Main Street never faded and where fairy tales came to life. He dreamed of creating not just rides, but experiences filled with storytelling, fanciful delight, and an optimistic future.

People laughed at him. They called the project “Disney’s folly.” It was too expensive, too ambitious, too impractical. But Walt didn’t settle for what was safe or what seemed possible. He risked everything, dreamed bigger than anyone thought reasonable and out of that dream came Disneyland, one of the most successful and beloved ventures in history.

Decades later, Steve Jobs carried that same spark. His vision of “a thousand songs in your pocket” sounded impossible, until the iPod transformed not just music, but entire industries.

Every breakthrough begins with someone willing to risk, to care, to dream, and to expect more.

What is your dream? What obstacle is standing in your way? Perhaps there is some fear or trepidation holding you back. Perhaps you have grown comfortable floating down the river of life, and you’ve tucked away your dreams as frivolous follies. Maybe you’ve resigned yourself to expect little, so your hopes are never disappointed. But is that where you want to be?

If you had a magic wand or unlimited power, what impossible thing would you change? What impact would you want to make on your team, your life, your family, or the world? What would you pursue? What would you build or reimagine? And what would you be willing to risk to get there?

Can I offer this observation? The wand is in your hand. You are more powerful than you even know. Use it for good!

August 19, 2025August 19, 2025

Be the Miracle

Jim had seen it all before. As he stared out the portal of the spacecraft at the moon, he remembered the last time he was here. It was Christmas Eve, and he and his crew were in lunar orbit, broadcasting a holiday greeting back to the inhabitants of planet Earth. He remembered looking out at the moon’s surface and seeing the long shadows that the sunrise was casting across its features. It felt as if he could reach out and touch it. He was ready to tread where no one had gone before.

Jim Lovell passed away last week at the age of 97. He was a true pioneer—first to orbit the moon with his crew, and famously the commander of Apollo 13. He dreamed of walking on the moon, and the Apollo 13 mission was meant to make that possible. But as we all know, things didn’t go according to plan. Instead, the mission became a story of crisis: a mid-flight disaster that threatened the lives of the crew. Jim’s quick thinking, together with his crew’s steadfast work, turned near-certain tragedy into an extraordinary story of survival and teamwork. The world watched with bated breath, and there was collective relief and joy when the crew returned safely to Earth.

Jim never set foot on the moon. But he became an inspiration for how to tackle the unexpected. “You can’t suddenly have a problem, and then just, you know, close your eyes and then hope there’s a miracle coming on, because a miracle is something you have to do yourself, or have people to help you.”

It’s easy to see our “moon shot” as our only objective, the sole definition of success. But life has a way of surprising us and changing our plans. When things don’t go as expected, those moments become the true test of our character. They can be the very moments that define us—not by whether we reached the goal we set, but by how we faced the unexpected. It isn’t just about accomplishing the mission, however important that may be, but about how we react and support each other along the way.

As we take on new challenges this week, let’s remember Jim’s example: don’t lose heart when the mission changes. Instead, do something—make a difference. Help someone else. Be the miracle. The measure of success isn’t the destination, but how we respond when the path shifts beneath our feet. Even when you are 234 thousand miles from home.

August 4, 2025August 4, 2025

Lilibet’s Story

When we first saw her, she was standing at the gate of the animal rescue, looking longingly in our direction. Her red Cocker Spaniel face was whitened with age. Her curly fur coat had been shaved off to relieve the matting that had formed over many years of neglect and weeks on the street. She was an older dog, but her dark, penetrating eyes longed to tell us her story.

Having pets was typically not in the cards for us. Allergies, asthma, and other caregiving responsibilities had steered us away from welcoming an animal into our home. But my girls had slowly convinced Mom and Dad that it was finally time to get a hypoallergenic pup. Their search had led them to Jake, a young male poodle mix at a local rescue shelter. We went to see him. But we quickly learned that Jake had issues from his past that would require isolation and a lot of training. The astute rescue worker suggested we consider an older dog for our first pet. He pointed over at Elizabeth (or Lilibet, as my wife would soon call her), and said, “What about this one?” She sensed our attention and even barked in our direction. He brought her over to us.

She wasn’t much to look at. Her exposed skin was covered in age spots and warts. Her tail was bare. She looked more like a pig than a dog. But we couldn’t help but smile at her. She crawled over to us and quietly laid down, looking up at us—begging to find a spot to settle into our lives. It worked. After a “family meeting” at the local Starbucks, we were convinced that she was the one. When we stopped to pick her up, she nearly ran to our vehicle. With her short legs, she struggled to get into the van, but she had no problem working her way into our hearts.

Now, as many of you pet owners already know, we quickly discovered the toll pets can take on your pocketbook: food, toys, snacks (because food again), ridiculous outfits, and of course, vet visits. This is especially true with the many medical issues older dogs can encounter. But I have to confess—it was worth it. After some treatment and care, she was soon enjoying her golden years, with a full fur coat and a happy, panting smile. She quickly became a member of the family. She loved walks, pup cups at Starbucks, and helping Dad fix breakfast on Saturday mornings. She didn’t even mind the many costume changes the girls picked out for her—from Christmas sweaters to Halloween hats—she put up with all of it. We took her everywhere. She would oblige any request and pant happily.

Over the past few months, her advanced years and harsh life seemed to catch up with her. She moved more slowly. Arthritis had become more serious, and her energy was low. She had lost her hearing, and we suspected her eyesight was fading too. She slept a lot. But she would occasionally spring to life and go on a perimeter check of the house or the yard. She began to stop and stare into the distance—or look directly at us. It was a different look, like someone succumbing to exhaustion, yet incredibly grateful for the love and care she had been given. We noticed that she eventually started to circle in place, as if she were trying to find a comfortable spot to rest. Sadly, the sunset of her golden years was beginning its final approach. Two weeks ago, she made one final circle, laid down, and drifted off into eternity.

We miss her. We are sad. But we are also grateful to have had Lilibet in our lives for a brief time. We do grieve but we remember that grief is the enduring echo of love. Yes, the heart hurts—but it reminds us of the preciousness of the time we have with each other and the love we share. It encourages us to record every moment, savor the journey, and give even more of ourselves and our time to others.

A path without grief is a path without love. Our time with Lilibet reminded me of that. Some of the greatest joys in life can be unlocked if you take time to love, to rescue, to care for someone else—even a pet. Open your heart to another. We need more of that. I suspect we are made for that. Life is short. We can make the most of it by loving, selflessly giving of ourselves, and enjoying the days we have. They pass by fast. Don’t miss the chance to live, to love, to care—and to be cared for. Expect heartbreaks ahead, but they are worth it. Love is the greatest gift of life. Unwrap it with all your heart!

August 2, 2025August 2, 2025

A Glass Factory of Innovation

It was about 1600°C (2912°F). The blast of heat coming from the glass furnace was insufferable. My brother and I were inches away from the pool of glowing hot molten glass behind layers of firebricks. A small “viewport” had been opened by the operator to inspect the glass. Bright orange and yellow light accompanied the blast of heat pouring from the opening. The operator explained the process of adding ingredients to improve the clarity and durability of the glass. The challenge, she told us, was that these additives needed the operators to do this with precision and consistency to ensure the quality of the final product. Currently, it was a manual task with handwritten logs that plant managers would use to ensure production quality. The process was prone to human error and omissions. They were asking, could there be a better way?

My brother had just started at the plant, working on HVAC and industrial electrical equipment. He couldn’t help but think that some of the new computer technology we were playing with could be easily adapter to address their problem. I was still in high school, but we had been working together in the garage after hours on small electronic and programming projects. This could be a new one. We went right to work on designing a system that could sense the number of additives introduced to the furnace by the operators. We decided to use the built-in “game port” on the then popular IBM PC system. That’s right, a game port! The creative adaptation made sense because it had a basic set of digital and analog joystick inputs we needed. My brother built the electronic sensors, and I wrote the device driver for the game port and the software for logging and graphing the results. We even had the system produce a replica of the manual log via a dot matrix printer. A few weeks later and after some testing, we were sure we had a working system. My brother gave a demo to the factory operators and managers, and they wanted it installed right away.

“You just changed our lives!” The operators were delighted. They hated the manual logs. This new system let them focus more on improving the glass quality and less on doing the paperwork. Even the manager now had real-time visibility into the production process. It was a big success. In fact, that same system was in operation for half a decade, all the way up until that Kerr Glass plant closed and was relocated after being acquired by Ball Corp. If you ever used Kerr or Ball glass canning jars, there is a chance the glass that was used to make it was managed by the IBM PC game port solution we built. My brother and I would often laugh about how that old IBM PC was cranking out glass jars… very much like a game.

A big part of our role as engineers is to apply new technologies to business processes, to improve quality, speed, security, and even human happiness. Just like the experience of those plant operators, the application of new automation can bring much needed relief and joy to otherwise mundane processes. I believe we are sitting on the edge of yet another wave of innovation. AI solutions are poised to help relieve even more tedious and labor-intensive processes. As technologist, computer scientist and engineers, it is our role to help discover those opportunities and integrate those solutions into our businesses. We are about to see an explosion of new industry, an evolution of professions, and a rewiring of enterprises influenced by this new AI Industrial Revolution. It is exciting times! And I believe, as technical creatives, we are well poised to help integrate and wield this new digital magic to unlock greater value, new possibilities, and improved ways of working, for Disney, and beyond.

Are you ready? Get busy learning this new science. We should always be experimenting and learning but specifically, now is the time to start understanding, studying, and using these new AI tools. Be proactive. Explore areas where this tech can take us to the next level. Be creative. Let’s start to integrate and responsibly craft these new assistants into every part of our business. I have a feeling that we can help change a lot of lives… and for the better! Are you game?