We’ve noticed the increasing use of AI – particularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT – in bid writing and with it, growing questions about whether these tools really do offer a competitive edge.
To explain our stance on this matter, our Chief Innovation Officer, Peter Frederick, turns to an unexpected but relevant comparison: the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit.
Swimsuits and AI
In 2008, the swimwear company, Speedo, launched a new range of elite swimming costumes called the LZR Racer. These full-length suits were developed with the help of Mectex, the Australian Institute of Sport and NASA and reduced skin friction drag by 24%. The result of this was an effective two percent speed boost for athletes using LZR swimwear. In a sport where the difference between first and last place is less than one percent, this was huge.
At that year’s Olympics, swimmers wearing LZR suits won 94% of all the races and won 98% of all swimming medals. A year later, the authorities in charge of competitive swimming, FINA, changed the rules, effectively banning the LZR suits.
It was clear that the LZR technology won races. However, once athletes realised the difference it made, everyone began wearing the suits, meaning no one gained a competitive advantage. Within a few months, everyone was back to focusing on all the other things that help you win races – hard training, good coaching, good nutrition sports psychology, and so forth.
There are strong parallels between the story of LZR and the growing use of large language models (LLMs) in grant writing. LLMs such as ChatGPT promise huge time savings when creating a bid – just type in what you want and, a few minutes later, you have a fully formed grant funding application, right?
Even if this were true (spoiler alert: it isn’t, but that’s a subject of another blog), it would be a bit like using an LZR swimsuit. Yes, you would gain an immediate advantage but only if no one else had the same idea. Once everyone is using LLMs, no one has an advantage.
So how do you make your bid stand out from this AI-assisted crowd?
Five years before the Beijing Olympics, British Cycling hired David Brailsford as its new performance director. Brailsford introduced the concept of ‘marginal gains’ to the team – small, 1% improvements that, when added together, make a significant difference. These included teaching the cyclists the best way to wash their hands to avoid catching colds, identifying the best pillows to improve athletes’ sleep, and even painting the inside of the trucks the bikes were transported in to better enable them to spot dust buildup.
The results speak for themselves. Whilst the swimmers were setting world records in the pool, the British Cycling team won 60% of all the gold medals on the track.
When everyone is using the same equipment, it is these 1% improvements that make the difference, and this is an area where Neon Innovation specialises. Technologies come and go but the fundamentals of a compelling grant funding application are always the same, and we have spent the last 25 years finding every 1% we can to help our clients stay ahead of the crowd.
Pete Frederick is Chief Innovation Officer at Neon. An innovation specialist with 25 years’ experience, Pete helps clients across the whole innovation journey, from concept development to equity investment. Pete is also a published author in Persuasive Writing, helping clients communicate their innovations more effectively.
Contact Pete and the rest of the Neon team at peter.frederick@neoninnovation.co.uk