These trends are either evolutionary or entirely predictable. Several so predictable that they first made their debut in movies long before most of us were born.
I think this is what he means. Working on any of these ideas doesn't make you an innovator. You might do something in a slightly better or more novel way, but we aren't inventing crap.
And if you don't execute on your slightly better path, you'll still be beat by someone with a slightly worse idea who buckled down and delivered.
Silicon Valley is littered with companies with better ideas and better base products that lost.
The adage "we stand on the shoulders of giants" comes to mind. Some of the louder people in our industry could stand to remember this.
In truth, there are no giants (or maybe very few). Even the giants of the adage are actually made up of innumerable little people supporting each other.
Do note that when Newton coined the term "standing on the shoulders of giants" in a letter to Hooke, scholars believe he was making a friendly joke about Hooke being a rather delicately built man.
I think this is what he means. Working on any of these ideas doesn't make you an innovator. You might do something in a slightly better or more novel way, but we aren't inventing crap.
And if you don't execute on your slightly better path, you'll still be beat by someone with a slightly worse idea who buckled down and delivered.
Silicon Valley is littered with companies with better ideas and better base products that lost.