The entire world is talking about AI, and nowhere is that conversation more prevalent than in the world of business. Companies everywhere are wondering how this technology will push their businesses forward. Virgin and charity partner Made by Dyslexia, however, know that there is one tool that can innovate in ways that AI can’t: Dyslexic Thinking. That’s because people with dyslexia have all of the skills of the future according the World Economic forum: They’re more creative, more innovative, and can think outside the box. So we needed an innovative way to prove to employers that dyslexia was an advantage in the workplace, drive them to our “Employ Dyslexia” educational modules on LinkedIn, and encourage them to hire dyslexic thinkers.

40% of the world’s greatest innovators and entrepreneurs are dyslexic, and some of the most iconic businesses, inventions and works of art were created by people with dyslexia. Despite that, dyslexia is still widely seen as a disadvantage or even a disability, especially in the workplace. We set out to prove that wasn’t the case by feeding various AI engines (Dall-E, MidJourney, and ChatGPT) prompts based on famous things made by dyslexic thinkers. The results were, predictably, nowhere near as iconic as the real things, showing that while AI can aggregate, only Dyslexic Thinkers can truly innovate.

AI has captured the attention of people working in almost every sector, and there is a belief that we are on the verge of an industrial revolution for white collared jobs. Only those with skills that automation can’t replicate – the ability to connect seemingly unrelated dots like those with dyslexia do – will be safe and in demand. Richard Cooper puts it that in a world of AI and automation, we need to champion that “Great minds think unalike” and that dyslexia is the perfect encapsulation of that. Our brief was to prove to the world that Dyslexic Thinking is the one thing that AI won’t be able to replace, to make people aware of all of the amazing contributions people with dyslexia have made to society, and actively encourage employers to hire more dyslexic thinkers.

In March of 2023, we fed Dall-E, MidJourney and ChatGPT various prompts inspired by the famous creations of Dyslexic Thinkers. All AI images and responses are real and verified (see attached file). We then created a film featuring all our AI creations, and revealed the real work that they were meant to recreate. The film drove to our “Employ Dyslexia” learning module platform that will be housed on LinkedIn Learning, encouraging employers to learn about and hire Dyslexic Thinkers. The campaign launched in April, turning the images into OOH, and placing them at specifically targeted areas that related to whatever employment sector they were referencing (Bank station to target the financial sector, Old Street station to target the tech sector, etc). A massive PR campaign fronted by Richard Branson occurred simultaneously, extolling the virtues of employing dyslexic thinkers and entering the worldwide conversation around AI.

The results were nothing short of phenomenal, with the campaign being covered by major news organisations all over the world. Sir Richard appeared on several notable TV programs, and total earned impressions currently stand at over 1 billion. But most importantly, the campaign successfully drove to our “Employ Dyslexia” educational models that will be housed on LinkedIn Learning. Almost 500 companies have pledged to implement the modules, with big names such as Amazon, Facebook, EY, Microsoft and many others getting involved. That means that 10 million plus employees will be trained in how to spot, nurture and empower dyslexic thinking.