It was inevitable… According to Bloomberg, IBM expects to pause hiring for roles as roughly 7,800 jobs could be replaced by #AI. IBM’s Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna said back-office functions, such as human resources, will be suspended or slowed. “These non-customer-facing roles amount to roughly 26,000 workers,” Krishna said. āI could easily see 30% of that getting replaced by AI and automation over a five-year period.ā This is the first of many announcements as organizations rethink work, resources, and…
All This Technology is Making Us More Human
Part 2 of 2 I once had the honor of giving a TEDx TalkĀ in San Francisco. I’ll never forget it. Even though I speak for a living, speaking at TED honestly terrified me. There’s something about the TED stage, the big ideas and the iconic personalities who have graced it over the years that has a way of grounding and even intimidating you. The experience was so powerful and life-changing, I sought to subject myself to the jitters and butterflies…
Sorry not Sorry, Millennials and Centennials Donāt Want to Work for You
Part 1 of 2 I once had the honor of giving a TEDx TalkĀ in San Francisco. I’ll never forget it. Even though I speak for a living, speaking at TED honestly terrified me. There’s something about the TED stage, the big ideas and the iconic personalities who have graced it over the years that has a way of grounding and even intimidating you. The experience was so powerful and life-changing, I sought to subject myself to the jitters and butterflies…
The Human on the Other Side of the Screen
I was in New York recently meeting with the IBM Watson team. While there, I had the the opportunity to sit with Robert Schwartz in the company’s Astor Place studio to record a podcast for a new series, “THINK Leaders,” which provides insights and advice on data-driven leadership for the C-suite. The conversation and the topics were quite provocative and eye-opening. So much so, that I wanted to share it with you here so that it mayĀ help, in some way,…
Why I Study Disruptive Technology AND People
Sometimes I struggle with trying to stay present and relevant. There are so many thought leaders and personalities with exceptional marketing behind them. All I can do is share myĀ work and hope it finds and helps you in your work. Every now and then, I open my door to personal interviews. I did just that forĀ Kimberly McSweeney. I wanted to share that discussion with you here… Why do you study technology and its impact on society? What first sparked your…
What Makes a Truly Great Experience?
I’ve been working with IBM over the past several years on everything from the future of work to cognitive computing to social business to smarter commerce. Most recently, IBM and I have partnered on something a bit more experiential. The Commerce, Mobile and Social team at IBM selected X: The Experience When Business Meets Design as the company’s latest title for its monthly book club. As part of the club, IBM hosts a series of activities for employees and the…
The Insiderās Guide to Digital Transformation and the Path to Innovation
For those who do not know, Altimeter Group was acquired by Prophet, a brand strategy consultancy, in July 2015. The partnership doesnāt change Altimeterās agenda. In fact, our research will only expand and scale. Recently Prophet hosted an event to discuss trends in customer experience and digital transformation. It was held in Minneapolis with some of the top local companies in attendance. Co-presenting with me was Chris Finlay, Director of Experience Design and Product Innovation UnitedHealth Group, and author of…
4 Steps to Connecting withāand EngagingāGeneration C
Connected, empowered consumersāalso known as of Generation Cāhave come to expect businesses to know them, to understand them, and to deliver what they want, where, when and how they want it. I recently published an ebook with IBM,Ā The Connected Consumer and the New Decision-Making Cycle, that explores the new decision making cycle of connected customers. You can download it for free here. Thanks IBM! The goal of the ebook, and also this post, is to introduce readers to the differences…
A Critical Path for Customer Relevance, Part 1
A key objective for senior executives over the next several years is to use disruptive technology to get closer to customers, to improve relationships, and enhance experiences. It is a considerable move and the result will usher in a new era of adaptive and empathetic business models. However, this is a move that is easier said than done., especially when vision and execution are two sides of different coins. This is a critical path where businesses must not only commit…
CMO’s are at the Crossroads of Customer Transactions and Engagement
Part 9 in a series introducing my new book, The End of Business as Usualā¦this series serves as the book’s prequel. Digital Darwinism is the evolution of consumer behavior when society and technology evolve faster than the ability to adapt. At the intersection of relevance and obsolescence is the ability to recognize opportunities for change based on shifting consumer behavior and the subtle coalescence between emerging and disruptive technology. Businesses must realize that change is taking place today with or…
