The Future is Coming, and It is a Lot Faster Than We Think!

It feels like every day we hear of some significant advance in new and emerging technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, 5G, Augmented Reality, 3D Printing and Quantum Computing.

The Future is Coming, and It is a Lot Faster Than We Think!

It feels like every day we hear of some significant advance in new and emerging technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, 5G, Augmented Reality, 3D Printing and Quantum Computing. What many of us do not realise is that these technologies are not only advancing, they are converging, and that is resulting in exponential technological growth. The simple chart highlights the difference between linear and exponential growth.

I want to highlight the disruption phase in the chart (when the exponential line pulls away from the linear sequence). We have seen plenty of technological disruption over the last decade (Blockbuster and Kodak to name but two), but this could only be a teaser for what we will see in just the next five years.

Today, my question is, what does that disruption look like in your business, and more importantly, in your career? Whether that disruption is personally positive or negative has a lot to do with how you prepare.

On the opportunity side; have you thought profoundly or have you seriously explored how technology can help you in your business and job or enrich other aspects of your life? Technology is here for the trying, and with its speed/ability increasing and cost coming down every few months (yes Moore’s law still applies!) it is there for the taking. Tom Peters summed it up nicely in his initialism, WTTMSW (“Whoever Tries The Most Stuff Wins”). And this is my personal goal for 2021, I want to learn as much technology as possible because I know it will help me.

On the threat side; have you considered your job or skill set, and is that truly safe from the technology charge over the next five years? If not, you need to immunise your coming technological redundancy and grow your particularly human skill sets to the level you are not easy competition for AI or Robotics.

History has proved that animal species, people, and companies that quickly adapted to rapidly changing environments grew, prospered and became dominant. Those that lagged; well they are just not here today, or they have shrunk to insignificance. Don’t let that be you.