Future Capability and the World of Tomorrow
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In the near future, continuous and rapid technological advancements will enhance and challenge our current way of working. How do we reliably plan for the capability we will need as individuals and organizations, to adapt for success in this changing world? What are the core tenets of a data-driven world that will help us flourish and survive the disruption to come? This presentation was delivered as an opening technology keynote for the 29th DIA Medical Affairs & Scientific Communication meeting near Palm Springs, California on March 19-21, 2018.
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Future Capability and the World of Tomorrow
- 1. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 1
- 2. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 2 …we would watch MTV, then switch over to CNN, and there'd always be something messed-up happening. It was never good news, always bad news. - Jimmy Jam © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 2
- 3. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 3 1988 © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 3
- 4. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 4 2018 © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 4
- 5. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 5 Click to edit Master title style • Click to edit Master text styles • Second level • Third level • Fourth level • Fifth level Could we have known? © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 5
- 6. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 6 Nobody knows the future with certainty. We can, however, identify ongoing patterns of change. - Alvin Toffler © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 6
- 7. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 7 Before we go to the future… © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 7
- 8. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 8 Why are you here? © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 8
- 9. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Why are you here? Page 9 This poll was completed by a live audience on March 19, 2018 in Rancho Mirage, CA.
- 10. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 10 What I know about you… 140Companies 8 Countries 160Cities 30 U.S. States © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 10
- 11. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 11 You! © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 11
- 12. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 12 Your story © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 12
- 13. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 13 Me, infographic My story Digital strategist and innovation advisor - Director Communications (interim), My Health Record Australian Digital Health Agency - Former Chief Innovation Officer for CREATION, internationally advising more than 20 pharma companies, 30 brands, in over 20 languages and 30 countries. Language proficiency: 0 25 50 75 100 Other American British Australian paulgrantinteractivestrategy © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 13
- 14. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Disclaimer Page 14 The views and opinions expressed in the following PowerPoint slides are those of the individual presenter and should not be attributed to DIA, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, members, chapters, councils, Communities or affiliates, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. These PowerPoint slides are the intellectual property of the individual presenter and are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America and other countries. Used by permission. All rights reserved. DIA and the DIA logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Drug Information Association Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
- 15. 2018 Medical Affairs & Scientific Communications Forum Rancho Mirage, CA Future Capability and The World of Tomorrow
- 16. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 16© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 16 Future Capability ˈfyo͞ oCHər n. A prospective or expected condition, especially one considered with regard to growth, advancement, or development
- 17. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 17© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 17
- 18. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 18 2048
- 19. Utopian © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 19
- 20. Dystopian © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 20
- 21. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. What can we expect from the future? Page 21 This poll was completed by a live audience on March 19, 2018 in Rancho Mirage, CA.
- 22. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 22 2028
- 23. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 23© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 23 Future Capability ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlədi n. The quality of being capable; ability to receive, or power to do; capacity of undergoing or of doing; capacity; ability; capableness.
- 24. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 24 Humanity is capable and adaptable © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 24
- 25. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 25 Do we want ‘replicant’ machines? © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 25
- 26. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 26 Sensors versus Senses © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 26
- 27. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 27 Sense: Seeing © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 27
- 28. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 28 Sensor: Computer vision © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 28
- 29. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 29 Seeing who you are © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 29
- 30. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 30 Seeing how you feel © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 30
- 31. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 31 Seeing what you are doing © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 31
- 32. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 32
- 33. ▶ Detect symptoms of stroke ▶ Measure pain in the vulnerable ▶ Detect mental health issues ▶ Augment medical treatments and devices ▶ Restore sight ▶ Augment sight ▶ Etc. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Thought starters for a utopian world Page 33
- 34. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 34 Sense: Hearing © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 34
- 35. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 35 Sensor: Computer audio processing © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 35
- 36. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Who has a home or virtual assistant? Page 36 This poll was completed by a live audience on March 19, 2018 in Rancho Mirage, CA.
- 37. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 37 Hearing who you are © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 37
- 38. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 38 Hearing what you like © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 38
- 39. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 39 Hearing what you talk about & with whom © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 39
- 40. ▶ Medical call centers – speech to text ▶ Listen for and diagnose coughs ▶ Anticipate emotion and behavior ▶ Identify patterns in sleep apnea ▶ Detect correlation between symptoms mentioned as key words in conversations ▶ Notify medical services in an emergency ▶ Recognize claims fraud ▶ Etc. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Thought starters for a utopian world Page 40
- 41. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 41 Sense: Feeling © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 41
- 42. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 42© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 42
- 43. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 43 Sense: Smelling © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 43
- 44. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 44 Sense: Tasting © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 44
- 45. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 45© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 45
- 46. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 46 Yet machines are not limited by our anatomy
- 47. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 47 A.I. & I.A. & A.R. Game changer #1
- 48. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 48 Digital diagnostic © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 48
- 49. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 49 Digital doctor © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 49
- 50. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 50© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 50 Digital drug-device combination
- 51. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 51© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 51 Digital medical education
- 52. ▶ Artificial intelligence (A.I.) • Machine learning about health – trained and cognitive ▶ Intelligence augmentation (I.A.) • Decision-support – surgery, treatment • Medical Education • Vast information access • Situational awareness through augmented reality • Sensor inputs • Trends over time ▶ Your future capability? • Understand how to scope requirements and implement systems to support human processes and teams. Thought starters for a utopian world © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 52
- 53. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 53 Quantum Game changer #2
- 54. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 54© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 54 The qubit
- 55. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 55 Australian of the Year © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 55
- 56. ▶ Forget Moore’s law • Improbably faster • Real-time weather predictions, language translation etc. • Autonomous everything • Learning machines ▶ Your future capability? • Learn how to learn – lifetime learning, not study • Empathy – grow ability to care, emotional intelligence • Perception sensitivity through language (Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic) • How to handle a crises (pilot versus autopilot). Resilience. Adaption. Thought starters for a utopian world © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 56
- 57. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 57 Purpose Game changer #3
- 58. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 58 Intent © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 58
- 59. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 59© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 59 Morality
- 60. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 60 Security & Privacy © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 60
- 61. ▶ Helping versus winning ▶ Privacy versus convenience • We want to be free, yet safe • Younger generations want to share – their value is not in owning capital but recognition of ‘social’ capital • Companies want data (efficiency, growth, fit) • Governments are unsure whether to intervene ▶ Your future capability? • Find and know the balance • Help your company talk about ethical matters • Consult and communicate with the people impacted by your work, don’t make decisions without them Thought starters for a utopian world © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 61
- 62. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 62© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 62 Future Capability ˈfyo͞ oCHər ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlədi n. A prospective or expected condition, especially one considered with regard to growth, advancement, or development n. The quality of being capable; ability to receive, or power to do; capacity of undergoing or of doing; capacity; ability; capableness.
- 63. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. What our company needs to do is… Page 63 This poll was completed by a live audience on March 19, 2018 in Rancho Mirage, CA.
- 64. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 64© 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 64
- 65. ▶ Organise your data • Audit • Clean • Structure • Join • Analyse ▶ Decide on ethical interactions • Inputs • Outputs ▶ Build your knowledge systems • Connected • Cognitive • Collaborative Thought starters for a utopian company © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 65
- 66. ▶ Ethical machines • If we teach machines to win, to acquire, to destroy… dystopia • If we teach machines to heal, to share, to build… utopia • Our field is one that can ‘do good’ with future technology ▶ I.A. instead of A.I. - We need our minds to manipulate technology, not see our minds manipulated by it. Consider our primal program: • Addiction to sugar • Social recognition needs • Media desensitisation (violence, sex, crime) • First person shooter games ▶ Seek balance, not insatiable growth - systems thinking. • Learn from the laws at work in nature. Thought starters for a utopian society © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 66
- 67. © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 67 Don’t worry about the future… plan for it. Don’t let the future happen to you… shape it. - Paul R. Grant © 2018 DIA, Inc. All rights reserved. Page 67
Editor's Notes
- House lights down, cue music. https://open.spotify.com/user/pgmusicmachine/playlist/1scjsdkVkao229ZKTkm7vf The tracks you just heard were recorded with the very latest technology – 30 years ago. Music source: Janet Jackson, “Rhythm Nation 1814” Interlude: T.V. ‘The Knowledge’
- Up and coming producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lee Lewis co-created a social consciousness concept album called ‘Rhythm Nation’ with the artist Janet Jackson. At that time, they were concerned that society had become inundated with information. Television provided so many channels to watch. Media was impacting on the very fabric of human interaction, and they believed this was to the detriment of our future direction. Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JimmyJamHWoFJan2012.jpg This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
- But that was 1988! Show of hands if you remember 1988? If you didn’t raise your hand you are either much younger than me, or I’m sorry to say, may be losing your mind. Think back to 1988 (if you can) – what was the world like then? Calgary Winter Olympics The Phantom of the Opera opened Celine Dion wins Eurovision George H.W. Bush is elected Rhianna, Adele, Haley Joel Osment, and the guy who played Ron Weasley in Harry Potter all born First trans-Atlantic fiber cable completed First Internet connection between Princeton, NJ and Stockholm, Sweden Tim Berners-Lee begins discussing plans for the World Wide Web Sonny Bono becomes Mayor of Palm Springs! What was work like then? No email No video conferences No Internet Image source: Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Janet_Jackson_Rhythm_Nation_1814.png This image has been used solely to illustrate the audio recording in question, which qualifies as fair use under the copyright law of the United States.
- Yet now, 30 years later, we have: Hundreds of channels to view AND interact with The Internet Online Shopping Google, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Facebook! Smart phones Smart watches Wearable health sensors Driverless vehicles More! Image Source: http://foter.com/photo/mobile-phone-hands-cellphone/ This image is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
- Could we have known that with the passing of time the world and our society could change so much? In just three decades, that our entire way of communication and work would be transformed and disrupted? Let’s not take this for granted – massive paradigm shift in our lifetime. People who talk about the future are known as ‘futurists’. “After all is said and done there is a lot more said than done!” (anonymous) Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/clock-pocket-watch-movement-3179167/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- There was one actual ‘futurist’ who wrote a book called ‘Future Shock’ in 1970. Some of the key concepts: Many goods have become disposable as the cost of manual repair or cleaning has become greater than the cost of making new goods due to mass production. The design of goods becomes outdated quickly. It is possible to rent almost everything, thus eliminating the need for ownership. Whole branches of industry die off and new branches of industry arise. People of post-industrial society change their profession and their workplace often. People have to change professions because professions quickly become outdated. To follow transient jobs, people have become nomads. For example, immigrants from Algeria, Turkey and other countries go to Europe to find work. Relationships tend to be superficial with a large number of people, instead of being intimate or close relationships that are more stable. The key point in the quote here is that we can look at patterns in today’s world and extrapolate them to see where things may logically and rationale go. Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alvin_Toffler_02.jpg This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
- I’m not a futurist like Alvin Toffler, however I do want to give you a glimpse into the future. Before we do… Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/wormhole-time-travel-portal-vortex-2514312/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Let’s find out a little about why you are here. We are going to use PollEverywhere, so get ready… Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/tourism-girl-nature-breather-views-1213802/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Poll Title: Why are you here? https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/_poll_closed
- Regardless of your reason, you are here now. When I last took a look at the registrations, there were a lot of people from around the world coming to California. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/palm-springs-california-palm-trees-1587288/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- What do you know about you? I want you to think about that. Stop what you are doing, take a look at your lanyard and hold it (tactile) – see your name and company. That is your name, and your current situation. Think about who you are, how you came to be here – in this current situation. What is the significance of you being here. What is the significance of this room of people. This room of people will never be assembled again. You are all at a key moment in your story. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/business-card-business-card-man-2056019/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- I like to think about it this way. This is a DEFINING moment in time that is a turning point for the future of the world. It always is. It's the beginning of the rest of your life... You will make decisions today and at this conference that literally change the course of history. For you. For your company. For your country. For the world. Your story is at a key point. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/technology-machine-typewriter-3200401/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- And a little about my story, in case you are wondering who is this person taking up my precious time. I currently work for the Australian Government, and my mission is to tell all Australians that in 2018 they will have an electronic health record created for them, unless they tell us they do not want one. It is an important initiative on the roadmap to improving health in Australia. Prior to that I was with CREATION in London, and it is good to see so many of you in the audience that I have worked alongside. You’ll see something about my capabilities – proficient in a number of languages, including my first language of Australian. British, having spent around 10 years in the U.K., and well, I’m still learning American.
- Leads nicely into a disclaimer, I have no personal agenda here, no book to sell. No company to promote. I am not here on behalf of anyone. I am purely here to support this event and to share some thoughts that you may be able take with you into the next chapter of your working life; at least into the next three days.
- So, to our topic “Future Capability and the World of Tomorrow”. I don’t want to dazzle you with emerging technology and simply run through all the next big start-ups on the horizon. There are plenty of blogs out there and people talking about innovative technology. Rather, I want to cover some broad and important thoughts about the world of tomorrow – what will be possible? What do we want? What could your role be in the future?
- So I like to think about about “Future Capability”. What does this mean? Let’s break it down into constituent parts. The ‘future’ – definition.
- Usually when we think of the future, we tend to go too far. Honestly, we have no idea. Unless you have a time machine in which case you don’t need to listen to the rest of this presentation. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/board-school-immediately-soon-1647323/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- What if we did… let’s say 30 years. Some of you with young children, we could reasonably expect they have met a partner and may have a family. So you might be a grandparent, if you are not already!
- One vision of the future is ‘Utopian’. Everything is shiny and white. Technology has been molded to enhance our lives. We are happy and sociable. We love to go to work in our FLYING CARS! and do thoughtful and intelligent knowledge work. Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABrjdyavqkI Duration 17 seconds
- Of course, the other option is darker. Some apocalyptic event or near-miss comet has plunged us back into a proverbial dark age. Maybe the machines are better suited to this world, or perhaps they have created it. Naturally humans are second class citizens, if not slaves potentially fodder. Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy_Atyi07_Y Duration 18 seconds
- So let me ask you as an audience, how do you see the future? Poll Title: What can we expect from the future? https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/_poll_closed
- So you see, the problem with jumping another 30 years into the future is that it is just too far to make reasonable predictions. Let’s instead think about the “Near future” – say 10 years. Thinking about the near future is my approach to strategy and planning. It’s a good trick. Try to think about what is happening now, and then how that might play out over 5 to 10 years. You already do forecasting, for perhaps the year ahead or maybe even have a 5 year plan. I want you to think just past that, by looking at what is possible now and yet to be ubiquitous or operationalized.
- That brings us to a more practical approach to thinking about the future – what is the “capability” that we could reasonably expect, by continuing a logical extension of what is already happening? What will technology be able to do? What will we be able to do?
- Humanity – very capable. Senses. Acknowledge that the human bio-machine is pretty incredible. Senses, waterproof membrane. Can put energy in one end and waste comes out the other. It grows. It learns. It reacts to the environment around it and makes the best situation for itself… Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/baby-cute-one-portrait-people-3095265/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- But a lot of work in machine intelligence is about replicating the human experience! Why? Is that what we need? How a machine replicates what humans can do, has a profound impact on the world of tomorrow. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/robot-woman-face-cry-sad-3010309/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- We have to accept that in the future we will have machines that can do a lot of what a human can. Indeed, we do already. So for the purpose of thinking about the future, we can compare human ‘senses’ with machine ‘sensors’. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/astronaut-robonaut-handshake-robot-568620/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Let’s start with one of the important senses for taking in the world. Sight. Seeing. Converting light into shapes, color, depth and then processing that into words, information, stories and more. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/eye-eyeball-human-eyesight-look-1245662/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Machine vision – may not look the same, but does the same job – sometimes better. The actual processing of the image is the tricky bit. But cameras and visual sensors can do more: Thermal, telescopic, microscopic, x-ray… capturing light is easy. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/surveillance-camera-mast-3137102/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Facial recognition – yet already machines are capable enough to recognize gender, age, and identity. It’s not possible – it’s operational. Look at the U.K.! Image Source: http://www.nec.com/en/global/solutions/safety/face_recognition/ This image most likely copyright NEC
- But there is more. Computer vision is now sophisticated to detect emotion – pain, loneliness, frustration Image Source: https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Artboard-7.png This image is most likely copyright Microsoft
- Yet machines can also detect the position of your limbs, objects, your body language. Image Source: https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/hires/2017/acomputertha.jpg This image copyright Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute
- Applications of computer vision in the workplace. This video show how such technologies can already be used in healthcare and in the industrial setting – if we don’t think of Orwell, this could be a positive thing for health outcomes! Duration 1:16 Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL-c00M2CnI Copyright Microsoft
- Rather than immediately go to any concerns about being watched, let’s think about how computer vision could benefit health and medical information. Most of these are possible right now.
- Another of our senses – Hearing. With computer listening - Voice recognition - always on. Here, computers are pretty sophisticated. Natural language processing – breaking up sentences into constituent parts. Translating. Detecting heightened emotion through audio. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/ears-ear-ear-lobe-sound-listen-2545756/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- We have ‘bugged’ our lives and now every one of us is surveilled. I don’t mean active and sinister espionage – I mean we willingly ask devices to listen to us. Who has a home or virtual assistant? Image Source: http://foter.com/ff/photo/40038266221/b69169ac5b/ Photo by Martin uit Utrecht on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
- Poll Title: Who has a home or virtual assistant? https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/_poll_closed
- Since 2016, the Australian Taxation Office has been using voiceprint authentication. It can identify who you are by voice alone – no need to provide pieces of information. It can detect if you are trying to defraud the system. Doesn’t matter what name or details you provide, it already knows who you are. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/business-signature-contract-deal-962388/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Over 250 apps use a technology called Alphonso – listens to what you watch on television. From this, it can determine viewing habits and provide advertisements on your phone. Facebook, Google, Apple – all have patents in audio listening (passive and active). Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/room-office-modern-lectronic-2559790/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Key words can be used to start a recording. Jury is out on whether this is being done to serve advertising. If you say ‘OK Google’ but even just ‘OK’ can trigger a recording of 20 seconds that is stored in the cloud. Google is quite seemingly transparent about the audio it has of you, whereas Apple doesn’t release it and says that it will be de-identified. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/people-girls-women-students-2557396/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Again, let’s think about how ‘always on’ audio listening and processing could benefit the world of tomorrow?
- The sense of touch is powerful. It can be comforting. It can be utilitarian – i.e. to reach out and grab something without breaking it. Health care assistances might lift a patient to bed or assist with physical duties, however there is another important aspect to touch – endorphins. Stimulation. Belonging. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/baby-hand-infant-child-father-2416718/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Aside from the potential of healthcare assistant robots, science is now exploring the value of touch as a therapy for the elderly or those with brain diseases. Applications of Animatronics in elderly care. This toy company and others around the world are exploring ways to increase the quality of life for people who do not have a large social support group around them. Duration 25 seconds Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXlIVsFWA_A Copyright Hasbro
- I’m not sure we want machines that smell for pleasure. However, the ability to detect airborne molecules and identify chemical composition seems handy? We already have drug and alcohol testing. An Australian scientist has been developing an affordable device for detecting nitric oxide in breath, as a means to diagnose and better treat asthma. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/adult-beauty-face-female-flower-19033/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- And taste, one of my favorite human senses. I don’t know what a robot tongue would look like – in fact I’m not sure I want to try and imagine it! Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/maori-warrior-weapon-tongue-583175/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- One thing is for sure, I’m in no hurry for robots to develop a sense of taste for the finer things in life. If it comes to competing for wine and cheese, I’m sorry I am not willing to share with the machines. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/still-life-eat-drink-wine-red-wine-2905834/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- In all of this, we have been comparing ourselves to machines – especially the machines that have been made in our image. We do tend to anthropomorphize ourselves into our creations. C-3P0 is basically a man. R2-D2 was a step outside of this. BB-8 was a step forward again. Think of most ’intelligent robots’ and they tend to try and do what we do. But what if a robot or machine could design a robot? What would it look like? Why would it look anything like a human, or the human-like machines science is researching? Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/starwars-r2d2-c-3po-bb-8-isolated-2701310/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- That brings us to an important concept – artificial intelligence or A.I. We know it is here, we know that like the myth of Icarus there are passionate scientists and programmers so caught up in the flight to singularity that they do not realize there may be a sun just ahead. We also have intelligence augmentation, and augmented reality.
- But let’s start with what we know. A network of machines is more powerful than a network of human minds. It is efficient and has a faultless memory. It is fast at retrieval. Watson for oncology. We can scale it up in a way that humans cannot. Even if we could tap into the knowledge of this entire room, ordering and accessing it, not to mention making it collaborative is no small challenge. Computer based diagnostic is here, and will only get better. Remember, a diagnostic does not therefore make a diagnostician! There is a human and soft skills side to healthcare that a machine will never be as good as i.e. intuition, empathy, sensitivity. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/supercomputer-mainframe-mira-1781372/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- In the United Kingdom, A.I. powered ‘virtual doctor’ apps now provide patient diagnostic support and supplement national health services. If a person needs a doctor, they can instantly find one online instead of booking for an appointment. Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/computer-business-typing-keyboard-1149148/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Just six months ago now, many of you will have heard that the FDA approved the first ‘digital pill’. That is a combination of an active ingredient/compound with a medical device (patch and sensor) that integrate with a mobile application. The app tracks dosage, mood, rest, and activity and shares this with the physician. Image source: https://s1.eestatic.com/2017/11/14/actualidad/Actualidad_261984779_54014875_1024x576.jpg Copyright believed to be Proteus Digital Health
- Augmented reality is close, still a little clunky and the issues with Google Glass have taught us something about the readiness of society. Yet, adding relevant and context sensitive information is not only convenient – it is potentially beneficial! Duration 35 seconds Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKpKlh1-en0 Copyright Microsoft
- It is important to differentiate between what each technological direction might mean for society. I prefer intelligence augmentation because it is about making us better, rather than replacing us (for profit or other reasons that do not benefit the planet at large).
- And now for the absolute game changer – quantum computing.
- I’m not going to explain quantum computing. But I can tell you that our current model of computing is based on Boolean binary bits – but a Qubit is a two-state quantum-mechanical system. So the technology on which our information revolution to date has been based is a light switch (on or off). A qubit can be either or both. So it can hold up to two bits of information per unit. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Bloch_Sphere.svg/1000px-Bloch_Sphere.svg.png This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
- But I’m not a physicist. Five years ago, Professor Simmons and her team developed the world's first transistor made from a single atom, as well as the world's thinnest wire. Now she is looking to build a quantum computer capable of solving problems in minutes, which would otherwise take thousands of years. Such a discovery has the potential to revolutionize drug design, weather forecasting, self-driving vehicles and artificial intelligence. Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Michelle_Yvonne_Simmons-physicist2.jpg This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
- I cannot emphasize enough what a disruptive game changer this is. Like discovering oil and its derivative products/services. Like the printing press. But I do not believe we are anywhere near ready as a society, even if the scientists understand it, to process what it means or how to best deploy such technology.
- Now for the curly problem with machines - purpose
- A machine is usually designed for a purpose. Purpose first, machine is the solution. So, I want to build cars more accurately and efficiently without endangering human life – seems a machine might do the job. Whereas as humans it is more like we are a machine looking for a purpose. We find our way, informed by culture, history, philosophy, and our own existential yearning to find meaning. We seek out to discover what is good and what is bad – either for us, or for society. We learn a lot, about a lot. It creates a balance and a ‘total’ framework around which to process individual tasks, objectives, and purpose. There is a fundamental program or objective – which I have yet to understand. It’s the big one – why am I here? But as we develop computers, we set them with specific challenges. Beat me at chess, or the Chinese board game Go. Or find the terrorist. Whatever we train our computers to do, that is what they will become to the exclusion of all else. Here are some interesting learnings from recent experiments – You can search for these online. Last year (2017) Facebook had to shutdown its A.I. chat bots because they had developed their own secret language that the human operators could not decipher. In 2016 Microsoft tried to develop a teen A.I. – it became a misogynist, racist, and holocaust denier. Actually, if you study the canon of western language, you’ll find that built into our writing are strong ideologies that are not necessarily representative of our modern way of thinking. But our modern way of thinking is a tiny percentage of all that a computer can learn from in history. Who teaches it how to filter and process quality versus quantity? Our children have teachers – our machines have scientists. Hmm. Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/chess-black-white-chess-pieces-king-2730034/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Are computers moral? What are their guiding values? Then again, are humans? Think of greed, theft, sexual exploitation, murder, and the worst of human-kind. Yet even in observing our failings, I think we broadly aspire to truth, liberty and justice. Yet if you were to base your assessment of humanity by what is reported in the news, I’m afraid it would be a bleak depiction of a depraved and destructive species. We know that there are so many good and noble aspects of humanity, every day, but they don’t get recorded into the canon of history. Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/justitia-goddess-goddess-of-justice-2597016/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Did you know the world has less murder now than ever before? Houses used to be fortresses, that’s because you could get attacked by Vikings or marauders at any point. In the name of security, housing was pretty constrained. Now we live in glass houses. I always think it is a paradox – we want security, but we want freedom. We put locks on our doors, but then we have windows everywhere to let the light in and so we can see out. All the security systems in the world won’t stop a $5 hammer breaking a piece of glass. Today, we live with a ‘sense of security’ rather than actual security. We willingly trade privacy for convenience. Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/battlements-blue-britain-british-1239279/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/window-home-within-wood-luxury-3178666/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- So, revisiting our theme of ‘Future Capability’. We have to consider where it is all going in terms of technology, and what it means for us and our lives.
- Poll Title: What our company needs to do is... https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/_poll_closed
- Are we ready to tackle an ‘active role’ in future capability. Can we be the leaders of tomorrow? Can we determine whether we end up with utopia or dystopia, or preferably something somewhere in between? If you are sitting there feeling more overwhelmed than inspired, that is OK. My goal was to paint a picture that causes us to think – to think deeply. In the next couple of days, you will hear many more practical and tangible presentations, that will equip you for your work and careers. But, I hope there is a niggling thought in the back of your mind – what about the world of tomorrow? What is the role of my work and my company? How to I play a part? Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/ready-prepared-preparation-2379042/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- So, here are some ideas for companies that want to get ready and start actively thinking about participation in the world of tomorrow.
- And some thoughts for our society at large. What do we want? Are we happy with how it is going? Are we passengers or the driver of future capability? Are we thinking about our own personal contribution to the future – or going with the flow?
- Here is my challenge to you. The world of tomorrow - Don’t be anxious - life is pretty good relative to history. Don’t worry about the future, plan for it. The future can bright - it literally depends on you and what you do from today onwards. Don't let the future happen to you. Shape it! Image source: https://pixabay.com/en/idea-world-pen-eraser-paper-1880978/ This image on Pixabay.com is licensed under CC0 Creative Commons Free for commercial use No attribution required
- Time for questions and comments. #95ad5f