Technology Revolution: The Future of Now

The Buzz 1: "You care more about that car than you do about most people." [Thelma (Geena Davis) to Louise (Susan Sarandon) in Thelma & Louise (1991) The Buzz 2: "A driver don't pick the cars. Mmm-mm. Cars pick the driver. It's a mystical bond between man and machine." (Bernie Mac as Bobby Bolivia in Transformers,2 007 film) The Buzz 3: "The next few years should be exciting. We're in the midst of an electric vehicle onslaught and seeing a flood of new EV pickup trucks. We're also watching more supercar and hypercar debuts than ever before." [www.motor1.com/car-lists/future-cars] Fast-forward to 2025. Will you own, lease by the hour, day, season or year, share, borrow, or be cargo in a vehicle that moves you from point A to point B? As the automotive industry literally shifts gears and accelerates, concepts like ICE, BEV and AV are grabbing headlines and the steering wheel as mainstream options for your future transportation comfort, speed and safety. Whether you're driving or simply along for the ride, will you want or need technology-enabled, driver-assisted, touchless/online, or virtual experiences? Remember how semiconductors changed the speed and capabilities in the computer industry? Let's see what's changing the automotive industry. We'll ask five car futurists – Tom Madonna at SAP, Julie Fream at OESA, Otto Schell at IGDCR, Clint Crook at Accenture, and Marco Gollarza at SAP – to predict our automotive journey, including the economic and environmental impacts of this evolution. Join us for The Future of Cars: What Will You Be Driving – Or Not – By 2025?

The Buzz: "The Fourth Industrial Revolution…a fusion of advances in AI, robotics, IoT, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, other technologies…collective force behind many products and services that are fast becoming indispensable to modern life." [salesforce.com] Every industrial revolution has had a profound impact on how we live, work and relate. The first industrialized our world with steam and water. The second electrified it. The third computerized it, setting the technology stage for the fourth and an unprecedented pace of transformation. What's in it for you? Advances that often seem like a sci-fi movie. GPS systems that recommend the fastest route. Netflix's personalized recommendations for you. Voice-activated virtual assistants that answer your questions, play your music, find recipes, tell corny jokes, bring you the news. We'll ask Marty Groover, John Gretter, Derek Dyer and Don Young for their take on The Future of the 4th Industrial Revolution: What's In It For You?

The Buzz 1: "During the Revolutionary War, women served the U.S. Army in traditional roles as nurses, seamstresses and cooks for troops in camp. Some courageous women served in combat either alongside their husbands or disguised as men, while others operated as spies for the cause. Though not in uniform, women shared Soldiers' hardships, including inadequate housing and little compensation." [www.army.mil] The Buzz 2: "The U.S. military has been one of America's most progressive institutions…But it also embodies a traditional, conservative, and in some ways "macho" culture…There is so much further to go and addressing these issues of gender equity will not be easy." [brookings.edu/essay co-written by retired General Lori J. Robinson] We'll ask Colonel Deb Lewis, Major General Suzanne P. Vares-Lum, former US Army officer Donna Matturro McAleer and Chief Warrant Officer Five Phyllis Wilson to predict The Future of Women in the Military: Mental Toughness Required?

The buzz 1: "Women earn about half of science and engineering degrees, but they make up less than 20 percent of people employed in those fields." (mckinsey.com) The buzz 2: "Women are missing out on entrepreneurial success, making up just 17% of IT specialists in the UK. Worse still, a new survey shows that the number of women in the tech sector has barely moved over the past 10 years despite an industry-wide push. When tech has never had it so good, where are the women?" (theguardian.com) The buzz 3: "Women who have decided to pursue a career in computer science…credited early exposure to programming as the greatest factor in their decision to become engineers. Conversely, a lack of early exposure to computer science was the primary deterrent for women who leave—or never join—the field." (themuse.com) We ask SAP's Maria Villar, NTT DATA's Theresa Kushner, Treeverse's Einat Orr and VMware's Radhika Rangarajan to predict The Future of Women in Tech: How to Level The Playing Field?

The Buzz 1: "Social media can also be a powerful tool for your professional life…It can also be full of pitfalls. More employers and recruiters now regularly check candidates' social media profiles before hiring them, and screenshots of status updates and tweets mean your electronic words can live forever, even if you delete them later…it's not just your own posts—your activity, including those stealth "likes," can come back to haunt you, too… every post you've liked, commented on, or shared, in addition to any posts you're sharing to your feed." [themuse.com] The Buzz 2: "Creating a personal brand on social media…it's about what you stand for and what people should expect when they see you've posted a new piece of content." [digitalmarketinginstitute.com] We'll ask Loic Simon, Lindsey Boggs, Jonathan Pogact and Sylvia Lachkar to predict How Your Personal Social Brand Could Help or Hurt Your Future Career, Business, Influence, Reputation and Life.

The buzz: In a 2017 ISACA survey, only 53% of surveyed business technology professionals believe their organization's leadership is digitally literate. The other 47% don't think their leaders have a solid understanding of tech and its impacts or are unsure. (helpnetsecurity.com) Despite better AI, easier app developing, and robots joining the workforce, there's still a huge disconnect between non-technical CXOs and their tech teams, even in Silicon Valley. If you are a non-techy entrepreneur or CXO, how do you ask for technical solutions or hire engineers if stack, back-end or RAM are gibberish to you? Executives need to develop technical intuition and systems-thinking to be proficient at technical communication and ability, says Aman Agarwal, Sanpram Transnational founder and CEO. We'll ask Aman, Dr. Sharon Jones, John Lester and Justin Bouldin to predict whether speaking tech will be a basic business requirement on The Future of Digital Literacy: Will CXOs Have to Talk Tech?

Buzz 1: "Time spent in conversation is never wasted." [Insidious: Chapter 3] Buzz 2: "I had a really long talk with a squirrel one time, longer in fact than I can with most people." [Charlie's Angels] Buzz 3: "Do you always begin conversations this way?" [The Princess Bride] If you're hoping to gaze into a crystal ball to see what 2021 holds for your company, your industry and the world, we've got the next best thing. You'll hear predictions on the technologies, strategies, and trends that can help you grow and compete better in 2021 and beyond, from ten panelists on our 2020 series, Think Tank: Conversations in a Digital World. Added to the prognosticators who participated on Parts 1 through 6, today's episode brings our total to more than 70. Pour a cup of Joe, Earl, or Dom, and join us for Technology Revolution: The Future of Now 2021 Crystal Ball Predictions – Part 7 live. Working together, let's make 2021 a great year!

Buzz. 1: Robin to Batman: "In the circus, the Flying Graysons were a team. We had to trust each person to do their jobs.…Sometimes, counting on someone else is the only way you win." Buzz 2: Fred Astaire: "For ballroom dancing, remember that your partners have their own distinctive styles also…adapt your style…you are not surrendering your individuality, but blending it with that of your partner." If you're hoping to gaze into a crystal ball to see what 2021 holds for your company, your industry and the world, we've got the next best thing. Over our 7-week Special, which concludes on January 27, you'll hear more than 60 experts cover the technologies, strategies, and trends that can help you grow and compete better in 2021 and beyond. Today we'll ask 10 thought leaders to predict the future of business partnerships. Pour a cup of Joe, Earl, or Dom, and join us for Technology Revolution: The Future of Now 2021 Crystal Ball Predictions – Part 6 .

Buzz. 1: "Oh, my goodness! Shut me down! Machines making machines. How perverse!" (C-P3O in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, 2002 space-opera film). Buzz 2: "Never send a human to do a machine's job." (Agent Smith in The Matrix, 1999 sci-fi film). If you're hoping to gaze into a crystal ball to see what 2021 holds for your company, your industry and the world, we've got the next best thing. On our 7-episode 2021 Predictions Special [more on Jan. 20 and 27], you'll hear insights from more than 65 experts covering a range of technologies, strategies, and trends that can help you grow and compete better in 2021 and beyond. Today, 11 thought leaders predict the future of industry 4.0, including automation, Internet of Things connected devices, machine learning, digital workers and more. Pour a cup of Joe, Earl, or Dom, and join us for Technology Revolution: The Future of Now 2021 Crystal Ball Predictions – Part 5 live. Working together, let's make 2021 a great year!

Buzz 1: Doc Brown: "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads" (Back to the Future). Buzz 2: Mr. Spaceley: "Where's Jetson, and why is the plant shut down?" Rudy2: "It's the middle of the night, sir." Mr. Spaceley: "Machines don't sleep. Start it up! Every second lost means money lost. And money lost means I scream a lot!" (Jetsons). If you're hoping to gaze into a crystal ball to see what 2021 holds for your company, your industry and the world, we've got the next best thing: thought leaders predicting the future of mobility, automotive, manufacturing and related technologies. On our 7-episode 2021 Predictions Special [continuing Jan. 13, 20, 27], you'll hear insights from 50+ experts covering the technologies, strategies, and trends that can help you grow and compete better in 2021 and beyond. Pour a cup of Joe, Earl, or Dom, and join us for Technology Revolution: The Future of Now 2021 Crystal Ball Predictions – Part 4 live. Working together, let's make 2021 a great year!