The Rapid Evolution of AI Assistants: From Chatbots to Agents

The swift transformation of AI assistants into agents marks a significant shift in how we perceive and interact with digital technology. Gone are the days when these virtual helpers were simply chatbots to interact with. Now, they’re evolving into proactive, autonomous agents capable of independent decision-making and personalized assistance.

Today, AI agents are focused on accomplishing relatively simple tasks, from proactively scheduling your appointments to booking your flights, but in the future, they may help run companies. This transition from assistants to agents is reshaping our relationship with technology and opening new possibilities. 96% of executives agree leveraging AI agent ecosystems will be a significant opportunity for their organizations in the next three years.

Understanding the shift

The distinction between AI assistants and agents is their level of autonomy and intelligence. While traditional assistants primarily respond to user-initiated commands, agents operate more autonomously, leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms to anticipate user needs and take proactive actions.

For example, an AI assistant may remind you to complete a task based on certain criteria. In contrast, an agent could automatically reschedule appointments based on your calendar and preferences without explicit instructions. When ChatGPT launched, some people assumed it was actively looking up information on the web. However, it was actually generating answers based on the vast amounts of data it had been previously trained on, drawing on the relationships between that data to provide users answers. Now, plugins enable ChatGPT to access the internet and AI agents to navigate the current digital world.

And ChatGPT is not alone. Recently, a startup called Cognition AI released a demo showing an AI agent called Devin performing work usually done by well-paid software engineers. While ChatGPT can generate code, Devin goes further — planning how to solve a problem, writing the code, and then testing, debugging, and implementing it.

Proactive personalization

One of the emerging characteristics of AI agents is their ability to provide proactive, personalized assistance. These agents can anticipate user needs by analyzing user behavior, preferences, and historical data to offer tailored recommendations or actions.

Imagine having an AI agent that reminds you of upcoming meetings or birthdays, suggests relevant articles based on your interests, orders groceries when your supplies are running low, and adjusts your smart home devices to optimize energy usage — all without asking it to do so.

Netflix uses learning-based AI agents to offer personalized recommendations based on your viewing history. Aomni’s personalized AI agents can handle sales tasks such as account planning and relationship building.

Empowering decision-making

As AI agents become increasingly sophisticated, they can be entrusted with more decision-making authority. These agents can make informed decisions on behalf of users, ranging from scheduling appointments to making purchase recommendations by learning from past interactions and analyzing real-time data.

In business, AI agents empower employees with insights and recommendations to enhance productivity and decision-making, enabling them to focus on other tasks. For example, in customer service, agents equipped with AI capabilities can analyze customer inquiries, identify patterns, and recommend solutions in real time, leading to more efficient and personalized interactions. This leaves them more time to focus on tasks that require a human touch. Several innovative startups are in this space. Ema, a Universal AI employee, is described as an operating system that makes Generative AI work at an enterprise level. The company believes that if there were fewer repetitive tasks, there would be more time for creative thinking. Gen AI offers an unprecedented opportunity to enable this. Watching apps like these transform the future of work will be fascinating.

Sierra AI is another great example of a startup making waves. Focused on elevating customer experiences with AI, Sierra AI enables customers to self-serve–getting answers, solving problems, and taking action through a natural, conversational experience. The AI agent is personalized to your business and its customers.

There is even work being done to explore the collaboration of Multi-Agent AIs working across an enterprise and various operations tapping into data across an organization to make faster and more informed decision-making.

Ethical considerations and challenges

While the evolution of AI assistants into agents offers immense potential, it raises important ethical considerations and challenges. Issues like data privacy, algorithmic bias, and accountability become more pronounced as AI agents gain autonomy and decision-making capabilities. We must all discuss and address these concerns proactively and ensure that AI agents are designed and deployed responsibly to uphold ethical principles and protect user interests. For example, the United States and Europe have enacted extensive legislation regarding employees and data protection. In Europe, Article 22 of the GDPR specifies that no employment decisions should be made entirely in an automated fashion.

AI’s future

The advancement of AI technology is expected to accelerate the transformation of assistants into agents, ushering in a new era of intelligent, autonomous digital entities.

AI agents promise to revolutionize how we interact with technology and navigate our daily lives, from enhancing productivity by adding time back in our day and personalization to driving innovation across industries.

While the journey to this future has begun, we are just at the beginning. We must all play a role in ensuring we manage it in a way that benefits humanity. A paradigm shift in human-computer interaction is blurring the lines between tools and autonomous entities. It includes everything from apps to agents, from point-and-click to natural language interfaces, and from static UI to UI, which is dynamically generated based on what the user wants. AI agents are becoming AI employees. As a society, we must learn how to collaborate with them as teammates and employees. It’s up to us — will we embrace this transformation with careful consideration of ethical implications and a commitment to leveraging AI technology for the betterment of society? If so, we can unlock our full potential to empower individuals, businesses, and communities in the digital age.

Potential to change the way we interact with computers. From apps to agents, from point-and-click to natural language interfaces, and from static UI to UI that is dynamically generated based on what the user wants to do.

AI agents become AI employees. As a society, we will need to learn how to collaborate with them as teammates and employees.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation

Who is Generation Alpha? Understanding our future trendsetters

As the world evolves, so does each generation. Right now, the spotlight is on Generation Alpha, the demographic cohort succeeding Generation Z. But who exactly are they, and what sets them apart?

Meet Gen Alpha

Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) consists of children born from 2010 to 2025. They are the offspring of Millennials and the first generation born entirely in the 21st century. Gen Alpha is expected to be the largest in history, with more than 2 billion people worldwide, and may outnumber Baby Boomers by next year.

They are also the most globally and racially diverse generation. Around the world, more than 2.8 million Gen Alpha are born every week, with the highest numbers in India, China, and Indonesia. In the U.S., there are over 51 million Gen Alphas. While just over half of Gen Z in the U.S. identify as non-Hispanic white, Gen Alpha will mark the first generation in which less than half of the population is white.

Our most tech-savvy generation yet

The Hyper-Digital Generation

For Generation Alpha, technology isn’t just prevalent; it’s omnipresent. The lines between offline and online life are blurred for these digital natives who have never known a world without smartphones, social media, or instant access to information.   

Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are not cutting-edge innovations for Alphas; they are part of their daily lives.

Gen Alpha has never known a world without iPads. Nearly half of Gen Alphas own tablets. They have been exposed to tablets, mobile phones, and other electronic devices since a very young age.   

According to Razorfish, many young Gen Alphas between the ages of three and five already have tablets: 43% have one before age six. As they reach six and seven, they become exposed to more complex technologies, including video game consoles, earbuds, and smart TVs. By eight and nine, laptop and desktop computers are introduced, with their millennial parents giving them their first smartphone around nine.

Welcome to the “screen-age”

According to research firm Gitnux, children aged 8 to 12 spend nearly five hours per day on screens of various devices. Because they have access to many devices, Gen Alphas are used to focusing on multiple screens at once. This means they consume content in a very different way than previous generations.

Noah Mallin, chief strategy officer of media and social agency IMGN Media, provided a great example: “For Gen Alpha, it’s more like studying on Quizlet on your smartphone, while YouTube is on in the background on the family Roku — and you’re using the computer to hang out with friends in Minecraft.” This makes them highly effective multi-taskers and can result in shorter attention spans.

Content consumers and creators

YouTube is Gen Alpha’s favorite platform. In a Breno Bain survey of 7 to 14-year-olds, YouTube was seen as the coolest brand. It is also the favorite platform for consuming content, with 86% of Gen Alphas surveyed consuming content on YouTube. This is thanks to brands targeting this generation on the platform, and Gen Alpha influencers and content creators continually popping up on YouTube and TikTok.

Take Ryan Kaji, a Kidfluencer with nearly 37M followers on YouTube, Everleigh Soutas with nearly 4M followers on YouTube, EthanGamer and his 3.2M followers who watch him play Roblox and Minecraft, and Nastya with her whopping 114M followers.

Creative gamers

Like Gen Z, Gen Alphas are also big gamers. But where Gen Z likes gaming to escape or relax, Gen Alpha sees it as a creative outlet, a place to build their worlds, and a place to socialize. Games like Roblox and Minecraft are their gaming worlds of choice. That’s why brands like Walmart, Nike, Barbie, and the NBA have all found their way onto Gen Alpha-heavy platforms.

AI natives

While Gen Z is referred to as “digital natives,” Gen Alpha has earned the honor of being coined “AI natives.” Gen Alpha has grown up alongside AI innovations, from Alexa to Google Assistant, AI-based characters in video games, deepfake YouTube videos, and ChatGPT. They’re the most comfortable generation yet when collaborating and conversing with AI.

What’s important to Gen Alpha?

Education, creativity, and independence

For Gen Alpha, education is becoming more personalized and technology-driven than any previous generation. They value creativity and are likely to pursue learning paths that allow them to explore their imaginative sides. Gen Alpha knows how to quickly navigate the digital landscape to find solutions, explore new ways of individual expression, and acquire knowledge independently.

Environmental concerns

Growing up with climate change as an ever-present concern, Gen Alpha places great importance on sustainability. They are already aware of our planet’s environmental challenges and are poised to be more eco-conscious in their choices, even more so than Gen Z. One-third of Gen Alphas surveyed said they want to make a difference, help others, or help the planet when asked what they want to be when they grow up.

Diversity, inclusion, and authenticity

Living in a hyperconnected world, Gen Alpha is the most globally aware generation yet. Their interconnectedness offers them access to news, resources, and cultures that have the potential to shape their views as global citizens and how they advocate for causes that are most important to them.

Gen Alpha expects to see these values reflected in society because they were introduced to diversity and inclusion from an early age. They are growing up in a world where gender fluidity and racial equality are increasingly recognized, shaping a more accepting worldview. 92% of Gen Alpha respondents understand the power of authenticity. They value standing up for people, understanding people who are different, learning new things, and self-expression.

Brand loyalty

While Gen Z has expressed its anti-consumerism sentiments, distancing itself from overconsumption, Gen Alpha is more like its Millennial counterparts, exhibiting brand loyalty and obsession. Examples of that can be seen in their recent obsession with Stanley Quenchers and Sephora products.

Gen Alpha also has a big influence on their parents’ purchases, with Morning Consult reporting that by age 5, they are influencing household purchase decisions, with 85% of parents saying that their five- to nine-year-olds have explicitly requested products they’ve seen in stores, on TV, or online.

Gen Alpha is already showing its discerning taste and is looking for authenticity in brand marketing and relatable spokespeople. Brands like Claire’s are creating The Collab, a community platform targeted at Gen Alpha and Gen Z to connect with musicians, dancers, skateboarders, fashion influencers, and more. Crayola is following its massive YouTube success with Gen Alpha-specific content that resulted in a 40X increase in organic views by bringing it to other platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest.

Future job market

Gen Alpha will make up 11% of the adult workforce by 2030, and 65% of Gen Alphas will work in jobs that don’t exist today. Unlike Gen Z, Gen Alphas will enter a job market dominated by AI and automation. Adaptive skills and continuous learning will be essential for success in their careers.

This generation is ready to embrace these new skills and technologies, with 59% of Gen Alpha believing that AI, virtual reality, and smart assistants will be integral to their future jobs. They see technology as a way of engaging with the world and will bring a more global view to their jobs.

They have also watched their parents transition during Covid to a more flexible work set-up, making remote and hybrid work not a nice to have for Gen Alpha but an expectation.

This generation has the potential to be innovative and entrepreneurial trailblazers, adept at research, problem-solving, online collaboration, and a strong desire to make a difference.

Generation Alpha is set to leave a bold imprint on our cultural, technological, and environmental landscape. Their ingrained understanding of technology, alongside a strong sense of social responsibility, may well propel us toward a future that prior generations could scarcely have imagined.

Futurism & Technology Trends

Shaping tomorrow: Exploring digital behavior shifts [5 TRENDS + Key Takeaway]

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, we are witnessing a paradigm shift reshaping our online experiences and interactions. This transformative journey is not just about the advent of new services and technologies but also reflects our growing consciousness about the health implications of our digital lives. This shift is remarkably evident among younger generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

These digital natives, who have seamlessly integrated technology into their daily lives, are steering away from traditional online platforms like standard search engines and news or product websites.

Instead, they are gravitating towards social apps and seeking information, inspiration, and a sense of community in more dynamic and interactive spaces. This change coincides with a growing interest in multi-functional “Super Apps” among all internet users and a rise in immersive, more experiential digital tools.

Recent statistics vividly show this evolving digital behavior, particularly among younger generations.

Here’s a summary highlighting these key trends:

  1. Increased smartphone usage
    Gen Z spends over 6 hours daily on smartphones, indicating a heavy reliance on mobile devices for various aspects of their daily lives.

  2. Changing information sources
    Almost 40% of young people now turn to platforms like TikTok and Instagram for answers, bypassing traditional tools like Google Maps or Search.This reflects a shift towards more visually engaging and social forms of information gathering. Younger generations are beginning their digital explorations from a place of curiosity, favoring immersive and interactive experiences over traditional search and browsing methods.

  3. Rise of super apps
    Apps are increasingly becoming all-in-one solutions, bundling various services to ensure users have everything they need within a single platform. This trend is leading to a more integrated and streamlined digital experience.

    Superapps consolidate and replace multiple apps for customer or employee use and support a composable business ecosystem, according to Gartner. Examples of successful super apps include Rappi, a Colombian on-demand delivery app; WeChat, a Chinese social media platform; and Grab, Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing, taxi, food-delivery, and grocery app. Early super-apps are expected to emerge in Western countries by 2025.

    ShaQ Express in Ghana also exemplifies the transformation from a traditional delivery company to a super app, offering a number of Internet-based services under one roof, yet another example of this trend towards more versatile and comprehensive digital platforms.

    By 2027, it’s projected that more than 50% of the global population will be daily active users of super apps. This trend underscores the growing preference for integrated platforms that offer a range of services in one place.

  4. Brand trust as a key purchase driver
    Brand equity is now the top purchase driver for consumers. This highlights the increasing importance of brand reputation and reliability in consumer decision-making.

  5. High trust in online reviews
    A staggering 88% of customers surveyed trust online reviews from strangers as much as personal contacts. This statistic demonstrates the significant role of digital word-of-mouth in shaping consumer trust and purchase decisions.

The landscape of digital interactions in our daily lives is rapidly evolving, painting a future where technology, trust, and convenience merge seamlessly.

As we navigate through an ever-evolving digital terrain, it becomes increasingly clear that our world is transforming significantly.

The shifts in digital behavior, highlighted by the rise of all-in-one platforms and the nuanced journey of technologies like Generative AI, underscore the dynamic nature of our digital ecosystem.

We must all pay close attention to these changes. Understanding and adapting to these shifts is not just about keeping up with technological advancements; it’s about actively participating in a world that is becoming more interconnected and experiential.

Embracing these opportunities will be the key to thriving in this new digital age?

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation Leadership

How technology can enhance real-world experiences

From digital transformation to experience transformation

The concept of hybrid reality – blending our virtual and physical worlds – has gained significant traction, fueled by a desire for more meaningful experiences along with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive technologies. 

The COVID pandemic accelerated the shift to digital experiences such as remote work, home food delivery, online shopping, telemedicine, and more. While these experiences were initially met with widespread enthusiasm, as they offered unprecedented convenience and efficiencies in various aspects of daily life, many individuals began to recognize what this technology didn’t provide.

The lack of tangible human interaction and richness of real-world experiences left consumers realizing they did not want to live a digital-only life. For example, they loved to shop online but still wanted to go shopping, and while working from home provided new, exciting flexibility, they still wanted to interact with their teams in the office.

We’re all increasingly living in a time where much of our day is spent moving between different environments, experiences, and ways of doing things. From hybrid work to other hybrid physical/digital experiences, consumers will experience the merging of our physical and digital worlds – leading to better, more satisfying, and useful products and experiences for their everyday lives.  There is an opportunity for technology to augment our hybrid world, making it more seamless and adaptable to our needs.

Let’s dive into some of the ways this blending of physical and digital will affect our lives now and in the future.

Hybrid applications

Hybrid reality applications span diverse sectors, including entertainment, education, and healthcare, demonstrating their versatility and broad appeal. Augmented reality (AR) is one technology that will have a massive impact on hybrid reality. The AR market revenue is expected to top $21 billion this year.

Work

Whether someone is attending a meeting remotely or in the office, everyone wants to feel like they are an integral part of the team. This works great when everyone is either in person or virtual but is especially difficult when meetings are hybrid. HP is very focused on using AI-powered audio and video to make hybrid meeting experiences more engaging, no matter where you are. For example, this involves moving from a static video feed of everyone in the room to being able to frame the audio and video of the person speaking automatically.

And HP is not alone. Sixty-three percent of high-growth companies have adopted a “productivity anywhere” workforce model.

Touch

Touch is a big part of our physical world experience, but it is not possible when remote or virtual…yet. A startup, Emerge.io, has developed a virtual touch technology that allows you to feel a remote hug, handshake, or high-five literally. The small device creates a precise, ultrasonic force field, so now you can physically feel what you see on the screen or through your AR glasses. This could also be used for games, media content and video calls to set the stage for new hybrid experiences that include touch.

Writing

Even with all the technology today, some people still prefer using a pen to write in a physical notebook. What if you can have the best of both worlds? One approach is by adding a very accurate sensor to the pen, enabling the stylus to create a digital copy of anything you write or draw on paper. Another is to use the power of Generative AI to enable this, allowing you to have the physical benefit of writing with all the power and benefits of digital. This is another example of hybrid reality, blending our digital and physical worlds to create an even better experience than is possible in just a purely physical or purely digital experience.

Looking forward

The impending arrival of hybrid reality, an innovative blend of physical and digital worlds, is poised to revolutionize our interactions and work landscape. As hybrid reality becomes a tangible part of our daily lives, it will redefine the boundaries between virtual and physical realms and offer new, dynamic ways to interact with each other and our environment, profoundly impacting both our personal and professional lives.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation Leadership

How to leverage change to impact the future

Change is a powerful force, and we all possess the capacity to harness it to shape the future.

I recently had the pleasure to speak at HP’s Greater Asia Partner Conference in Japan, where I emphasized the crucial role of being proactive change agents and futurists in our rapidly evolving world.

With today’s relentless pace of change, where everything around us is in constant flux, our ability to thrive hinges on our willingness to embrace change wholeheartedly. However, merely reacting to change is not enough; we must learn how to anticipate it, tap into it, and actively harness it to shape the future we desire.

This is the essence of being a futurist.

Reacting to change is not enough; we must learn how to anticipate it, tap into it, and actively harness it to shape the future we desire.

In a world characterized by lightning-fast technological advancements and seismic global shifts that are reshaping industries and societies, cultivating a futurist mindset is no longer a choice but a necessity. It begins with asking the right questions:

What emerging trends lie on the horizon?

How do we proactively prepare for the transformative impact of these trends?

How can we leverage these trends to create the future we want?

Addressing these questions empowers us to become proactive architects of the future, rather than passive bystanders. The truth is that we all have the potential to be futurists, and the future is an unpainted canvas waiting for our unique contributions.

Change is a powerful force, and we all possess the capacity to harness it to shape the future.

However, we must recognize that the journey toward predicting and shaping the future is most successful when undertaken collaboratively. It’s crucial to welcome diverse thoughts and perspectives from various domains. When individuals from different backgrounds and disciplines come together, they unlock the potential to tackle complex problems and innovate in ways that homogeneous groups cannot.

Diverse perspectives are the lifeblood of futuristic thinking, leading to more comprehensive, inclusive, and effective predictions that consider a broad range of factors. This benefits individuals, organizations, and society.

These principles provide a roadmap for success and resilience in our ever-changing world. By thinking like futurists, we take charge of our destinies, actively shaping the future we desire. In our pursuit of a brighter future, let us remember that adaptability, collaboration, and open-mindedness are the keys to unlocking the true potential of tomorrow.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation Leadership Videos

GenAI, much ado about nothing or a technology game changer?

In 1950 Alan Turing asked a simple question in his paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence, “Can machines think?” The last seven decades of computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning advancements have responded to that question with a resounding “Yes.”

From IBM’s Deep Blue program to Teslas, Roombas, Siris, Alexas, and now ChatGPT and Bard, the advancements in AI have lived up to and surpassed many of Turing’s early musings. Yet we find ourselves at a pivotal point, wondering if this advancement will fundamentally change how we work, learn, design, write, live, and communicate for better or worse.

Generative AI (GenAI), an AI system capable of generating images, text, audio, video, code, and other media in response to prompts, has turned up the volume on this line of questioning as it challenges what and who we believe can create new things, and how valid and unbiased are the things created.

To understand the challenges and opportunities GenAI offers, it is important to know how we’ve gotten here.

Technology advancements have led us here

GenAI has been enabled by significant advancements in AI technology over recent decades. The first was the development of deep learning, a technique for “learning” inspired by how the brain works via neural networks. At the same time, there were advancements in graphics processing units (GPUs) which allowed for complex tasks to be rapidly broken down into smaller subtasks and continuously performed in tandem. While initially applied to gaming, the calculations used by AI models are very parallel in nature, making them ideal for GPUs.

This combination of deep learning and GPUs ushered in a new AI development and adoption era. Deep learning allowed us to develop new AI models that, in many cases, could surpass human capabilities–image and speech recognition, self-driving cars, fraud detection, virtual assistants, and more. GPUs gave us the computational capacity and scale to create these AI models.

The deep learning architecture continued to advance, which in 2017 led to the invention of transformer-based models that give AI the ability to “remember” by tracking relationships in sequential data like the words in a sentence. Because transformers can “remember” what they’ve “seen,” they can build on this to create new content, not just recognize a face or detect spam. As such, transformers and GPUs have ushered in a new era of AI, the era of Creative AI or GenAI, which is poised to become the next platform shift after personal computing, mobile, and the cloud.

Boundless opportunities

It can be argued that in the same way, the internet brought down the marginal cost of content distribution to $0, GenAI could do the same for content creation. That’s why some estimates show the global GenAI market reaching more than $110 Billion by 2030. Couple that with user demand (ChatGPT reached 1 million users in just five days) and the fact that it’s one of the fastest-growing open-source projects, there is a strong case that GenAI could usher in a sea of disruptive change on par with the internet.

From email copy creation to bug testing, customer support, movie making, legal assistance, and invoice automation, the possibilities of GenAI are unprecedented.

Here are a few recent examples of the transformative nature of this technology:

  • Travel: Expedia developed a GenAI travel advisor enabling travelers to ask for recommendations on where to go, where to stay, what to do, and more. So, if you are planning your next family vacation to Maui or looking for tee times at St. Andrews, let GenAI do some of the work for you.
  • Shopping: Walmart expects GenAI will “be as big a shift as mobile, in terms of how our customers are going to expect to interact with us.” They have already started to use GenAI in their Text to Shop, allowing customers to add Walmart products to their cart by texting or speaking the names of the items they need as if talking to a human retail assistant.
  • Education: At the Khan Lab School in Silicon Valley, a GenAI tutor named Khanmigo helps students move towards finding the right answers themselves.
  • Sports Commentator: IBM partnered with The Masters to have a GenAI commentator provide detailed golf narration for more than 20,000 video clips over the course of this year’s tournament.

Who will lead the pack?

We are still in the early days of GenAI, so it’s still being determined who will be the driving force in bringing this technology mainstream and how. While some big tech players like Microsoft, Google, Adobe, and Amazon are already starting to stake their claim, other incumbents and startups are lurking in the wings.

There are a variety of questions about how the competitive landscape will play out, including whether it will be dominated by proprietary models or open source, whether it will foster a whole new set of “GenAI First” applications (think Uber for mobile) or just make today’s applications smarter, and the level of verticalization we might see (or not) across the entire value chain. These all factor into what the competitive landscape might look like.

And given the disruptive potential of the technology, it is also attracting a huge number of new startups that hope to beat out incumbents in tried-and-true ways:

  • New market disruption — Go after customer needs not served by incumbents.
  • Low-end disruption — Go after customer needs not attractive to incumbents.
  • 10x better products — Create products so good incumbents can’t compete.

So how does this apply to GenAI?

  • GenAI is different from AI until now. It is 10x better technology, meaning it will enable 10x better startups. We’ve already seen 10x better products from “GenAI First” startups like OpenAI and Jasper.
  • Incumbents and startups will battle it out at both the platform and application levels. Attracting the talent needed will be key.

Application startups will be susceptible to co-option by incumbents (e.g., via adding and bundling). They will need to quickly create defensive moats via time-to-market and network effects, focusing on customer needs not served by incumbents and through innovative business models not attractive to incumbents.

Growing pains

While GenAI offers obvious opportunities, it comes with its pitfalls and detractors. There is still much to be known about how AI is trained. OpenAI only says that GPT-4 was pre-trained using both publicly available data (think internet data) and data licensed from third-party providers. The amount of data and where it comes from matters, as there are already copyright challenges, and it will be hard to fully rely on GenAI or, worse yet, deal with misinformation.

Deepfakes abound, from Tom Cruise to the Pope to former U.S. President Barack Obama. A deepfake video can show a politician or celebrity saying anything and be very convincing, as seen in the deepfake video below.

Deepfake video example

There are also legal hurdles and regulations that will certainly have to be overcome. Just recently, Italy’s data protection authority ordered OpenAI to stop processing local data for its ChatGPT generative AI chatbot. It argued that the company breached the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding data access and protection of minors. Not to mention intellectual property and ethics concerns.

What does the future hold?

Just as we worked through the land minds of the early days of the internet, I expect we will do the same with GenAI. With the exponential increase in data coupled with compute performance, GenAI is likely on an exponential growth trajectory and will drive an accelerating pace of change in the world around us. As with any exponential change, humans could be better at predicting its future impact. Our brains aren’t used to thinking exponentially, and we tend to extrapolate linearly. As such, we consistently underestimate the impact of exponential technologies. The future will be on us before we know it, and we all need to prepare for it.

Companies need to proactively invest in understanding the technology and how it might impact their markets, customers, products, and operations. Maybe more importantly, how it could disrupt them and where it can be used to disrupt others.

As consumers, we should all invest time learning how to use it and understanding its limitations. It will soon become integral to nearly everything we do.

We shouldn’t be surprised or shocked by what comes next. GenAI will move quickly from the new kid on the block to an entirely new era of human-computer evolution. We will have AI doctors, AI lawyers, AI therapists, AI developers, AI artists and composers, AI actors, AI co-workers, and even AI friends. Some are even predicting this is a precursor to general artificial intelligence and digital lifeforms that will exist and evolve independently of humans, maybe even competing with us for the title of “dominant species” at some point in the future.

And, of course, legal and ethical pundits, governments, and the industry, in general, will need to collaborate closely to ensure the needed safeguards are in place.

Whatever happens, we should also remember that the future hasn’t happened yet, and we all get to create it.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation

How technology is powering the future of the workforce

The pandemic has caused a shift in the way we work, with more people working from home than ever before. As we look to the future, it’s clear that technology will continue to transform how we work, both in and out of the office. Join us as we explore how technology has impacted the hybrid and remote workforce.

Increased productivity

Technology has played a crucial role in enhancing productivity while working from home. A Stanford University case study found that employees who worked from home for nine months were 13.5% more productive than their office counterparts. Another study by ConnectSolution found that 77% of remote workers say they’re more productive when working from home, with 30% doing more work in less time and 24% doing more work in the same period.

Technology has been instrumental in increasing productivity while working from home. With advancements in technology to revolutionize working from home, such as virtual and augmented reality, digital whiteboards, and advanced video conferencing tools, we can expect even more solutions to help remote teams work efficiently and effectively in the future.

HP is committed to helping the remote workforce by providing advanced technology solutions that enable seamless remote work. One example is our focus on providing home office tech for hybrid work success. With the rise of remote work due to the pandemic, HP has recognized the need for high-quality technology solutions to help workers transition between home and office environments. HP offers a range of products and services to support remote workers, including a powerful laptop like the HP Dragonfly Pro, the user-friendly HP 710 rechargeable wireless mouse, or an all-in-one printer like the HP ENVY 6000.

Video conferencing boom

Over the past three years, video conferencing has restructured how we work from home, enabling us to stay connected with our colleagues despite being physically distant. With the increased use of technologies like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, people can now conduct face-to-face meetings, collaborate on projects, and attend training sessions without being in the same room. Video conferencing has made remote work more manageable and reduced the isolation many remote workers face.

A study by HP Tech Ventures portfolio partner Owl Labs found that 71% of remote workers find it easier to present on a video call than in person and feel more connected to their team when they use video conferencing. By seeing each other’s faces and body language, employees can build stronger relationships and better understand each other’s perspectives, improving teamwork and productivity. Moreover, video conferencing has eliminated the need for long commutes and allows people to save time and focus on their work. Another study by Axios found that working from home saved workers around the world an average of 72 minutes in commute time every day in 2021 and 2022, leading to improved work-life balance and higher job satisfaction.

Streamlined communication and collaboration have been vital to keeping remote teams functioning smoothly. Technology has provided employees with a level of interaction never seen before. The influx of technology allows for effective employee engagement and entirely transforms communication norms. Video conferencing has become crucial in making remote work more manageable and connected. As more companies adopt remote work policies, video conferencing will continue to be vital for maintaining productivity, staying connected, and fostering teamwork.

HP acquired Poly last year, reinforcing our commitment to helping the remote workforce by providing advanced technology solutions that enable seamless remote work. We’re leveraging our combined strengths with Poly to create a unique, pro-grade experience for hybrid workers. According to a study by Lifesize, video conferencing leads to productivity for 94% of companies. As video conferencing is paramount for hybrid work, we are excited to see how HP will incorporate Poly into its software and PC offerings. The Poly Studio Room Kits for Microsoft Teams Rooms can now be paired with the Microsoft Teams-certified HP Mini Conferencing PC with Microsoft Teams Rooms to deliver a complete solution experience for meeting rooms of any size.

Ctrl + Alt + Secure

As more people work remotely, cybersecurity has become a significant concern. Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and gain access to sensitive information. Companies and employees must work together to fend off cyber threats. Between 2008 and 2021, the FBI recorded a 207% increase in cybercrime reports, with losses hitting almost $7 billion last year. HP Wolf Security’s Evolution of Cybersecurity report also details the rise of cybercrime and the importance of implementing advanced security measures.

As employees are often the last line of defense in an attempted cyber-attack, it is critical to equip them with the knowledge to recognize when such an attack occurs and what steps they should take to mitigate the threat. One of the most significant cybersecurity risks associated with remote work is using unsecured networks. According to the Norton Cyber Security Insights Report, 49% of people in the U.S. never use a virtual private network (VPN) when they connect to public Wi-Fi. To protect against this risk, remote workers should use a VPN to encrypt their data and prevent it from being intercepted. To minimize the risk of a data breach, remote workers should ensure that their devices are equipped with up-to-date antivirus software and that all software and operating systems are regularly patched and updated.

Overall, cybersecurity is critical when working from home. Remote workers should be aware of the risks associated with remote work and take appropriate measures to protect their devices and data. By using secure networks, regularly updating software, and utilizing strong passwords, remote workers can help minimize the risk of a cyberattack and ensure that sensitive data remains safe and secure.

Technology is transforming how we work from home, with increased productivity, improved collaboration, and advanced cybersecurity measures. As we continue to adapt to a new way of working, it’s clear that technology will play a vital role in ensuring that remote workers can work effectively and securely.

Source: HP
Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation

6 gaming companies to watch this year

Gaming continues to be a hot topic this year as startups innovate for the world’s 3 billion gamers. From haptic clothing that lets you feel your games to technology that adds smell to your virtual reality experiences, here are the top gaming startups to watch this year:

Mobalytics

How they’re changing the game

Mobalytics, (we’re biased; it is an HP Tech Ventures portfolio company) is an AI-powered personal gaming assistant that helps gamers conquer their favorite games. As the first personal performance analytics for competitive gamers, the platform analyzes players’ performance over many sessions and, helps them define their weaknesses and strengths, and provides personalized advice on improving their aim, strategy, teamwork, etc.

Why we’re watching

We admire Mobalytics’ bold vision to help all gamers reach their full potential, and their founder and CEO, Bogdan Suchyk, embodies that spirit by leading as though nothing is impossible.

Avalon

How they’re changing the game

Avalon is revolutionizing how games and virtual experiences are built. Founded by pioneers and leaders from games including EverQuest, Call of Duty, Diablo, God of War, Assassin’s Creed, and Elden Ring, Avalon is building a new interoperable universe.

Why we’re watching

With a comprehensive and extensive background in games, Avalon solves problems that will face creators and designers in the near future and is building the tools and framework that will allow them to do so.

Parsec

How they’re changing the game

Parsec, an HP Tech Ventures that exited to Unity, has a proprietary desktop capturing application perfect for any graphically intense applications in game development, broadcast, media and entertainment, architecture, engineering, and construction.

Why we’re watching

Optimized for low latency, high framerate, and security, Parsec enables gamers to stream video game footage through an Internet connection. It allows users to run a game on one computer but play it remotely through another device, which has proven a winning formula for professionals and gamers with high-end compute needs.

Tangle

How they’re changing the game

Tangle is a virtual space for teams to connect and collaborate. A central hub for remote communications, Tangle enables customers to grow a thriving remote work culture that teams love.

Why we’re watching

Where gaming and hybrid work meet, Tangle offers avatars and other fun features to make remote work a unique and enjoyable experience. Users can project their personality yet still protect their privacy while also communicating to colleagues their openness to collaborate vs. the need to focus. Sort of like closing or opening that office when people had private offices with a lot more useful features and gradations.

Runway

How they’re changing the game

Runway’s mission is to make content creation accessible to all. They’re taking recent advancements in computer graphics and machine learning to push the boundaries of creativity and lower the barriers to content creation.

Why we’re watching

Runway offers a broad toolset for art generation and supplements another long-time favorite or ours, user-generated content. The platform is forming the next generation of generative AI tools as it embodies a spectrum of tools, e.g., text input of course, but easy-to-use editing, personalized data set training…

Scenario

How they’re changing the game

Scenario enables artists and game developers to create their own image generators trained on the specific style of their games. Starting with specific training data should enable creators to rapidly iterate and go much faster than trying to develop everything from scratch themselves.

Why we’re watching

Regardless of the level of technical expertise, game developers can create custom generators capable of producing entirely new game assets consistent with a given style.

We’re looking forward to seeing the innovations these gaming and eSports startups deliver this year.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation

Top 10 tech trends to watch in 2023

At HP, we constantly monitor technology trends that we believe will significantly impact our society, the environment, industries, and customers.

As I sat down to write this blog post and synthesize some of our latest thinking, I thought I would turn to the first trend on my list for some help and to compare notes. So, I asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT for their take on the top trends, and here’s our dialogue (note: I did not edit the responses below for content or grammar):


Me: What do you think are the top 10 technology trends to watch in 2023?

ChatGPT: It’s difficult to predict exactly what the top technology trends will be in 2023, as technology is constantly evolving and new developments are being made all the time. However, some trends that are likely to continue to be important in the coming years include:

  1. Artificial intelligence and machine learning
  2. Edge computing
  3. 5G and other advanced wireless technologies
  4. Internet of Things (IoT)
  5. Virtual and augmented reality
  6. Cybersecurity
  7. Blockchain
  8. Quantum computing
  9. Robotic process automation
  10. Biometric authentication and security

These are just a few examples, and it’s possible that other emerging technologies could also rise to prominence in the coming years.

Me: Why is artificial intelligence at the top of your Tech Trends for 2023 list?

ChatGPT: Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the top of my Tech Trends for 2023 list because it has the potential to revolutionize many industries and fundamentally change the way we live and work. AI refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions.

AI has already made significant progress in recent years, and it is expected to continue to advance rapidly in the coming years. Some potential applications of AI include:

  1. Improving healthcare: AI can be used to analyze medical records, identify patterns and trends, and help doctors to make more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations.
  2. Enhancing customer service: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide personalized and efficient customer service, freeing up human employees to handle more complex tasks.
  3. Improving transportation: AI can be used to develop self-driving cars and other autonomous vehicles, which could improve safety and efficiency on the roads.
  4. Improving cybersecurity: AI can be used to detect and prevent cyberattacks by analyzing network traffic and identifying unusual patterns.
  5. Enhancing productivity: AI can be used to automate routine tasks, freeing up human workers to focus on more valuable work.

Overall, AI has the potential to impact many aspects of our lives significantly, and it is likely to be a major technology trend in the coming years.


Now while I have a slightly different take on what technology will rise this year, I was impressed with ChatGPT’s responses and ability to articulate logical and believable answers. While they could use a good edit (can’t we all) and some help with tone and depth, they were as strong as many blog posts I’ve read.

This a great example of why I believe Creative AI will be one of the top 10 technology trends in 2023. Let’s jump into the entire list.

1. Creative AI

More and more, AI is being used to generate creative content — blog posts, poetry, illustrations, 3D photography, etc. By using machine learning models, creative AI software can be trained to generate responses to creative prompts like my questions above, create arttranslate copy, perform sentiment analysis, and more. This could profoundly impact creative fields such as marketing, entertainment, design, gaming, etc. I don’t believe it will replace professionals in these fields (yet), but it will enrich their own creative expressions. By leveraging creative AI, we’ll be able to challenge our own conceptions, explore new design inspirations, save research time, and potentially improve our overall creative output. There is enormous potential here, and VC investors are taking note, with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, rumored to be in talks to sell existing shares in a tender offer that would value the company at around $29 billion. Much more of this to come in 2023!

Various images generated by DALL-E 2: Prompt: A cup of coffee that is also a portal to another dimension, digital art.

2. Game Engines Everywhere

A game engine is software that makes it easy for game developers to design and build games. It’s estimated that 60% of game developers use game engines. Some of the big names in game engines are UnityUnreal Engine, and Game Maker Studio. The flexibility and robust visual and audio support also make these engines attractive for use well beyond game development. NASA is turning to game engines for astronaut training, automotive designers and architects are using them to visualize designs, and movie and TV studios are using them to create elaborate virtual productions. They are also an enabling technology for the Metaverse. Game engines are powerful tools that will continue to impact new markets and industries in the year ahead.

Daemon Targaryen on a virtual bridge at Dragonstone. Ollie Upton / HBO

3. The rise of the virtual office

Gallup survey last year found that 8 in 10 people are working hybrid or remotely. And while remote and hybrid workers have proven they can remain productive even when not in the office, the software and tools to make their lives easier have been slow to develop. Over the past few years, we’ve all experienced the limitations of meeting and collaboration software, which were never intended to replace offices. This has led to a new breed of virtual office platforms called virtual offices. These virtual offices are digital replicas of physical spaces dedicated to getting your work done alone and with co-workers. They are designed to offer transparency, ease of communication, and collaboration and are committed to how you and your company work. Roam recently raised $40 million and is one such platform provider. Their virtual headquarters allow employees to drop by, attend video conferences or town-hall meetings, and get work done. I expect we’ll see more and more of these virtual office platforms start to launch in the coming year.

ROAM is a new collaboration platform that is customizable to meet the needs of all distributed teams.

4. From security to resiliency

Our society has become dependent on digital tools and technologies, and the impact of cybersecurity breaches and attacks cannot be overstated. When cybersecurity fails or is ill-equipped, several aspects of our lives are at risk, from our data and identities to our safety. That’s why there are increasing efforts underway not just to prevent attacks but also to be prepared to withstand them and quickly recover if they do occur. Moving beyond cyber security to cyber resiliency will become increasingly important this year, with more technological emphasis on risk assessments, detection and response, data recovery, and compliance.

5. Sustainable technology

Net zero climate goals and environmentally minded consumers mean that tech companies―and companies across all industries―will need to step up their sustainability credentials in 2023. Consumers are increasingly aware of their choices and environmental impact and want to select brands that prioritize sustainable practices and values. At HP, we have long been proponents of climate action. Our mission is to drive toward a net-zero carbon, fully regenerative economy while engineering the industry’s most sustainable portfolio of products and solutions. As seen at CES recently, companies will be pushing the sustainable innovation envelope this year. New technologies are being deployed, from electric watercraft to clean water robots and vertical farms, to solve some of our toughest sustainability challenges.

The Candela C-8 electric hydrofoil boat @ CES 2023 in Las Vegas (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP).

6. Super Apps

In our increasingly mobile-first world, the desire for apps to do more and more is paramount. That is spurring a new application platform called “super apps.” Think of them as Swiss army knife-like applications that perform as a suite of multiple mini apps. WeChat is probably one of the best-known super apps, with the ability to message, shop, stream content, and even book a trip all in one place. Many other super apps are also rising in popularity, including Revolt, an all-in-one money management app. Omni is one of South America’s fastest-growing apps that allows you to do everything from bike-sharing to managing your finances and health. Super apps have also made their way into the business realm, with apps like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Peerbie making it easier for teams to communicate and get work done.

7. Metaverse goes phygital

As technology develops, we will continue to see the real world and our digital worlds synchronize in new and exciting ways. One way the metaverse does this is by bridging the physical and digital worlds to create a cohesive user experience. The need for this seamless physical-digital experience is growing. Thanks to NFTs, the metaverse “phygital” (a bundle of physical and digital goods) is arguably one of the most exciting applications of these blended experiences. Brands are creating NFTs and/or virtual storefronts in the metaverse to offer their products to a broader audience. With the gradual adoption of the metaverse phygital infiltrating every sector in the coming years, we’ll see new buying behaviors, purchase patterns, and physical brand and digital creator collaborations. Some recent examples include Holographic NFT Display Cubesdigital and physical clothingphygital retail stores, and collectible craft cocktails.

An ultra-exclusive 1 of 1 digital and physical hoodie crafted by MCQ with an embedded NFC chip which allows the product to be registered via the brand’s own blockchain. (photo: MCQ)

8. Spatial computing

From Fortnite to virtual reality (VR), spatial computing is essential to our current and future digital experiences. In previous iterations of computer games and virtual worlds, we moved using 2D mouse pointers on screens. Now, more and more, we are transitioning to 3D experiences, which feel much closer to how we move around in the physical world. Spatial computing allows users to digitally interact in 3D vs. 2D, which is more intuitive for most people and will enable us to interact with a digital world, similarly to how we navigate the physical world. VR/AR/MR are good examples of this, but so is playing Fortnite on your phone.

9. Ambient computing

Making computing more ubiquitous and seamless to users is called ambient computing. From the smart thermostat heating your home to the perfect temp at the right time to your favorite AI device turning on your TV or lowering the lights, ambient computing continues to become increasingly integrated into our everyday lives. I expect to see more advancements in this space, especially in our hybrid work lives. At CES, HP just launched the HP E-Series G5 Monitors, which include an Ambient Light Sensor that automatically adjusts the screen brightness. We also introduced a suite of PCs enhanced by HP Presence, offering intelligent camera face tracking for video calls and PC hibernation mode based on usage patterns. These are features, enabled by technology, that work seamlessly together in the background to create a better user experience.

The HP Dragonfly Pro is engineered to optimize and balance performance and includes HP Presence software for enhanced audio and video collaboration experiences.

10. Web3 2.0

I also expect that 2023 may be the year we see blockchain gain traction in enterprise applications. Blockchain saw much skepticism in 2022 with many wondering whether it is a technology in search of a problem or something the world really needs. The jury is still out, with people taking a position on both ends of the spectrum, sometimes with the ‘enthusiasm’ of a presidential election, but my bet is that in 2023 we’ll see use cases and adoption emerge in the enterprise space that will start to point at where blockchain technology could gain more widespread traction in the future. I also think blockchain technology will need to evolve to meet enterprise needs — sustainability, scalability, and performance — so it’s possible the blockchain of tomorrow will look very different from the blockchain of today, ushering in the era of Web3 2.0.

As ChatGPT said, it’s difficult to predict precisely what the most significant technology trends will be this year, but these are the ones I’ll be tracking at the top of my list.

What do you think of the trends above? Are there others you think will rise to the top 10?

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation

Insights on workforce automation

The lasting impact of remote work results in a reassessment of the IT infrastructure that enables workforce automation capabilities. Worldwide IT spending is expected to reach $4.5 trillion in 2022 as the post-pandemic recovery continues and remote and hybrid work takes an even greater hold on businesses everywhere. This creates a significant opportunity for companies looking to bridge the gap between home and office work, create remote first solutions, automate workplace processes, and create a more seamless experience for employees.

IT spending is expected to reach $4.5 trillion in 2022

A growing market

Digital products and services will play a critical role in these digital transformation efforts, requiring continued investment in remote-first technology implementations and new technologies. Peerbie, for example, transforms how teams work with one super app for everyone and everything needed to get work done.

It’s estimated that 31% of all workers worldwide will be hybrid or fully remote in 2022. The U.S. is projected to harness the trend, with remote workers reaching 53% of the workforce. A hybrid workforce will continue to increase the demand for PCs and tablets. In fact, in 2021, PC and tablet shipments exceeded 500 million units for the first time in history, highlighting the demand across both business and consumer markets. Hofy offers a device pre-configuration service to give IT teams peace of mind­­–knowing that any devices they provide are set up correctly and securely­­­­­­–and to spare new hires a tedious first-day setting things up.

A hybrid workforce will continue to increase the demand for PCs and tablets.

The pandemic-fueled growth in the adoption of software robots designed to ease routine office work is making at least one task easier for CIOs: selling the idea to their corporate bosses. The technology — robotic process automation (RPA), or software bots — became a critical tool last year during COVID-19 lockdowns and office closures as companies worked to keep their businesses up and running. Many turned to bots to handle tasks like processing payroll data or expense reports and fielding call-center queries. At the height of the pandemic last year, UiPath said it added more than ten corporate customers daily.

The complexity and interdependency of systems today mean that when something doesn’t work between two entities — be it apps, servers, or something else — the effects can be disastrous unless those overlaps can be detected and mitigated ahead of a live deployment or found and fixed quickly even if they are already out in the wild. Gluware has built a platform that aims to do just that — specifically by providing network orchestration and automation tools that identify and automatically fix when something is about to go awry on a network.

Opportunities to automate common workplace processes are everywhere, which is why automation is becoming a common element of every business. This includes providing good customer service, streamlining the hiring process, or managing marketing campaigns more efficiently. As technology improves, more tasks will become suitable for automation.

Opportunities to automate common workplace processes are everywhere, which is why automation is becoming a common element of every business.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence enable new forms of “smart” automation. As the software learns, the more adaptable it becomes. These technologies open the door for the automation of higher-order tasks in addition to basic, repetitive tasks. There’s much focus now on tasks humans don’t want to do, but in the future, automation will not just be about automating those tasks humans are doing today. Still, it will be about realizing potential opportunities. For example, RPA can automate tedious insurance processes as insurers undergo many manual but critical processes involving disparate systems. RPA can help streamline and automate these processes without changing large amounts of legacy code — assisting insurers in cutting costs in necessary departments like underwriting, claims, and regulatory and compliance, as well as expedite policy decisions.

As data sets become more thorough and available, and as software draws on more sources and synthesizes more data sets, contextual information in human decision-making will only improve. Machine learning will serve as a supplement to–or perhaps even an enhancement to–human knowledge. Combine AI capabilities with improved data retention through the Internet of Things (IoT), and the possibilities are endless. Kadence is building an all-in-one solution for desk booking, room scheduling, people, and visitor management. The company’s platform helps transform workspaces into smarter, safer spaces to create frictionless experiences. It also offers workplace leaders to deliver data-driven insights into how people use spaces to work, enabling clients to manage their spaces when work patterns and workflows change dynamically in response to our ever-changing world.

VC and startup opportunities

Workforce automation sectors are becoming a hotbed for venture capital investing. In 2021, HR technology alone received $12.3 billion in investments worldwide. At the same time, global funding to RPA companies hit a record high of $3.5B, driven predominantly by a handful of mega-rounds (deals worth $100M+). And in the first part of this year, we saw Lattice, a start-up making software to help employers fight the “big quit,” tripling its valuation to $3 billion in 10 months. While Envoy, the leading workplace platform that allows companies to reopen safe and flexible workplaces, secured $111 million in Series C funding led by Brookfield Growth. Envoy’s workplace platform is built to solve the problems of flexible workplaces where teams split their time between home and the office.

In 2021, HR technology alone received $12.3 billion in investments worldwide.

These are exciting times for startups in this space, and these are a few of the ones that have caught our attention.

EthSign is a developer of a decentralized application designed to revolutionize agreement and signing. The company’s application helps to make comments, edit, and access each version of your electronic agreement without privacy and communication concerns, enabling clients to have a simple and decentralized alternative and helping parties to upload a document with pending signatures.

Seatti is a developer of a flexible working platform intended to bring together your hybrid team. The company’s platform provides Microsoft Teams and Office365 integrated SaaS solutions allowing you to book a workspace in or outside of the office and share location plans with the team.

Namely is a developer of a human capital management platform intended to meet the complex demands faced by today’s HR professionals. The company’s cloud-based platform provides tools across payroll, benefits, human resource information, and talent management, enabling mid-sized companies to focus on developing their people and providing a better employee experience.​​​​​​​

Diversio is a developer of a people intelligence platform intended to measure, track, and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. The company’s platform is created using artificial intelligence to bring rigor data, diagnosis, and analysis to help organizations become more inclusive, develop cutting-edge technology, and eliminate barriers to diversity and inclusion. Their platform enables users to trust a platform that values feedback, transparency, collaboration, and impact.

Planless is a developer of a project and task management tool designed to automate teamwork. The company’s intelligent platform takes care of the planning by finding the people in the team who are the best suited to perform a task depending on their knowledge and availability, enabling organizations to focus on their core business.​​​​​​​

TeamEQ can accelerate results through intelligent teams for leaders who no longer want to guess the situation of their teams but instead take their decisions based on actual data. Team analytics and intelligence platform designed to transform any group into a high-performance team that exceeds its objectives. The company’s product uses artificial intelligence to track the impact of a person’s actions. It guides people in real-time with transparent data and predictive algorithms while offering tailored people management strategies and training programs for leadership development, enabling businesses to monitor performance, discover and reduce attritions and boost productivity by promoting collective intelligence engagement and well-being.

TenSpot (Future of Work, HRtech) is a workforce engagement platform that helps companies connect and engage distributed teams to boost employee happiness, morale, and productivity. The company’s platform combines live and on-demand content with sophisticated tools that help measure engagement and sentiment, enabling clients to improve their culture, identify leaders, and create a space that welcomes everyone.​​​​​​​

The extent to which automation transforms the economy remains to be seen, but it appears inevitable that we’re headed toward a future of more automation. What this means for businesses, workers and consumers will be the subject of enormous debate moving forward. One thing seems inevitable, however: if it can be automated, it will be.

Blog Futurism & Technology Trends Innovation