Number four on our list of ten things that your upcoming scenarios or forecasts need to account for is machines doing things without us. Automation and autonomization (developing machine autonomy) is already pervasive in our lives. From spam filtering for our email to self-driving cars to computer programs creating art on command, machines today are everywhere doing more for us, invisibly and visibly. In a fairly unremarkable example, companies like Microsoft are steadily pushing the tools for creating vast webs of business process automation and machine learning capabilities right to your employees’ desktops. Scientific discovery, technology development, and climate change all have myriad examples of automation and AI. These trends are rapidly building in just about every aspect of modern life. Looking forward, your organization’s discussions about everything from how organizations in your industry are designed to how governments make decisions and how food is supplied in your region need to account for the growing role of machines in making decisions and executing actions.
Interested in some assistance with your upcoming futures discussions? Let’s talk about how we can help.