Futurist
Jim Carroll
Artificial Intelligence
Keynote Speaker
strategic clarity
on the AI trends that matter
The acceleration of AI is not just about the technology.It's about the promise and the peril, the opportunity, and the challenge, the disruptive impact and the potential.It's about leadership. It's about strategic clarity.Futurist Jim Carroll puts these realities into perspective for those organizations that require a highly customized, industry-specific overview to align with the future. He is one of the most respected leadership speakers in the world - with clients like NASA, Blackrock, Disney, The World Bank, and Pfizer.
executive level
ai leadership insight




AI Insight for
leadership teams
The scope of our future is bigger than you think.
The future of AI is all about the AI Megatrends.These are the far-reaching, transformative, and disruptive AI concepts that turn industries upside down, resulting in the arrival of new competitors, massive changes in consumer behavior, the arrival of new products and services, and other major industry changes.
Spending on AI in manufacturing is going to go from $6.6 billion in 2022 to $178 billion by 2030. Little of that has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in healthcare, medical sciences, and pharma was about $10 billion in 2022 but is expected to be between $87.4 billion and $177.4 billion by 20230. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in insurance is going from $2-3 billion in 2022, to between $30.7 billion and $67.9 billion by 2030. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in the construction industry? From $1.3-2.1 billion in 2022 to between $11.9 billion and $23.1 billion by 2030. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in agriculture was about $2 billion in 2022 but is expected to grow to $75 billion by 2035. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Do you see the trend here?What's the point? Your industry is in the midst of a massive transformation driven by accelerating AI - and you probably have no idea about the change that is coming.
That's why you need strategic clarity on AI - leadership insight that matters.
Executive Level
AI Leadership Insight
You Need to align fast-moving
AI trends to your strategic goals
“I help CEOs, senior executives, and association leaders align their strategic objectives to the rapid acceleration of AI within a fast-paced keynote or leadership meeting presentation. It's based on customized research specific to your industry and organization, and aligned to your unique perspective. It’s insight that matters, is relevant, and actionable!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
you need strategic clarity
on the AI trends that matter

CEO / CxO / Senior Management Leadership Events
Jim Carroll is "the Futurist that CEOs trust." Over a 30-year career, he has been booked regularly by CEOs and senior executives of major organizations worldwide, to provide an opening or closing keynote or leadership talk on highly customized topics.None other than NASA has booked him - twice - for a talk on 'the future of space.' If NASA finds value in his customized insight, so will you!Other clients include the World Bank, Zurich Insurance, Nikon, the BBC, Disney, Pfizer, Chrysler, Volvo, and hundreds more.He is known worldwide for his strategic thinking - and when it comes to AI, you don't need the tech - you need the strategic insight.You don't need hype. You need strategic reality.That's Futurist Jim Carroll.
Keynote:
Artificial Intelligence For Leadership Teams
Your leadership team requires a good foundational understanding of the promise and perils of AI and insight into the opportunities and challenges.That’s why strategic clarity on the impact of AI is necessary. Jim Carroll will provide your leadership team with a highly customized keynote presentation or interactive discussion that will provide you with deep insight into the impact of AI on your company and your industry.Your team will come away with a better understanding of the trends that matter, the strategies that count, and the innovative actions that will take you forward.You don't need hype or hysteria - you don't need utopian visions. You also can't let your internal engine of skepticism defer your action.. When it comes to AI, you need to have a compelling sense of urgency, but you might have an astonishing mindset of complacency.Jim shares his insight with small intimate groups of 15-20 (Boards, senior leadership teams) to large-scale corporate leadership meetings of several hundred people. He adapts his style to the audience - from highly interactive small group discussions to keynote presentations.Futurist Jim Carroll will provide you with the strategic clarity on AI that you require.
Strategic Insight
Addressing Your AI Questions
Everyone is talking about Chat-GPT, Stable Diffusion, and other fast-moving AI technologies.AI is moving faster than fast! There’s a lot going on, but what you really need to be thinking about are a wide variety of strategic, leadership-oriented questions:
how will AI affect my industry?
what existential, big industry challenges might come my way that I am not aware of?
what impact will these new AI technologies have on my company or association?
what new strategic opportunities might exist?
what complex new challenges might the acceleration of AI present me with?
what skills issues are emerging that I need to start thinking about now?
what disruptive transformation might occur?
what new legal and risk issues are emerging that I must plan for?
what is the possibility for the emergence of new competitors that are building on AI-based disruption?
what barriers do I have in the way that might hold me back from adapting to AI-based change in my industry?
what experience and skill set should I be building?
In other words – it’s not AI that matters, it’s your strategic thinking around its emergence.It’s always been bubbling around us, and yet now, is suddenly real.
Recent articles on the impact of AI by Futurist Jim Carroll - shared globaly by his global speaker bureau partners
Artificial Intelligence: The Acceleration of Risk and Legal Complexity & What To Do About It - wsb
AI Megatrends — Beyond ChatGPT and Towards the Artificial Intelligence Megatrends Rocking Industries - nsb
WHAT DO ORGANISATIONS NEED TO THINK ABOUT REGARDING AI? - lsb
The Acceleration of Artificial Intelligence: A New Look at Our Disruptive Future - aae




Industry Implications
In many industries, AI technologies have long had a profound impact, and are already showing a lot of strategic potential.You need to dig beneath the surface in order to get concise insight into what is happening, both with the promise and the peril, the opportunities and the challenges within YOUR industry. That can be very difficult to do in such a fast-moving world - but entirely necessary.Here are just a few examples.
an acceleration of precision-targeted medicine, advanced healthcare imaging and diagnoses methodologies and robotic-assisted virtualized medical procedures
agriculture is moving from a world in which we farm when the sun is up, to one that involves a world of 24-hour farming based on autonomous and virtual technologies
local energy microgrids based on renewable technologies, carefully balanced and managed through advanced AI technologies
greater speed in shifting the insurance world to real-time actuarial and risk analysis
an accelerated shift in the world of education from foundation knowledge to 'just-in-time' knowledge and the fast emergence of new micro-careers
the further automation of the construction industry through faster deployment of automated, AI-driven robotic technology
Futurist Jim. Carroll has been covering the AI Megatrends over on his main Website for some time. For an in-depth analysis of these issues - by industry - take a detour to that site!

On Jim's Mind
Most organizations are going to need a Senior Vice-President of Artificial Intelligence Risk Management within a year.
The position, reporting to the Board of Directors, will be responsible for:
monitoring, assessing, and interpreting an ever-increasing flood of new AI-based risks and preparing scenarios for management to counter them
quarterbacking the deep ethical and moral issues that come with the increasing use of AI within the organization
working with HR to monitor a company-wide “AI Code of Conduct,” applicable to all staff
working with the Chief Legal Officer on the never-ending number of new AI-related copyright, trademark, and intellectual property issues hitting the organization
spending time with the corporate IT department to come up with policies, strategies, and structures to firewall corporate information sources so that they don’t become fodder for content within large-language models (and hence, become a part of the answer that AI chatbot offers up)
ensuring that any new products or services developed utilizing AI are based on appropriate quality, reliability, and ethical framework
working with HR to ensure that workforce skills and capabilities are enhanced and developed so that the organization has a proper skills base for the AI era
continually modifying and adjusting these responsibilities in the face of new AI risks not yet identified and yet to come
the individual will be required to report on this initiative, their responsibilities, and their findings, to the Board on a quarterly basis, to the public annually or semi-annually, and to the CEO weekly – if not daily
they must have effective media and PR skills, as they will be involved in formulating any response to new corporate PR challenges as a result of AI
All of this is going to be necessary sooner than you think.



ai keynote and leadership meeting topic considerations
How AI Will Redefine Your Industry, Profession, Company, and Career – And What You Need To Do About It!
There are several ways to understand the impact of AI on your company, industry, association, or profession. As the saying goes – it’s pretty certain you won’t find your job being replaced by AI, but it might be replaced by someone using AI!That's why strategic clarity on the impact of AI is necessary, and Jim Carroll can provide you with a highly customized keynote presentation that will examine several issues.Top of mind is the impact of 'Generative AI technologies' - the fast-moving trends involving ChatGPT and other generative technologies involving voice, video, and more; the impact of productivity, workflow, and other software-based opportunities built on top of these trends; and other new tools, products and search engine technologies. All of these trends will come to change the nature of the way we search, learn, interact, and think. It’s a new era of human-knowledge augmentation that is coming about through the emergence of personalized knowledge butlers; an acceleration in just-in-time knowledge through on-demand knowledge robots; the arrival of the always-available knowledge servant.Another way to achieve strategic clarity is to go further and consider the "AI Megatrends" - the far-reaching, transformative, and disruptive AI concepts involving such things as predictive diagnostics, autonomous technologies, and machine vision, the hyper-connectivity of intelligent devices, the integration of AI into robotics and virtualized digital twin technologies, workforce, and process augmentation technologies, real-time risk monitoring, product reinvention, and transformation through embedded AI, and so much more!The end result of both these major developments is sweeping change in every industry such as: changing the way we diagnose and treat medical conditions; how we assess and underwrite insurance risk using sophisticated AI risk management tools; how we manage our march to precision-farming using AI-driven autonomous technologies; how we are using AI throughout retail and manufacturing for deep supply chain analysis and inventory management.
What Jim Provides You in his keynote
Customized Insight
Actionable Strategies
Strategic Clarity
With so much happening so fast, you need to cut through the hype, filter the noise, and get a clear and up-to-the-moment strategic overview of what is happening in real-time with the many different aspects of AI, and its impact on your future.What does this mean to you and what do you need to do? Jim will provide you with actionable strategies on how to stay ahead in the AI knowledge race; insight into some of the most powerful tools emerging in this new AI knowledge universe; actionable strategies to continually enhance your just-in-time knowledge skills through AI; and how you can align your skills, attitude and personal motivation factory to align with this new era of high-velocity change.The key goal is ensuring that you can gain insight as to how your career, profession, industry, company, or association will change both as a result of fast-moving generative AI technologies, as well as the sweeping impact of these AI Megatrends.Jim will deliver to you a highly customized keynote, which is prepared specifically for your company, industry, or association based on up-to-the-minute research. Jim will help you understand:
the AI Megatrends that are already underway, and those that are yet to come
the disruptive and transformative context of these trends on your industry, profession or association, based on up-to-the-minute detailed research specific to your requirements
why the ‘era of acceleration’ with AI will now challenge all your assumptions about your future
the strategic opportunities that exist with AI within your industry and organization, on a near, medium, and long-term basis
the significant challenges and risks that exist for the same time frame
what leading innovators and competitors are doing to align with these fast-moving trends
what actionable steps you can pursue so you can prepare a concise strategic plan for your organization and team
the challenges and opportunities behind these trends within your industry and organization
the disruptive impact on your business and operations or upon your industry or association members
the strategies you should be thinking about to align with the new realities they present
the key strategic action plans designed to get your team moving forward, balanced with a realistic assessment of the timing of specific trends and how they will unfold.




Futurist Jim Carroll
Trends & Innovation Expert
Author & Keynote Speaker
Jim is the world’s leading global futurist, keynote speaker, business trends, and transformation expert, recognized worldwide for his compelling motivational style, delivered in information-rich, highly customized, heavily researched presentations.In his 30-year career as a speaker, Jim has shared his insight with over 2 million people worldwide, providing guidance to many of the world’s largest organizations, with over 1,500 keynotes and leadership presentations and sessions.Jim’s clients include NASA, Disney, the World Bank, Mercedes Benz, the PGA, Blackrock, Zurich Insurance, the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer, Microsoft, Cisco, and over 1,500 more.He shares his highly customized, industry-specific insight with CEOs, senior executives, government leaders, and leadership teams on the real trends that matter, and the innovation pathways to align with new disruptive realities

Jim's Clients
a career that spans more than 30 years.
booked by many of the world's most recognizable organizations. 2 million+ people, 1,500 events.

Global Representation
Speakers Bureaus and agents
Whether you are dealing with Jim directly or through one of his many global agents, you can rest assured that you are dealing with someone who has risen to the top of the global speaking industry - and has the deep credibility that comes with this well-earned recognition.The same agents who book some of the biggest names in the global speaking industry also regularly bring Futurist Jim Carroll into their clients, knowing that he delivers the unique insight that their world-class clients require. He is represented and by the same agencies that book global icons such as Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. Bush, Ervin “Magic” Johnson, Ryan Reynolds & Tom Brady, Richard Branson, Tina Fey and Shaquille O'Neal.Global icons such as the Washington Speakers Bureau, Harry Walker Agency, APB Speakers. Leading Authorities, London Speakers Bureau and Keppler Speakers, among many others, trust him with his insight.You can work with Jim directly or through one of his agents.
Artificial Intelligence: The Acceleration of Risk and Legal Complexity & What To Do About It
The Washington Speakers Bureau is the world’s largest talent agency specializing in corporate speaking events. For more than 40 years, WSB has helped connect event hosts with the best keynote speakers in the world, representing individuals like George W. Bush, Alex Rodriguez, Terry Bradshaw, and Tony Blair.WSB has been booking Jim into corporate and association events for 20+ years. They just published Jim's post about the fast-emerging challenges in the world of AI from a legal and risk perspective.You need to be on top of these issues - NOW.You can read it here.
Learn More!
Visit Jim Carroll's web site
Futurist Jim Carroll blogs, writes and shares video via his main web site at jimcarroll.comYou can learn more about his AI topic and expertise - and other leadership oriented topics - at that site.

Fees And Booking
Your Investment in world class, customized insight
Futurist Jim Carroll's fee structure reflects his unparalleled expertise, insight gained from his 30 years as a CEO-level event expert, and his global reputation.JIm's fee will depend on the nature, duration, and location of your event.By engaging Jim Carrol, you will benefit from his wealth of experience, his captivating delivery, and his visionary perspective on the trends and opportunities that shape our world of rapidly accelerating AI technologies. You will join other global icons who have found that his insight has helped them align with world in which the future belongs to those who are fast.Contact him for a customized fee quote. He is also available for a short exploratory video consultation so that you can understand the powerful value of your investment.
Move Forward!
Contact Jim
Jim Carroll is very approachable and is available for quick phone or e-mail consultations with respect to your upcoming meeting or event.He can quickly outline how he will provide you with a highly customized, relevant presentation, and how he can help you solve some of the critical business issues you face.Or you can just contact him about other stuff. He’s like that. Just a very nice guy, really.If you have trouble with the form, just email him jcarroll@jimcarroll.com
© Jim Carroll. All rights reserved.
Thank You
Futurist Jim Carroll promises to respond to you as soon as he can!
Industry Implications
Healthcare, Pharma and Medical Science
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of medical science, healthcare and pharma.
Medical Imaging: AI algorithms can help to analyze medical images such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, helping radiologists to diagnose conditions more accurately and quickly. This can also help to reduce the amount of time that patients have to wait for their results.
Drug Discovery: AI can help to identify new drug targets and design new drugs more efficiently. By analyzing large amounts of data, AI algorithms can help to identify promising compounds that might otherwise have been overlooked, saving time and resources in the drug discovery process.
Patient Monitoring: AI can help to monitor patients remotely, using sensors and other devices to collect data on vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. This can help to detect early warning signs of conditions such as heart failure and allow for early intervention.
Electronic Health Records: AI can help to analyze electronic health records (EHRs) and other patient data to identify patterns and trends that might indicate an increased risk of certain conditions. This can help healthcare providers to develop personalized treatment plans for patients and improve outcomes.
Virtual Nursing Assistants: AI-powered virtual assistants can help to monitor patients, answer questions, and provide support in real time. This can help to improve patient engagement and reduce the workload of healthcare providers.
Precision Medicine: AI can help to identify the most effective treatments for individual patients based on their genetic makeup, lifestyle, and medical history. This can lead to more personalized and effective treatment plans.
Robot-Assisted Surgery: AI-powered robots can assist surgeons in performing procedures with greater accuracy and precision, reducing the risk of complications and improving outcomes for patients.
Disease Diagnosis: AI can help to analyze symptoms, medical histories, and other patient data to assist doctors in making more accurate diagnoses. This can help to improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.
Medical Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can assist patients in scheduling appointments, accessing medical records, and getting answers to common questions. This can help to reduce the workload of healthcare providers and improve patient satisfaction.
Medical Billing and Coding: AI can help to automate the process of medical billing and coding, reducing errors and improving efficiency in healthcare administration.
Health Monitoring Wearables: AI can help to analyze data from wearable devices such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, providing insights into a patient's overall health and wellness. This can help patients to make more informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Healthcare Fraud Detection: AI can help to analyze claims data and identify patterns of fraudulent activity, reducing waste and abuse in the healthcare system.
Predictive Analytics: AI can help to predict which patients are at risk for certain conditions or complications, allowing healthcare providers to intervene earlier and prevent adverse outcomes.
Personalized Treatment Plans: AI can help to develop personalized treatment plans for patients based on their unique characteristics and medical histories, improving outcomes and reducing the risk of complications.
Clinical Trial Participant Identification: AI can help to identify potential participants for clinical trials more efficiently and accurately, speeding up the drug development process and bringing new treatments to market faster.
Medical Device Innovation: AI can help to design and develop new medical devices that are safer, more effective, and more user-friendly.
Health Risk Assessment: AI can help to assess an individual's risk for certain conditions based on factors such as their age, lifestyle, and medical history. This can help patients to make more informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Public Health Surveillance: AI can help to monitor disease outbreaks and track the spread of infectious diseases, allowing for early intervention and containment.
Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment: AI can help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions by analyzing data from sources such as electronic health records, wearable devices, and social media. AI algorithms can identify patterns and trends that might indicate an increased risk of certain conditions, allowing for early intervention and personalized treatment plans.
Emergency Room Triage: AI can help to prioritize patients in emergency rooms based on the severity of their conditions, allowing healthcare providers to provide prompt and effective care to those who need it most. By analyzing vital signs and other patient data in real-time, AI algorithms can help to identify patients who are at high risk of adverse outcomes and ensure that they receive timely and appropriate care.


Industry Implications
insurance and actuarial sciences
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of the insurance industry, as well as risk assessment and analysis with the actuarial sciences.
Risk Assessment: AI can help to assess risks and predict the likelihood of future events, allowing insurance companies to price policies more accurately. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on weather patterns, traffic patterns, and crime rates to determine the likelihood of a car accident or break-in.
Fraud Detection: AI can help to detect fraudulent claims by analyzing data patterns and identifying anomalies. For example, AI algorithms can detect patterns of behavior that are consistent with insurance fraud, such as claims that are made at unusual times or for unusual amounts.
Claims Processing: AI can help to automate claims processing, reducing the time and resources required to review and process claims. For example, AI algorithms can review medical records and other documents to determine whether a claim is valid and should be paid.
Customer Service: AI can help to provide personalized customer service by analyzing customer data and providing customized recommendations. For example, AI-powered chatbots can help customers to file claims, access policy information, and get answers to common questions.
Underwriting: AI can help to automate the underwriting process, reducing the time and resources required to evaluate applicants and price policies. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on a customer's age, health, and lifestyle to determine their risk profile and determine the appropriate policy pricing.
Predictive Analytics: AI can help to predict future trends and identify potential opportunities for growth. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on customer behavior and market trends to identify potential new markets or products.
Product Development: AI can help to develop new insurance products and services based on customer needs and preferences. For example, AI algorithms can analyze customer data to identify gaps in coverage or areas where new products are needed.
Customer Retention: AI can help to retain customers by providing personalized recommendations and offers. For example, AI algorithms can analyze customer data to identify when a policy is about to expire and provide recommendations on renewals or new policies.
Risk Management: AI can help to manage risk by analyzing data on customer behavior and market trends to identify potential areas of risk. For example, AI algorithms can identify areas where new policies may be needed to protect against emerging risks.
Marketing: AI can help to target marketing efforts more effectively by analyzing customer data and identifying the most promising customer segments. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on customer behavior to identify potential customers who are likely to be interested in a particular product or service.
Actuarial Analysis: AI can help to improve actuarial analysis by providing more accurate and timely data. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on customer behavior and market trends to provide more accurate predictions of future events.
Investment Management: AI can help to manage investments by analyzing market trends and identifying potential opportunities for growth. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on market trends and economic indicators to identify potential investments.
Risk Modeling: AI can help to model risk by analyzing data on customer behavior and market trends to identify potential areas of risk. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on weather patterns and natural disasters to identify areas where insurance coverage may be needed.
Claims Management: AI can help to manage claims more effectively by automating the claims process and providing real-time updates to customers. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on customer behavior to provide real-time updates on the status of a claim.
Customer Segmentation: AI can help to segment customers more effectively by analyzing customer data and identifying common characteristics. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on customer behavior and preferences to identify common customer segments and tailor marketing efforts accordingly.
Product Pricing: AI can help to price insurance products more accurately by analyzing customer data and identifying risk factors. For example, AI algorithms can analyze data on a customer's age, health, and driving record to determine the appropriate price for an insurance policy.
Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can be used to answer customer inquiries, provide information on policies, and help with claims processing. Chatbots can help to reduce the workload of customer service representatives and provide customers with quick and easy access to information.
Image Analysis: AI can help to analyze images, such as medical images, to identify potential issues or anomalies. For example, AI algorithms can analyze X-rays and MRIs to identify potential areas of concern and provide doctors with more accurate diagnoses.
Customer Feedback Analysis: AI can help to analyze customer feedback, such as reviews and social media posts, to identify areas for improvement and provide insights into customer preferences. For example, AI algorithms can analyze customer reviews to identify common complaints and provide recommendations on how to improve the customer experience.
Telematics: AI can be used in telematics devices to analyze driver behavior and provide real-time feedback. Telematics devices can help insurance companies to price policies based on a customer's driving behavior, and can provide customers with feedback on how to improve their driving habits


Industry Implications
education and knowledge industries
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of the education industry. We were already moving to a world of 'just-in-time knowledge,' and this will even further accelerate that trend, among many others.
Personalized learning: AI can analyze student data and adapt learning materials to individual students' needs, improving learning outcomes.
Intelligent tutoring systems: AI-powered tutoring systems can provide personalized feedback to students and adapt to their learning styles, improving learning outcomes.
Automated grading: AI can grade student assignments and tests, reducing teacher workload and providing students with immediate feedback.
Adaptive assessments: AI-powered assessments can adapt to individual students' abilities and provide personalized feedback, improving learning outcomes.
Learning analytics: AI can analyze student data and provide insights to teachers and administrators on student performance and engagement.
Natural language processing: AI-powered natural language processing can improve language learning by providing real-time feedback on pronunciation and grammar.
Content creation: AI can generate educational content such as textbooks, lesson plans, and quizzes, reducing the time and cost of content creation.
Intelligent content delivery: AI-powered content delivery systems can adapt to individual students' needs and provide personalized learning experiences.
Learning management systems: AI can optimize learning management systems by providing insights on student performance and engagement.
Knowledge assessment: AI-powered knowledge assessment systems can assess individuals' knowledge and provide personalized recommendations for further learning.
Learning scheduling: AI can optimize student schedules to maximize learning outcomes and minimize conflict between activities.
Educational chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can provide students with personalized support and assistance, improving learning outcomes.
Cognitive modeling: AI-powered cognitive modeling can provide insights into how students learn and suggest ways to improve teaching methods.
Plagiarism detection: AI can analyze student work and detect potential cases of plagiarism, ensuring academic integrity.
Language translation: AI-powered language translation can improve language learning by providing real-time translation of materials and communication.
Text-to-speech: AI-powered text-to-speech technology can improve accessibility by providing audio versions of written materials.
Virtual assistants: AI-powered virtual assistants can provide students with personalized support and assistance, improving learning outcomes.
Curriculum design: AI can provide insights into student learning patterns and suggest ways to optimize curriculum design.
Predictive analytics: AI can predict student outcomes and provide early warnings for at-risk students, allowing for early interventions and support.
Intelligent recommendation systems: AI-powered recommendation systems can suggest educational content and learning pathways based on individual students' needs and interests.


Industry Implications
energy, utility and related infrastructure industries
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of the energy, utility and related infrastructure industries.
Predictive maintenance: AI can predict equipment failures and identify maintenance needs, reducing downtime and repair costs.
Grid optimization: AI can optimize the power grid, reducing energy consumption and improving the reliability of the grid.
Demand response: AI can analyze real-time energy usage data and adjust energy supply to match demand, reducing energy waste.
Asset management: AI can analyze data from energy infrastructure assets such as power plants and transmission lines to predict equipment failures and optimize performance.
Renewable energy integration: AI can optimize the integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar into the power grid, ensuring that energy is efficiently generated and distributed.
Energy forecasting: AI can analyze data from weather patterns, energy demand, and energy prices to forecast energy production and consumption, allowing companies to optimize their operations.
Energy trading: AI can analyze market data and predict energy prices, allowing energy traders to make informed decisions about buying and selling energy.
Power plant optimization: AI can optimize power plant operations, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while increasing efficiency.
Grid monitoring: AI-powered sensors and cameras can monitor the power grid for potential problems, such as power outages or equipment failures.
Customer service: AI-powered chatbots can provide customers with instant support and assistance, improving the customer experience and reducing support costs.
Energy storage optimization: AI can optimize the use of energy storage systems, ensuring that energy is stored and distributed efficiently.
Energy conservation: AI can analyze energy usage data and identify opportunities for energy conservation, reducing energy waste and lowering costs.
Cybersecurity: AI can monitor energy infrastructure for potential cybersecurity threats and respond to them in real-time, ensuring that energy infrastructure remains secure.
Outage management: AI can analyze data from power outages and predict the duration and scope of outages, allowing utilities to respond more quickly and efficiently.
Workforce management: AI can analyze workforce data and predict labor needs, allowing utilities to optimize their workforce and reduce labor costs.
Fault detection: AI can detect faults in equipment and infrastructure before they cause major problems, allowing companies to take preventive action.
Environmental monitoring: AI-powered sensors can monitor air and water quality, allowing utilities to ensure that their operations are environmentally sustainable.
Natural disaster response: AI can predict the impact of natural disasters on energy infrastructure and help utilities prepare for and respond to these events.
Smart meters: AI-powered smart meters can monitor energy usage in real-time, allowing customers to better manage their energy consumption and utilities to optimize their operations.
Asset tracking: AI-powered sensors can track the location and condition of energy infrastructure assets, allowing companies to better manage their assets and reduce theft or damage.


Industry Implications
construction industry
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of the construction industry, having to do with methodologies, digital twin technologies and more.
Design and CAD: AI is used in computer-aided design (CAD) to generate 3D models from 2D plans, automate repetitive design tasks, and optimize designs based on specific criteria.
Project planning and scheduling: AI can analyze project data and optimize schedules, taking into account factors such as resource availability, weather conditions, and other constraints.
Safety monitoring: AI-powered sensors and cameras can monitor construction sites for safety violations and alert workers or supervisors when potential hazards are detected.
Quality control: AI can analyze construction materials and detect defects, ensuring that building components meet industry standards and regulations.
Site inspections: AI-powered drones and robots can conduct site inspections, collect data, and generate reports on site conditions.
Predictive maintenance: AI can predict equipment failures and identify maintenance needs, reducing downtime and repair costs.
Inventory management: AI can monitor construction material inventories and predict future needs, reducing waste and optimizing supply chain management.
Cost estimation: AI can analyze project data and generate accurate cost estimates, taking into account labor, material, and equipment costs.
Building energy optimization: AI can analyze building data and optimize energy usage, reducing costs and improving sustainability.
Smart building automation: AI-powered sensors and automation systems can control lighting, heating, and cooling systems, optimizing energy usage and improving occupant comfort.
Digital twins: AI-powered digital twins can simulate building performance and identify potential issues before they occur, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Site logistics optimization: AI can optimize site logistics, reducing the time and cost required to transport materials and equipment.
Risk management: AI can analyze project data and identify potential risks, allowing for proactive risk management and mitigation.
Predictive analytics: AI can analyze data from construction projects and identify trends, helping companies make data-driven decisions and improve efficiency.
Site security: AI-powered surveillance systems can monitor construction sites for unauthorized access and potential security threats.
Human resources management: AI can analyze employee data and predict attrition rates, allowing companies to proactively manage human resources.
Safety training: AI can provide virtual safety training and simulations, allowing workers to practice safety procedures and reduce the risk of accidents.
Building maintenance: AI-powered sensors can monitor building systems and detect potential maintenance needs, reducing downtime and repair costs.
Supply chain management: AI can analyze supply chain data and optimize logistics, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Augmented reality: AI-powered augmented reality tools can assist workers in complex tasks, such as identifying pipes and cables behind walls, improving accuracy and efficiency.


Industry Implications
agricultural science and farming industries
AI is already having a profound impact on every aspect of the agricultural science and farming industries, particularly as we see an ongoing maturity of precision farming concepts.
Precision agriculture: AI can analyze data from sensors and drones to create precise maps of crops, allowing farmers to optimize irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide use.
Crop prediction: AI can analyze data on weather patterns, soil quality, and historical yield data to predict crop yields and help farmers plan their harvests.
Plant disease and pest detection: AI can analyze images of crops and detect signs of disease or pests, allowing farmers to take action before the problem spreads.
Livestock monitoring: AI-powered sensors can monitor livestock for health and welfare, allowing farmers to identify and address potential problems before they become serious.
Harvesting optimization: AI can analyze data on soil moisture and crop ripeness to optimize the timing of harvesting, reducing waste and improving yields.
Irrigation optimization: AI can analyze data on soil moisture and weather patterns to optimize irrigation, reducing water waste and improving crop yields.
Supply chain management: AI can analyze data on crop yields, weather patterns, and transportation costs to optimize supply chain logistics, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Crop breeding: AI can analyze genetic data and historical yield data to identify crops with desirable traits and help breed new varieties.
Climate adaptation: AI can analyze data on climate patterns and suggest crops and farming techniques that are best adapted to changing conditions.
Agricultural robotics: AI-powered robots can perform tasks such as planting, weeding, and harvesting, reducing labor costs and increasing efficiency.
Soil analysis: AI can analyze data on soil quality and suggest appropriate fertilizers and amendments, improving crop yields and reducing environmental impact.
Crop health monitoring: AI-powered sensors can monitor crop health and detect signs of stress or disease, allowing farmers to take action before the problem spreads.
Autonomous vehicles: AI-powered autonomous vehicles can perform tasks such as planting, harvesting, and transporting crops, reducing labor costs and improving efficiency.
Animal behavior analysis: AI can analyze data on animal behavior to identify signs of stress or illness, allowing farmers to take action to improve animal welfare.
Water management: AI can analyze data on water usage and suggest techniques for conserving water, reducing costs and environmental impact.
Agricultural market analysis: AI can analyze data on commodity prices, supply and demand, and weather patterns to provide insights on market trends and help farmers make informed decisions.
Food safety: AI can analyze data on food production and distribution to detect potential food safety risks and suggest appropriate interventions.
Aquaculture optimization: AI can analyze data on water quality and fish health to optimize aquaculture operations, reducing costs and improving yields.
Farm management: AI can analyze data on crop yields, labor costs, and weather patterns to provide insights on farm management and suggest ways to optimize operations.


Artificial Intelligence: The Acceleration of Risk and Legal Complexity & What To Do About It
Custom article for the Washington Speakers Bureau, 26 April, 2023Global futurist, Jim Carroll, shares insights into the acceleration of risk and legal complexity due to artificial intelligence, and what organizations can do to mitigate their risk.
What are we going to do the first time someone wants to have an AI chatbot offer evidence in a court trial?Is the evidence reliable? Will it be trustworthy, or might it include some invalid or plainly incorrect misinformation? Will lawyers on both the plaintiff and defendant side be prepared to deal with these thorny, complex new legal issues? This is not a mythical issue – indeed, we will probably see this challenge arrive before we know it.What are association executives going to do as ChatGPT and other technologies begin to chip away at the knowledge base within their profession? What will they do to deal with the absolute explosion of new knowledge that is already emerging – and how will they prepare their members for that? What do they need to do with professional education so that careers don’t disappear – but evolve at the speed of AI? Not only that – do they have a concise view of the new opportunities and challenges all this fast moving AI technology is presenting to their industry?What will corporate risk managers and legal staff do to deal with an absolute flood of new legal risk issues, involving complex new legal issues that did not previously exist? How will they manage fast emerging trademark, copyright, intellectual property and other new issues? What will they do as artificially-generated ‘misinformation-at-scale’ floods their world posing complex new defamation, libel and other challenges?What will regulators and politicians do as AI comes to challenge the very foundation of so many existing laws and regulations, at the same time that it poses vast new economic, geopolitical and societal challenges and opportunities? How do we move forward an already slow moving government process to deal with blazing fast AI technologies?These are not theoretical questions – these are new realities that we have to begin thinking about right now, at this very moment – because the future of AI is happening faster than we think.Most of us already know that – the last few months have been a whirlwind with new AI technologies.The big question is – what do we do about it?
The Unique Legal and Risk Challenge of Technology
I’ve had some unique experiences with questions like this.Over 20 years ago, I was very heavily involved as an expert witness in a Canadian federal court case that involved among other things, intellectual property, trademark, Internet broadcasting, the origins of the Internet, and most importantly, the evidentiary value of the Internet in the courtroom. (This was one of 5 cases I was involved with; two others involved my insight as an expert witness to two successful Leaves to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.)Held in Canadian Federal Court – Trial Division, the case between ITV TECHNOLOGIES, INC. and the plaintiff WIC TELEVISION LTD. consumed pretty much one year of my life, in addition to the keynotes I was involved in at the time.I was there, because up to that time, I had already written 34 books about the Internet and technology trends throughout the 90s, which launched me into my global futurist role. My role was to provide detailed insight into the origins of the Internet, and the complex issues it was providing in this very complex legal case.I was there to testify about issues of trademark, copyright, the origin of domain names, Internet broadcasting, and generally, how the Internet works.But a key part of my testimony was unique for the time, and had to do with whether the Internet could be used in the courtroom as actual evidence – specifically to the question of “the evidentiary value of the Internet in court.” In essence, the issue was whether the information on a webpage was accurate or false, and whether it could be relied upon in the same way, and meet the standards of other evidence. This was a unique moment in the world of law, and still remains somewhat unresolved to this day.(As an aside, I actually had 3 days of testimony in addition to all the affidavits I prepared. And I will say this – I have absolutely no issues getting up in front of 10,000 people on the massive stage in Las Vegas with a keynote about the future, but I am willing to admit that being in a court room, testifying, in front of a judge, three lawyers, and two spectators is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do! I doubt that I will ever want to do it again!)The issues that I covered on the stand and in the affidavit that I provided gave me a very early glimpse into the very complex issues that emerge into a new world — what happens when fast moving technology runs up against a slow legal process. It provided me insight into the fact that by and large, even twenty years ago, society, corporations, associations, and government seemed to be ill prepared to deal with the speed with which new challenges were emerging.Keep in mind this all happened 21 years ago. Now, in the context of the emergence of ChatGPT and other technologies, we must consider that if we were ill-prepared then, we are even more challenged today.Looking back, the testimony I offered with respect to the issues at hand now seem very quaint in light of the massive, emerging legal issues surrounding artificial intelligence It’s pretty evident that at some point in time soon, someone will attempt to introduce an artificial intelligence chabot, or information generated from an AI, as evidence.How will courts react?This is but one of the massively complex legal issues that are unfolding in a world that seems ill prepared to cope with the speed of this new technology is coming at us.And that’s what we need to focus on.
The Emergence of New, Unknown Risk
Last fall, I spoke in Switzerland at the global risk management conference for Zurich Insurance. I was there, as a futurist, to provide insight into the new emerging risks that corporate organizations and associations should be thinking about. The room was full of corporate risk managers.In addition to a long list of emerging technological, societal and other risks, I also offered two key observations:“EVERY NEW TECHNOLOGY IS ULTIMATELY USED FOR A NEFARIOUS TERRIBLE PURPOSE, ACCELERATING SOCIETAL RISK“AND“NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL NOW ALWAYS EMERGE FASTER THAN THE ABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS TO MANAGE THE RISK IT REPRESENTS!”My key point for this room full of corporate risk managers was that we are now in a situation in which new unknown risks are now emerging with new technologies and complex issues at such a speed that we don’t even yet know what they are – and don’t have any idea as to how to manage them.In effect, it’s not just the identified risks that are coming that we need to worry about – it’s the new unknown risks. Not just that, but it’s the speed at which these new unknown risks are coming at us.It was barely one month later that ChatGPT appeared on the scene, and our world of legal issues and risk management forever changed. And it is at this very moment that government leaders, business executives, association executives, and just about everyone else has started to think about these risks, and what to do about them.There are no easy answers – and precious little time to sort it out.
The Acceleration of All Things Legal
All of us need to understand the depth of these new issues and what they present in terms of new challenges and opportunities, peril and risk.And to start out, we should appreciate that these AI risks and legal issues have already been with us for a time. What better way to assess that than to ask an AI itself – Microsoft’s Bing, which is based on ChatGPT4.Question:“Provide me a concise summary, with details, of the various new legal and risk issues that have emerged with AI technology prior to the arrival of ChatGPT, and what organizations have had to do to try to deal with these issues.”Bing ChatGPT:“AI technology has raised various legal and risk issues that have challenged the existing laws and regulations. Some of these issues are:Algorithmic transparency: AI systems often operate as black boxes, making it difficult to understand how they reach certain decisions or outcomes. This can affect the rights and interests of individuals and organizations who are subject to AI decisions, such as in credit scoring, hiring, or medical diagnosis. Algorithmic transparency requires AI systems to be explainable, interpretable, and accountable for their actions and results.Cybersecurity vulnerabilities: AI systems can be susceptible to cyberattacks, such as data breaches, hacking, or manipulation. This can compromise the security, privacy, and integrity of the data and systems involved, and potentially cause harm to individuals or organizations. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities require AI systems to be robust, resilient, and secure against malicious threats.Unfairness, bias, and discrimination: AI systems can reflect or amplify the biases and prejudices of their developers, users, or data sources. This can result in unfair or discriminatory outcomes for certain groups or individuals, such as in facial recognition, criminal justice, or social media. Unfairness, bias, and discrimination require AI systems to be fair, inclusive, and respectful of human dignity and diversity.Lack of contestability: AI systems can make decisions or recommendations that affect the rights and interests of individuals or organizations, such as in insurance claims, tax audits, or health care. However, there may not be adequate mechanisms or processes to challenge or appeal such decisions or recommendations, especially if they are based on complex or opaque algorithms. Lack of contestability requires AI systems to be subject to human oversight and intervention, and to provide effective remedies for grievances.Legal personhood issues: AI systems can act autonomously and independently of human control or supervision. This can raise questions about the legal status and responsibility of AI systems and their creators or users. For example, who owns the intellectual property rights of an AI-generated work? Who is liable for the damages caused by an AI-driven car? Who is accountable for the ethical implications of an AI-enabled weapon?3. Legal personhood issues require clear and consistent definitions and frameworks for the legal rights and obligations of AI systems and their stakeholders.“Woah. That’s some complex stuff! And at this point I asked Bing to stop because it kept on going with a long list!Proceeding further, I asked where this goes next. After all, what’s a good futurist these days without a good futurist-AI friend?Question:“Now, with the arrival of ChatGPT and LLM (Large language models) what new risks are introduced?”BingChatGPT4 responded:“Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and LLM are AI systems that can generate natural language texts based on large amounts of data. They have many applications and benefits, but they also introduce new risks that need to be addressed. Some of these risks are:Biases and ethical concerns: LLMs can reinforce biases present in their training data. This could lead to ethical issues such as discriminatory or misleading content that tarnish a business’ reputation or harm individuals or groups. Biases and ethical concerns require LLMs to be trained and evaluated on diverse and representative data, and to be aligned with human values and norms.Information hazards: LLMs can leak private or sensitive information from their training data or generate plausible but false information that could harm individuals or organizations. Information hazards require LLMs to be designed and deployed with data protection and security measures, and to be transparent and accountable for their sources and outputs.Misinformation harms: LLMs can produce poor, false, or misleading information that could affect the quality and reliability of knowledge and information. This could have negative consequences for individuals or organizations who rely on LLMs for decision making, especially in sensitive domains such as health, education, or finance125. Misinformation harms require LLMs to be accurate, consistent, and verifiable, and to provide sources and evidence for their claims.Malicious uses: LLMs can be used by actors who try to cause harm or exploit others by generating deceptive, manipulative, or harmful content. This could include spam, phishing, propaganda, fake reviews, impersonation, or cyberbullying. Malicious uses require LLMs to be regulated and monitored for potential abuse, and to provide mechanisms for detection and prevention of harmful content.“Double yikes! This is complex stuff. Are we ready? I had to stop Bing’s AI because it kept on going!
Accelerating Issues
All of this is now happening in which we were already dealing with a massive explosion in the base of legal knowledge and risk management issues. I’ve spoken at the partners conferences of many major legal firms, as well as a variety of risk and safety oriented conferences. In all of these events, I’ve stressed several things when it comes to the future of risk, including legal risk:
There’s going to be more of it
It’s going to come at us with greater speed and intensity
Unless we are watching really carefully, we won’t be aware of it until we have to deal with it
The implications of not dealing with new risks will become more severe as time moves on
It’s not the known risk that will get us – it’s the unknown risk that matters
There is more new unknown risk coming at us
It’s coming at us even faster than we know
And in that context, that means there are a lot of new risks that are yet to come that we don’t yet understand and that we don’t yet know how to manage
All of this is now happening in which we were already dealing with a massive explosion in the base of legal knowledge and risk management issues. I’ve spoken at the partners conferences of many major legal firms, as well as a variety of risk and safety oriented conferences. In all of these events, I’ve stressed several things when it comes to the future of risk, including legal risk:
Every new technology involves new risk
We don’t fully understand the new risk that comes with this technology.
We tend to roll out new technologies before we think through the implications of what risk it represents.
People then discover this new risk, and take advantage of it, before we are prepared to deal with it
We tend to get more excited about the opportunity of new technology than we do about the process of managing the risk that represents!
We don’t really get any money allocated for the management of the risk with new technology at the same time that we spend money for that new technology
How do you mitigate against risk when you don’t know what that risk might be? How do you guard against legal issues that don’t even yet exist? How do you guard intellectual property for products you don’t even yet know you will invent? That’s the challenging reality of our new world of risk today.Want some fun? At one of these events, I put up a list of 40 new areas of legal risk management that did not exist 10 years ago. Protecting shared 3D printing models of your new products that could be easily counterfeited. Drone technology and surveillance law. Genetic counselling laws, LGBTQ issues, fantasy sports league management, organic certification, and laws involving cannabis use in the workplace and place of business.Now add AI law into the mix.
Moving Forward? Government, Associations, Corporations and Professions
So what do we need to do about all this?Obviously, we need to figure it out – and that involves getting on top of the trends, understanding it and assessing what it means. Knowledge and insight is paramount.And that needs to be done with a reality that it’s moving faster than fastAs I write this blog post, things are moving incredibly fast. We are already seeing all kinds of new legal actions within the creative, trademark copyright, and other industries. Federal government agencies are rapidly trying to come to grips with what we do with what is happening Laws and regulations that, even when adapted to the reality of a global conductivity, the Internet, not yet seems structured to deal with the new complex challenges of our artificial intelligence ageLegislators need to get on side, and this seems to be a challenge, given the polarized nature of global politics. I was extremely encouraged, and I listened to “The Daily” podcast from the New York Times, where they interviewed one US senator, a 73-year-old man, who has taken the time to take a couple of artificial intelligence courses on his way to an AI degree. He is doing so that he could understand the nature of what is happening, and the legislative action that might be required. That’s a good sign, because the very same newspaper recently ran an article that acknowledged that Congress was ill-equipped to deal with the speed at which events are unfolding.Association executives, CEOs and CxOs, corporate risk, and legal managers need to understand and constantly assess and reassess the nature of the risk that AI is now presenting in their industry, and the new risk issues they will be directly challenged with. They need to think about their skills and knowledge issues that are arriving in this complex, new world, and what they need to do to deal with that. They must assess the potential disruptive impact of AI, and the strategic pathways forward.The best way to start is to do a very detailed industry and company specific overview of the impact of this new fast world. This should be done by keeping in mind that this is not just about ChatGPT, but so much more. I’ve been busy preparing for my clients and industry-by-industry assessment of a vast number of issues that AI presents – both in terms of what has happened already, as well as with what is yet to come. This needs to be done on a continuous basis, because things are evolving so fast.Similarly, association executives and leaders need to ensure that, with AI being the hottest topic on the speaking circuit in 2023, they aren’t just focused on ChatGPT but also all the other elements of AI. ChatGPT is getting all the attention, and will have profound implications , but there is so much more that has already been happening, and so much more yet to come. They need to ensure that their members, and in the industry they professionally represent, have good detailed insight as to where they should go, how this will impact them, and what they need to do about it. I suspect this will be a Main Stage and leadership meeting topic for many years to come.In my 30 years as a futurist I have never seen a technology and trend explode at the speed with which AI is unfolding. I am excited for the opportunity it presents, and yet at the same time, I am terrified by what it represents, particularly for organizations and associations, ill prepared to manage what comes nextOver in Switzerland in the Fall I closed my keynote with two comments.First:Companies that do not yet exist will build products that are not yet conceived, based on ideas that have yet been generated, using materials not yet invented, with manufacturing methods that have not yet been conceived. Are you ready for the new world of disruption?”And then:So what do we need to do about all this?Obviously, we need to figure it out – and that involves getting on top of the trends, understanding it and assessing what it means. Knowledge and insight is paramount.And that needs to be done with a reality that it’s moving faster than fastAs I write this blog post, things are moving incredibly fast. We are already seeing all kinds of new legal actions within the creative, trademark copyright, and other industries. Federal government agencies are rapidly trying to come to grips with what we do with what is happening Laws and regulations that, even when adapted to the reality of a global conductivity, the Internet, not yet seems structured to deal with the new complex challenges of our artificial intelligence ageLegislators need to get on side, and this seems to be a challenge, given the polarized nature of global politics. I was extremely encouraged, and I listened to “The Daily” podcast from the New York Times, where they interviewed one US senator, a 73-year-old man, who has taken the time to take a couple of artificial intelligence courses on his way to an AI degree. He is doing so that he could understand the nature of what is happening, and the legislative action that might be required. That’s a good sign, because the very same newspaper recently ran an article that acknowledged that Congress was ill-equipped to deal with the speed at which events are unfolding.Association executives, CEOs and CxOs, corporate risk, and legal managers need to understand and constantly assess and reassess the nature of the risk that AI is now presenting in their industry, and the new risk issues they will be directly challenged with. They need to think about their skills and knowledge issues that are arriving in this complex, new world, and what they need to do to deal with that. They must assess the potential disruptive impact of AI, and the strategic pathways forward.The best way to start is to do a very detailed industry and company specific overview of the impact of this new fast world. This should be done by keeping in mind that this is not just about ChatGPT, but so much more. I’ve been busy preparing for my clients and industry-by-industry assessment of a vast number of issues that AI presents – both in terms of what has happened already, as well as with what is yet to come. This needs to be done on a continuous basis, because things are evolving so fast.Similarly, association executives and leaders need to ensure that, with AI being the hottest topic on the speaking circuit in 2023, they aren’t just focused on ChatGPT but also all the other elements of AI. ChatGPT is getting all the attention, and will have profound implications , but there is so much more that has already been happening, and so much more yet to come. They need to ensure that their members, and in the industry they professionally represent, have good detailed insight as to where they should go, how this will impact them, and what they need to do about it. I suspect this will be a Main Stage and leadership meeting topic for many years to come.In my 30 years as a futurist I have never seen a technology and trend explode at the speed with which AI is unfolding. I am excited for the opportunity it presents, and yet at the same time, I am terrified by what it represents, particularly for organizations and associations, ill prepared to manage what comes nextOver in Switzerland in the Fall I closed my keynote with two comments.First:Companies that do not yet exist will build products that are not yet conceived, based on ideas that have yet been generated, using materials not yet invented, with manufacturing methods that have not yet been conceived. Are you ready for the new world of disruption?”And then:“Risks that don’t yet exist will come from products, inventions and ideas that are not yet conceived, based on imaginative concepts not yet imagined…. Are you ready for the new world of risk?”Welcome to your future!“Risks that don’t yet exist will come from products, inventions and ideas that are not yet conceived, based on imaginative concepts not yet imagined…. Are you ready for the new world of risk?”So what do we need to do about all this?Obviously, we need to figure it out – and that involves getting on top of the trends, understanding it and assessing what it means. Knowledge and insight is paramount.And that needs to be done with a reality that it’s moving faster than fastAs I write this blog post, things are moving incredibly fast. We are already seeing all kinds of new legal actions within the creative, trademark copyright, and other industries. Federal government agencies are rapidly trying to come to grips with what we do with what is happening Laws and regulations that, even when adapted to the reality of a global conductivity, the Internet, not yet seems structured to deal with the new complex challenges of our artificial intelligence ageLegislators need to get on side, and this seems to be a challenge, given the polarized nature of global politics. I was extremely encouraged, and I listened to “The Daily” podcast from the New York Times, where they interviewed one US senator, a 73-year-old man, who has taken the time to take a couple of artificial intelligence courses on his way to an AI degree. He is doing so that he could understand the nature of what is happening, and the legislative action that might be required. That’s a good sign, because the very same newspaper recently ran an article that acknowledged that Congress was ill-equipped to deal with the speed at which events are unfolding.Association executives, CEOs and CxOs, corporate risk, and legal managers need to understand and constantly assess and reassess the nature of the risk that AI is now presenting in their industry, and the new risk issues they will be directly challenged with. They need to think about their skills and knowledge issues that are arriving in this complex, new world, and what they need to do to deal with that. They must assess the potential disruptive impact of AI, and the strategic pathways forward.The best way to start is to do a very detailed industry and company specific overview of the impact of this new fast world. This should be done by keeping in mind that this is not just about ChatGPT, but so much more. I’ve been busy preparing for my clients and industry-by-industry assessment of a vast number of issues that AI presents – both in terms of what has happened already, as well as with what is yet to come. This needs to be done on a continuous basis, because things are evolving so fast.Similarly, association executives and leaders need to ensure that, with AI being the hottest topic on the speaking circuit in 2023, they aren’t just focused on ChatGPT but also all the other elements of AI. ChatGPT is getting all the attention, and will have profound implications , but there is so much more that has already been happening, and so much more yet to come. They need to ensure that their members, and in the industry they professionally represent, have good detailed insight as to where they should go, how this will impact them, and what they need to do about it. I suspect this will be a Main Stage and leadership meeting topic for many years to come.In my 30 years as a futurist I have never seen a technology and trend explode at the speed with which AI is unfolding. I am excited for the opportunity it presents, and yet at the same time, I am terrified by what it represents, particularly for organizations and associations, ill prepared to manage what comes nextOver in Switzerland in the Fall I closed my keynote with two comments.First:So what do we need to do about all this?Obviously, we need to figure it out – and that involves getting on top of the trends, understanding it and assessing what it means. Knowledge and insight is paramount.And that needs to be done with a reality that it’s moving faster than fastAs I write this blog post, things are moving incredibly fast. We are already seeing all kinds of new legal actions within the creative, trademark copyright, and other industries. Federal government agencies are rapidly trying to come to grips with what we do with what is happening Laws and regulations that, even when adapted to the reality of a global conductivity, the Internet, not yet seems structured to deal with the new complex challenges of our artificial intelligence ageLegislators need to get on side, and this seems to be a challenge, given the polarized nature of global politics. I was extremely encouraged, and I listened to “The Daily” podcast from the New York Times, where they interviewed one US senator, a 73-year-old man, who has taken the time to take a couple of artificial intelligence courses on his way to an AI degree. He is doing so that he could understand the nature of what is happening, and the legislative action that might be required. That’s a good sign, because the very same newspaper recently ran an article that acknowledged that Congress was ill-equipped to deal with the speed at which events are unfolding.Association executives, CEOs and CxOs, corporate risk, and legal managers need to understand and constantly assess and reassess the nature of the risk that AI is now presenting in their industry, and the new risk issues they will be directly challenged with. They need to think about their skills and knowledge issues that are arriving in this complex, new world, and what they need to do to deal with that. They must assess the potential disruptive impact of AI, and the strategic pathways forward.The best way to start is to do a very detailed industry and company specific overview of the impact of this new fast world. This should be done by keeping in mind that this is not just about ChatGPT, but so much more. I’ve been busy preparing for my clients and industry-by-industry assessment of a vast number of issues that AI presents – both in terms of what has happened already, as well as with what is yet to come. This needs to be done on a continuous basis, because things are evolving so fast.Similarly, association executives and leaders need to ensure that, with AI being the hottest topic on the speaking circuit in 2023, they aren’t just focused on ChatGPT but also all the other elements of AI. ChatGPT is getting all the attention, and will have profound implications , but there is so much more that has already been happening, and so much more yet to come. They need to ensure that their members, and in the industry they professionally represent, have good detailed insight as to where they should go, how this will impact them, and what they need to do about it. I suspect this will be a Main Stage and leadership meeting topic for many years to come.In my 30 years as a futurist I have never seen a technology and trend explode at the speed with which AI is unfolding. I am excited for the opportunity it presents, and yet at the same time, I am terrified by what it represents, particularly for organizations and associations, ill prepared to manage what comes nextOver in Switzerland in the Fall I closed my keynote with two comments.First:Companies that do not yet exist will build products that are not yet conceived, based on ideas that have yet been generated, using materials not yet invented, with manufacturing methods that have not yet been conceived. Are you ready for the new world of disruption?”And then:“Risks that don’t yet exist will come from products, inventions and ideas that are not yet conceived, based on imaginative concepts not yet imagined…. Are you ready for the new world of risk?”
AI Megatrends — Beyond ChatGPT and Towards The Artificial Intelligence Megatrends Rocking Industries
Article prepared for the National Speakers Bureau, nsb.com, May 2023
When Jim Carroll shared with us the work he was doing on Megatrends in AI and how he is able to customize to industries who will be increasing investments in the technology and digital transformation, we welcomed his contribution here on our website to explain the Megatrends Opportunity further. We hope you find inspiration in this article!
–Theresa Beenken, CEO, www.nsb.com
2023. It’s the year of ChatGPT. All ChatGPT, all the time!You know what I mean – it’s everywhere! It’s in the news, it’s on social media, its in the newsletters you receive – even your kids and grandkids and parents are talking about it.And here’s the thing – it is massively significant and will change the world faster than you might think. A few years ago, one of my books, The Future Belongs to Those Who Are Fast, outlined in clear terms why one of the most important things anyone should do today is to align with the new world of speed.Maybe I should do a second edition, titled “The Future Belongs to Those Who Live in Hyperspeed.” But I digress.But here’s something you need to know – ChatGPT, while a massive disruptor, is also but a small part of something even bigger.WAY bigger.Here are some points to ponder.
Spending on AI in manufacturing is going to go from $6.6 billion in 2022 to $178 billion by 2030. Little of that has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in healthcare, medical sciences, and pharma was about $10 billion in 2022 but is expected to be between $87.4 billion and $177.4 billion by 20230. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in insurance is going from $2-3 billion in 2022, to between $30.7 billion and $67.9 billion by 2030. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
Spending on AI in the construction industry? From $1.3-2.1 billion in 2022 to between $11.9 billion and $23.1 billion by 2030. Little of this has to do with ChatGPT.
I have similar numbers for virtually every other industry.Do you see the trend here?What’s the point? As a corporate or association executive, you will soon be dealing not just with the impact of ChatGPT – but with the massive, disruptive, transformative industry and skills change that goes far beyond what you are seeing right now.You might get a sense that you will need to scramble to deal with these massive, disruptive challenges. And that’s why I’ve been writing my AI Megatrends series. I’ve been covering for my clients the big, massive impact of AI in every industry, with statistics, trends, insight, and detailed research. The numbers presented above indicate a big change. You need to make sure you understand what that change is.At this very moment, you need to move your mind beyond ChatGPT to think even bigger. There is so much more going on. Go back and look at the numbers above. Now think about what this represents, and what it means to your corporate team or association and profession members. Your industry is being transformed by AI; your education skill set is being massively impacted; your structure is changing. Let me give you but a few examples.
In the world of insurance, spending on AI has to do with the fact that we are shifting the way that we assess and underwrite insurance risk from looking back in time to looking doing it in real-time or even looking forward. This is being done by using sophisticated AI risk analysis tools – and that’s but one small aspect of the role of AI in the industry.
In the world of healthcare sciences and medicine, AI has already had a profound impact. We are embedding it into medical device technology, using it to identify disease earlier, undertaking highly specialized pharmaceutical research, and more. The opportunity going forward is massive.
In the world of construction, we are using AI in digital twin technology, virtualization of processes, heads-up display technology, and more – and in essence, using AI as one part of our toolkit to fundamentally change how we build things.
In the world of manufacturing, it’s about predictive diagnostics, process monitoring, layering AI into IIoT (The Industrial Internet of Things), and more. It’s about the smart factory, the Factory of the Future, Factory 4.0.
None of these megatrends has anything to do with ChatGPT.They have everything to do with the AI Megatrends.No doubt, ChatGPT, and large-language models are tremendously exciting – there is so much going on, and they will have a PROFOUND impact on everything we do going forward. And no doubt, you’ve got plenty of speakers who might be able to talk about that aspect of AI.But I’m willing to bet you aren’t thinking about the AI Megatrends – the things are found behind the staggering numbers above.I am.You need to think beyond ChatGPT. You need to understand how AI is redefining your industry, profession, company, and career – and what you need to do about it!With that in mind, you need to know that the acceleration of AI is not just about the technology; it’s not just about ChatGPT; it’s the transformative and disruptive concepts involving such things as predictive diagnostics, autonomous technologies, and machine vision, the hyper-connectivity of intelligent devices, the integration of AI into robotics and virtualized digital twin technologies, workforce and process augmentation technologies, virtual knowledge assistants, real-time risk monitoring, product reinvention, and transformation through embedded AI, and so much more!These are the types of AI Megatrends that you need to understand in order to comprehend how your industry, profession, association, and job and career will change. It’s vast, sweeping, transformative megatrends that will continue at a faster pace as we enter the ‘era of acceleration.’What you need RIGHT NOW is highly relevant AI Megatrends guidance from a realistic, strategic business perspective.Because this is big, and getting bigger.

WHAT DO ORGANISATIONS NEED TO THINK ABOUT REGARDING AI?
London Speakers Bureau, June 2023, by Futurist Jim Carroll
In 1993 the World Wide Web burst onto the scene with ferocious intensity.
Within a matter of a decade, new billion-dollar industries emerged, knowledge accelerated, skills and professions forever changed, new competitors caused havoc in every single industry, and the entire issue of public relations and communications was subjected to dramatic new challenges as a result of the arrival of sophisticated misinformation tools. The fact is, entire industries and professions were disrupted – and associations and corporations were subjected to these and other massive changes at a staggering speedAt the time, most CEOs and association executives were ill-prepared for the dramatic emergence of a new technology that would forever reshape their industries and the professions they represented. At the time, I built up a pretty significant presence at corporate and association meetings putting into perspective the strategic and disruptive impact of the Web and other new technologies and trends – and spent the next three decades doing so.Now we face a similar inflection point with artificial intelligence, but the speed of the disruptive change today is even faster – and it is critical that association executives and CEOs understand not just the technology behind the trend, but the massive disruptive impact that is unfolding.And if there is one thing I have heard from my clients so far, it is that everyone is absolutely overwhelmed both by the speed of the sudden new AI trends, as well as the impact that these trends represent.With that in mind, it’s a good time to consider just a few of the different angles from which you need to be thinking about this new era of ‘all AI, all the time!’
First, It’s The Strategy That Matters
“The essence of leadership is finding the strategy within the hype!”That’s the first comment I offer up to executives trying to make sense of a world of AI that can seem absolutely overwhelming at times.AI ChatGPT
No doubt you have spent some time working with ChatGPT, have taken a look at Microsoft’s new AI-enabled Bing search engine, and might even have generated a few images with MidJourney or Stable Diffusion. These are the fast-moving new technologies that are quickly taking every association, corporate, government agency, profession, and industry into new and unknown territory. The risk implications seem profound, the knowledge impact pretty intense, and the challenges and opportunities vast.You can’t help but read or watch the news, consider upcoming annual conferences or events, or have a leadership meeting, and not have a discussion around AI. But so far, much of this coverage has focused – often with breathtaking phrases – the big implications of all these exciting new technologies.But just as in 1993 and beyond, you don’t need to understand the technology behind a trend to determine your future course of action – you need to understand the strategic implications of the trend. And with that in mind, it’s important not to fall into the trap of FOMO – the ‘fear of missing out’ – and falling into the pit of chasing what the technology industry has long called ‘the latest shiny new toys.’No doubt new tools like ChatGPT are taking us into a wild and new future, but I’ve long suggested that caution is warranted – because we’d best make sure we understand the strategic implications rather than the technology.And that’s my first bit of advice – focus on the strategy, not the technology.No doubt, you’ve got members of your association or organization who are very excited about what new tools like ChatGPT might represent to your future. And yet, we need to ask ourselves – is there a real opportunity here with AI, or is it just this year’s hottest new shiny toy? Here’s one thing I know – the history of leadership is one of having to carefully balance the enthusiasm of their team for chasing hot new trends (such as ChatGPT) with the reality of the need for a real strategic purpose.Never has this situation become more real than it is today with AI.
Separating Silicon Valley Disruption from Industry Disruption
Second, I think it is helpful to consider that it can be helpful to separate the BIG changes occurring with technology companies with these new AI trends from the changes occurring in your industry, organisation, or profession. One is not necessarily moving at the same speed as the other!Don’t get me wrong – we are at a transformative moment with the sudden acceleration of AI.But the first thing is to realize that in the short term, dramatic change is happening with technology companies – but not necessarily with mainstream industries.I always like to break down any trend into the short-term acceleration of Silicon Valley, technology acceleration – and second, the longer-term disruptive impact on other industries.AI Sillicon ValeyWe are seeing massive upheaval with any company or association that is within the tech sector. The next few years will see a seismic battle for dominance between search giants like Google, Microsoft, and Apple; we will also see the birth of new billion-dollar companies, launched from the genesis of a brilliant idea that is being considered at this very moment; we will witness the obliteration of many existing software and service business models.After all, right now, there are people in the iconic garage hatching an idea that will make them the next generation’s billionaire superheroes.And then there is the rest of us. All of us will be impacted by ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and Mid-journey, and all the other technology that is in the press these days are massively disruptive – the future of the way we search and interact with information is set to change in massive ways. The search engines we access, the tool at our disposal, and the very nature of the way we work day to day will change. We need to make sure our staff and our members are able to cope with a new era of knowledge upheaval, and this is going to be a complex voyage that we will need to manage.But we also need to realise that the issues we are faced with are even bigger than that. And that involves the ‘AI Megatrends.‘
The AI Megatrends and Industry / Profession Disruption
That brings me to the third issue – I think it is important to understand that even before ChatGPT burst onto the scene, there was already a lot of AI-based disruption within every single industry for quite some time. I’ve spent years describing various advances of AI in various keynotes in many industries, and have long referred to these as the AI Megatrends.As a result, you need to look beyond ChatGPT, image and video generation, and the other hot new technologies – and take some time to understand what is already underway. That will help to bring you strategic clarity on what you need to be doing with AI,AI Health illustrationConsider how AI is being used in health care. We already have doctors detecting and diagnosing irregular heart rhythms known as atrial fibrillation, potentially years before they might otherwise have been detected, interpreting signals that are so subtle that humans might not be able to detect them. We are using specialised cameras to examine eyes, combined with AI to detect diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of blindness. We are developing specialised optical technologies that can read physiological data and detect – visually, without body contact – vital signs such as body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, fatigue, and even drug and alcohol use in seconds. We are identifying fake and counterfeit drugs through the examination of chemicals and other markers with AI analysis. We are using AI to improve the accuracy of polyp detection in colonoscopy screening. Then there is what we can call “sophisticated molecular surveillance“—for example, turning cell phones into what some experts call “smell phones” capable of spotting particular medical conditions. Emergency rooms? We’re using AI to help identify and treat patients most at risk in ERs and ICUs: it’s become a sort of early warning system to alert staff to significant but subtle changes in patients that might not be otherwise noticed. We can even use AI to select organs for donor transplant with a greater potential for success of the outcome.Spin over to agriculture. The idea of precision agriculture has been a part of the industry for close to 30-40 years as a concept; slowly moving at first, it has finally picked up significant speed in the last decade. AI is now moving precision agriculture forward even faster as it allows us to, for example, analyse data from sensors and drones to create precise maps of crops, allowing farmers to optimize irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticide use.We can fly a drone over a crop and gather very discrete information at a very detailed level – AI can then be used to analyse these images of crops and detect signs of disease or pests, allowing farmers to take action before the problem spreads. And livestock monitoring – for lack of a better phrase, we are in the era of ‘Fitbits for cows,’ using AI-powered sensors that can monitor livestock for health and welfare, allowing farmers to identify and address potential problems before they become serious.
How about insurance with AI?
The industry was already being rapidly disrupted by the use of AI for sophisticated data analytics. The entire concept of AI-based predictive analytics is shifting the industry away from actuarial-based historical assessment of insurance risk to a world of real-time coverage. Policy niches, micro-insurance, and just-in-time insurance are driving an increasing number of new revenue models. Fast-paced trends involving self-driving cars, the sharing economy, personal drones, swarm-bots, smart dust, and augmented reality will either mitigate, accelerate or challenge the very notion of risk assessment and underwriting – and AI plays a role in all of this.Similar trends are already underway and will continue to accelerate in every single industry, from banking to manufacturing, construction to retail.And as you read this, keep in mind that while these are massive disruptive trends, it will clearly take some time for the infrastructure, support models, change management, and implementation opportunities some time to evolve. It takes strategic clarity.Clearly, every single industry, profession, association, and organisation is being significantly impacted by this disruptive change happening within the world of accelerating AI. ChatGPT and LLM technologies have thrown a new spanner into the works, making faster trends that were already well underway. As an executive, you must carefully, clearly, and deliberately approach this disruptive era with a clear strategic goal in mind.In other words, how do you chase the strategy, not the technology?
Accelerating Risk Issues
Last but not least – and you already know this – the current fast-moving generative AI technologies are presenting all of us with vast new risk issues. I think we need to keep in mind that today – and particularly with these new AI tools – technology has inherently become a risk-manufacturing tool.What keeps me up at night? When it comes to AI, it fits into my mindset that new technology is evolving so fast that we as a society no longer understand how to manage it and minimise the new risk that it presents. That’s what you need to think about today as a CEO or Association executive. All of these new tools are obviously going to blur the difference between reality and fake to such a degree that we will barely be able to comprehend it.I’m more concerned about the manner by which it can be used to alter reality, and what is going on right now with these systems, DALL-E, and other text-to-image generators. It’s just exploded in the last three months, it sort of bubbled along there for years and years and years, and all of a sudden it’s… so massively real. What we can do with it is staggering, but what we can do with it from a risk perspective to generate fake headlines or generate video of politicians saying something that they never said, that’s coming at us extremely quickly.So I worry less about the role of artificial intelligence – you can do magical things, so for example, diagnosis of a disease, AI can do a better diagnosis of 909 different types of eye disease than an ophthalmologist… I’m less concerned about what it provides and more concerned about how it might be used or misused, and I don’t think we as a society are ready at all to deal with that reality.I think what this means is that as a CEO or association executive, you need to develop a new framework for risk. And you need to do it sooner than you think.Welcome to our new future. It’s fast, complex, and moving at speed.
Futurist Jim Carroll helps CEOs, senior executives, and association leaders align their strategic objectives to the rapid acceleration of AI. It’s based on customised research specific to your industry and organisation, and aligned to your unique perspective. It’s insight that matters, is relevant, and actionable! None other than NASA has booked him – twice – for a talk on ‘the future of space.Other clients include the World Bank, Zurich Insurance, Nikon, the BBC, Disney, Pfizer, Chrysler, Volvo, and hundreds more. He is known worldwide for his strategic thinking – and when it comes to AI, you don’t need the tech – you need the strategic insight. You don’t need hype. You need strategic reality. That’s Futurist Jim Carroll.

The Acceleration of Artificial Intelligence: A New Look at Our Disruptive Future
Article by Jim Carroll, Leading Global Futurist, Trends & Innovation Expert & Authority on Rapid Business Model Changes and AI
AI! It’s THE topic of 2023! Already, just a few months into the year, it’s already ‘all AI, all the time!’ Have you ever seen a topic take on such dominance in the industry?Futurist and Keynote Speaker Jim Carroll
No doubt, as an event planner, it’s on your mind this year pretty often — and you, like just about everyone else, are stunned by the speed with which artificial intelligence has suddenly come to the forefront. You’ve been busy experimenting with ChatGPT to see how it might be used to help out with some of your event planning and management; might have used a few image generator tools for some artwork; and are keeping a finely tuned ear-to-the-Web to keep an eye out for all the reports as to how AI is going to provide opportunities in your day to day activities.In my own case, I’ve recently been using ElevenLabs, an AI voice generator, to do the voiceover work for a series of promotional videos, and to experiment in this complex new world, recently generated a video avatar over at Synthesia who conducted an interview with me from my virtual broadcast studio. It’s an interesting time to be a futurist to see many predictions come to life — albeit at a speed that is simply staggering!“All of us who are involved in the event industry need to work with these tools, experiment with them, understand them, and get an ongoing idea of how they can help us in our day job.”And there is no doubt that AI, as a topic, is probably quickly making its way onto your event agenda this year, and you are busy finding speakers and topic experts to help your attendees understand this complex new world.Many of the events so far seem to be taking apart ChatGPT, and highlighting the tools and tricks of navigating through this complex new world — and that’s an important first step.And yet, as you know, this new era presents both promise and peril to every single organization, industry, and profession — and you will soon be finding that you are thinking ‘beyond ChatGPT’ to the real, strategic implications of this complex new world.As a futurist, that’s where my mind has been racing too, and I’ll offer you up just two of the many tracks that we need to be thinking about the acceleration of knowledge, and the disconnect between hype and strategy. Let’s dig in!
The Acceleration of Knowledge
Over my 30+ year career as a futurist, I have spent a lot of time in CEO leadership meetings and as the keynote speaker at conferences and events speaking about the acceleration of knowledge.We live in the era of the acceleration of all knowledge. These are the trends that define the future:
1. Rapid knowledge obsolescence
2. Rapid knowledge emergence
3. The disappearance of existing careers due to #1
4. The rapid emergence of new careers due to #2
5. An ongoing need for continuous knowledge replenishment because of #1-4
6. The result is the arrival of a need for just-in-time knowledge
7. And a world in which learning is what most adults will do for a living
All happening in the context of the fast emergence of new micro-careers because of specialized knowledge and an economy that succeeds through knowledge deployment. All demanding a fundamental transformation in knowledge delivery.Here’s a fun fact about knowledge in just one industry: prior to COVID, it’s estimated that the volume of medical knowledge was doubling every 6 to 8 years. It’s now estimated to be doubling every 78 days, if not faster! No one medical professional can keep up; all medical knowledge is almost instantly out of date, replaced by new insights, new forms of diagnoses, new methodologies, new forms of treatment, and new forms of measurement and analysis.Medical professionals are now increasingly reliant on their knowledge navigation skills – the ability to absorb that which is new is fundamental to success.Now add AI into the mix of this tsunami of knowledge acceleration. You’ve seen this in the programs and agendas you’ve put together over the years; your association conferences have focused on the knowledge challenge, and your corporate events have examined the HR implications of increasing knowledge specialization.But are you thinking now about where this new world of AI-generated knowledge takes us? We are headed for an absolute tsunami of knowledge acceleration — and not only is there going to be more coming at our members at a faster pace, but the accuracy and validity of much of that AI-generated information are going to be questionable. What is the impact on your industry, or the profession whose events you manage?I’ve long pointed out on stage that most associations now represent industries for which “you need to deliver knowledge that you aren’t yet aware of, for jobs that don’t yet exist, to a group of people who don’t know that they will need it. And you need to do it yesterday!”That’s the context of knowledge everywhere — and in the context of the acceleration of knowledge via AI, that issue has just become much more complex.“If it hasn’t happened already, virtually every single event platform — event management, attendee registration, and more — is suddenly going to become AI-enabled.”Think about it — if we layer AI on top of the reality of knowledge exponentiation, AI is exponentiating the exponentiation! In that context, of all industries, healthcare, medicine, and pharma have already been the industry most impacted by accelerating AI.ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and all the other technology that is in the press these days are massively disruptive. The future of the way we search and interact with information is set to change in massive ways. And yet, with all the attention on that, few folks are thinking of the other big issues that have already been unfolding in every industry and profession as AI continues its relentless march forward.What does this mean? I don’t think AI as an agenda topic will be a one-and-done type of topic. You will be dealing with the disruptive impact of AI as a massive societal trend for years to come, at the same time that the Internet has disrupted so many industries over the last several decades.What this means is that you should not only keep an eye out for the tools that might help you with your day job as a planner, but you need to keep your vision sharp thinking through the strategic AI implications you will need to bring to your podiums and events!
The Hype-Opportunity Imbalance
Speaking of AI tools, there are a LOT of them.All of us who are involved in the event industry needs to work with these tools, experiment with them, understand them, and get an ongoing idea of how they can help us in our day job. That’s why I’m using an AI voiceover, and why I had an AI avatar interview me. It helps me keep up with how fast things are evolving.But we also need to be careful not to get caught in the trap of excessive hype. Like any technology, AI is real, but it will also take some time to mature and provide real sustainable opportunities.That’s why the other issue I spend a lot of time thinking about has to do with the massive hype that now surrounds everything having to do with AI.Let me start here: already there is an imbalance in the technology/strategy universe when it comes to AI. What is it?Carroll’s Law of Accelerated Imbalance: When the pace of development and availability of new software vastly outstrips the ability of people and organizations to deal with it.That’s where we are with AI at this very moment, and it is fascinating to watch!How fast is AI moving? A few weeks ago I mentioned a website that didn’t exist 6 months ago – that featured 5,500+ AI tools.

Oh, wait, that was two weeks ago. I just checked it again on Monday when I did a mailout to clients, and it’s up to 9,000!

This morning, 3 days later, it’s up to 9,500 tools.

The site is a useful resource that leads to a vast variety of mostly personal AI tools – stuff having to do with productivity, scheduling, video, audio, and design. It’s indicative of the number of new startups built around fascinating new ideas to exploit the sudden new arrival of tools around ChatGPT, text-to-image, text-to-video, and yes – text-to-music tools.

And so, for example, I now have access to the Google AI “Test Kitchen”, and can do a simple text-to-music command. That's magic.
We are witnessing the emergence of magic – but, there is so much happening that it is difficult to keep track of!On the corporate side, the same thing is happening. My attention was drawn to a post on LinkedIn from someone I follow from the software company SAP; it was about their new AI-related software releases, which are being featured in their global Sapphire product updates this week.

Timo commented: Unsurprisingly, one of the first big topics was the rise of Artificial Intelligence. SAP has been embedding AI into lots of different areas for many years now, in areas like logistics, finance, travel receipts, etc. A lot of this is already taken for granted because “it just works”. But of course, the latest technology changes mean new business opportunities and the main SAP AI product page has been updated to include new AI application examples and messaging.He referenced SAP’s new AI roadmap: A new Generative AI Roadmap page and a more detailed blog post give some examples of how generative AI can benefit existing business workflows, including helping deal with freight documentation (in SAP Transportation Management), write job descriptions (in SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting), or find best-matching processes (in SAP Signavio Process Transformation Suite).

Most every other major corporate software vendor — the folks who build the stuff that runs the corporate world — have a similar marketing story and spin, and have been busy with a similar integration of AI technologies into their products. But suddenly, it’s the marketing buzzword du jour. In other words, we are now in the era of ALL AI, ALL THE TIME.What does this mean for you? If it hasn’t happened already, virtually every single event platform — event management, attendee registration, and more — is suddenly going to become AI-enabled. The marketing pitch will be extreme. But what does it really mean? What will be real, and what won’t be? When should you invest?The word ‘overwhelmed’ is quickly coming to define anything having to do with AI – new stuff is coming at us at a blistering pace, and organizations and executives are feeling like they exist in an absolute firehose of new ‘stuff.’ This means that, essentially, we are here:

It’s always interesting to watch when Carroll’s law comes into play, and the excessive hysteria outstrips the ability of organizations to deal with the opportunity. It never ends well for a time, until we get to the Plateau of Productivity.Don’t get me wrong — there is something fundamentally transformative occurring here, and this is one of the most seismic, disruptive trends to have occurred in decades. It IS comparable to the arrival of the Internet and the disruptive steamrollering of industries which then ensued over the next three decades. It’s just happening… faster.That’s why I’ve positioned myself with my AI-focused website to offer ‘strategic clarity’ — the insight that CEOs and association executives need to provide their teams.There’s a lot of tremendously exciting stuff going on, but without linking it to a strategic purpose, organizations will end up spinning their wheels. The concept is getting a great response – executives don’t want toys, they want clarity; they want to cut through the confusion; they want to transition from feeling overwhelmed to being in control.What an exciting time to be a futurist! And what an exciting time to be an event planner — your agendas are going to be rich, evolving, and fast-moving!Jim Carroll is “the Futurist that CEOs trust.” Over a 30-year career, he has been booked regularly by CEOs and senior executives of major organizations worldwide, to provide an opening or closing keynote or leadership talk on highly customized topics. None other than NASA has booked him – twice – for a talk on ‘the future of space.” Other clients include the World Bank, Zurich Insurance, Nikon, the BBC, Disney, Pfizer, Chrysler, Volvo, and hundreds more.