Will AI help save the planet? The state of AI, AGI, and robots and making technology a force for good

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WWF, originally established in 1961 to preserve wildlife, has a long pedigree in its efforts to save nature and the planet. However it is also continually renewing itself, and in contrast to some other organizations in the space it now has a strong focus on the potential of technology to assist its mission.

Among other initiatives WWF has founded Panda Labs, a decentralized innovation ecosystem to experiment and create positive impact at scale. An example of its initiatives is OpenSC, which uses blockchain-style technologies to create transparent and ethical supply chains, built in collaboration with BCG Digital Ventures.
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In the future of work our avatars will collaborate in virtual worlds

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Whlie virtual reality is currently solidly in the trough of disillusionment, it has always been evident that in the long term entertainment and interaction in virtual worlds will become commonplace.

What has not been as evident to many is that much of that remote interaction will be between avatars of ourselves, with realistic representations of us conversing and engaging with others.
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The 5 elements of enhancing client relationship capabilities

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Below is an excerpt from my book Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships 2nd Edition from Chapter 6 on Enhancing Client Relationship Capabilities: Implementing Key Client Programs.

See links to details on my work as a strategy advisor on client relationship leadership and my keynotes and workshops on building exceptional client relationships.

Enhancing Client Relationship Capabilities

Every firm has a certain set of capabilities in developing high-value client relationships. All successful firms will have at least reasonable capabilities in this domain, even if this has not been an overt focus in their management activities. The issue, whatever the current state of those capabilities, is how to continually enhance them. As you saw in Chapter 1, doing quality work is not enough. At every level from the top end of the market down, differentiation will increasingly stem from how well firms manage their client relationships. What was good enough a few years ago is not good enough today, and what is good today will simply not be adequate a few years from now.
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2020 and beyond: heightened climate activism, wealth divides, gender power shifts, entertainment economy

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The most recent Good Weekend magazine, which reaches over 1 million readers in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and Melbourne’s The Age, included a compact feature interview with me titled Meet the futurist with 2020 vision.

Below are some brief excerpts, or read the full article:
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50 years later: Humanity’s adaptation to Future Shock

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This year it is 50 years since Alvin Toffler published Future Shock. It was an immensely influential book in shaping how his generation thought about the future.

In commemoration of the anniversary, a new book After Shock: The World’s Foremost Futurists Reflect on 50 Years of Future Shock―and Look Ahead to the Next 50 is coming out in early February, with contributions from a wide range of leading future thinkers, including Ray Kurzweil, Alan Kay, David Brin, Zoltan Istvan, Aubrey de Grey, myself, and many others.

Below is the chapter I contributed, summarizing my thoughts on this remarkable book and how it helps frame our future.
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7 lessons learned from 20 years of professional speaking

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It is exactly two decades since I became a professional speaker. I had paid my dues over the previous four years speaking frequently for free at conferences. My breakthrough from ‘free to fee’ came from the publication of my first book, Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, which gave me the credibility and visibility to be invited for my first professional engagement in late January 2000.

I have to acknowledge I didn’t do a stellar job for my first paid gig, but it was the beginning of what has been and still is a truly wonderful career. For me being a futurist and professional speaker is an absolute dream job, travelling the world to share ideas with an eclectic range of fascinating people.

Here are seven things I have learned about the profession of speaking over the last 20 years of hard work.
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The 2020s will be a pivotal decade: we all have a responsibility to believe it can be positive for humanity

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We have now entered the very-long-awaited year of 2020, and an entirely new decade.

I truly think that everything we have experienced so far has just been prelude to the craziness of the 2020s. This will be an absolutely pivotal decade in human history, as we almost literally choose who we become and what direction we go as the human race.
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Will financial advice be delivered primarily through Netflix-like subscription platforms?

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A report just released by McKinsey, On the cusp of change: North American wealth management in 2030, offers some interesting perspectives.

The ideas presented in the report include the rise of “fit-nance” tracking of holistic advice, financial advisors focusing on life coaching, and ubiquitous user ratings of advisors.

One of the key concepts in the report is that financial advice will be substantially provided over Netflix-like subscription platforms:
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The future of society in 15 years: a technology-fueled renaissance and social divides between humans and cyborgs

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I was recently interviewed by SBS for the Australian launch of the BBC/HBO drama Years and Years, which through the series progresses from today until 15 years in the future.

Below is the text of the article, titled What will the future hold for us in 15 years?:
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How to build customer feedback loops for exceptional service and high-value innovation

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Companies are continually asking for our feedback. But do they actually use that feedback, and if so how? Unless we know, the company’s response comes back to its customers, there is zero motivation to provide meaningful input. But if that feedback loop is well-designed it will build far more loyal and engaged customers.

I wrote about how to build customer feedback loops in my book Living Networks, shown below. The advice is still just as relevant today, not least as still so few companies are doing this well.

Building customer feedback loops

Consumer expectations have soared over the last years. In a world of digital connections, customers take for granted virtually immediate responses to their problems and desires. For the last few years companies have been working hard to improve their service response, by creating new service delivery channels, building sophisticated automated response systems, and enhancing call center processes. The intent is to respond to customers’ issues quickly and efficiently.
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