Think: Augmented Reality Will Spark the Next Big Tech Platform–Call It Mirrorworld. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, has said: “Augmented reality is going to change everything.” The implication of “digitizing the physical world” will be immense. As a leader, you need to begin thinking about the implications of AR today. This article is a great place to start.
Think Twice: Conduct a Pre-Mortem. Asking your employees how you might go out of business within the next few years is a good question (I strongly encourage that you make this a regular habit) but employees “don’t know what they don’t know.” My advice: Include outsiders in your threat assessment. They might better understand why you need to Think Twice—you are on Thin Ice!
Think Historically: Erasing into the Future. Studying history can help you unlearn today.
Think Different: AI is Reinventing the Way We Invent. The future is accelerating because our tools (AI, supercomputers, quantum computers) are getting faster and more powerful. These technologies are going to demand you think differently about the future.
Think Smarter: Hard Work. Are you and your team working hard or working smart? There is a difference — a big difference.
Think Harder: This is why AI has yet to reshape most business. Implementing AI into your enterprise will be “100X harder than implementing a mobile strategy.” This does not, however, give you permission not to think harder about how you might begin implementing AI.
Think Like a Child: Fortnite is the Future. New video-gaming platforms are like “digital malls.” They could be the social squares of the future. If you are not a “gamer,” read — and think about — this article.
Think in Questions: How is the game about to change for your industry? Here are ten technologies you might want to think about today. (The question you need to ask yourself: How is my world changing?)
Think 10X: Could Lambda Become a $100 Million Business? Higher education is failing many people. This innovative company could offer a low-risk way (think no debt!) for students and workers to find meaningful, well-paying employment.
Think Bigger: Blockchain for Manufacturing: 10 Possible Use Cases. If you are in the manufacturing industry, you need to read this article and think bigger about how blockchain is about to transform your business.
Think Faster: When Will Flying Cars Arrive? Maybe Sooner Than Think. Some experts think they may be here as soon as two to five years. (I believe it will be closer to ten years but, then, the future can arrive faster-than-expected sometimes.)
Think Radically: Scientists Develop First Smart Fabric. Clothes that change in response to the wearer’s external environment may be moving out of the lab and into the commercial marketplace sooner-than-expected. Designers, manufacturers, and retailers might want to begin thinking about some radical new possibilities.
Think Anew: Spray-on Antennas Will Revolutionize the Internet of Things. This could be the technology that connects all of us to the future.
Think Sustainably: Plummeting Insect Numbers Threaten “the Collapse of Nature.” Thinking sustainably may be the key to our survival.
Think the Unthinkable: Are Cyborg Warriors a Good Idea? If the merging of man and machine sounds like science fiction, think again. Remember: Things are impossible until they aren’t!
Want to think again? You can always revisit last week’s “Future 15”.
Until next week, remember: Don’t stop thinking about the future!
