December 11, 2017
5 Challenges the Tech Industry is Taking On
Fortune’s annual Brainstorm TECH conference had an open dialogue about their biggest challenges and opportunities a few months ago. From emerging entrepreneurs to blue-chip CEOs, there’s no shortage of innovative approaches for addressing the most pressing issues in business and society. Here is the focus areas summarized by one of the participants of the TECH Conference.
From emerging entrepreneurs to blue-chip CEOs, there’s no shortage of innovative approaches for addressing the most pressing issues in business and society. This was the NYSE’s seventh year supporting Brainstorm TECH, and each year we’re more impressed by the outpouring of ideas and the passion the industry has for advancing the world.
Some of the areas of focus included:
- The impact of robotics and artificial intelligence. There was a lot of discussion around the impact robots and AI will have on jobs as more companies adopt automated business solutions. Participants felt that a healthy degree of fear was actually a good thing; that fear should be channeled toward the creation of good policy around the application of robotic technology and artificial intelligence. The optimal state is one in which robots are employed to do the jobs that take the most toll on human well-being and AI is used to complement human ingenuity, thereby creating a better working environment for all. According to Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, 80% of companies believe that effectively using robotics and AI is crucial to the future of business.
- Cybersecurity. According to a 2016 study by Gigamon, 97% of all companies have been breached to some degree or another, and it takes an average of 120 days to detect a breach. In addition, the number of attack vectors (e.g., network, data, endpoint etc.) continues to grow, creating more entry points to secure. Companies are laser-focused on establishing the right network of partners and vendors, and speeding up detection and resolution time for a security breach.
- Maintaining innovation. Today’s companies are continually advancing beyond their own boundaries and, in many cases, disrupting themselves.