NRF 2018: The Big Show Panel panel discussion with Dan Hodges, CEO- Consumers in Motion, Tenzin Priyadarshi, Director of the ethics initiative at MIT Media Lab, Anindya Ghose, Heinz Reihl chair and professor of business at the NYU Stern School of Business, Francesca Rossi, AI ethics global leader and distinguished research staff member for IBM.

Additional info:

https://www.retailwire.com/discussion/are-ethics-compatible-with-ai/

https://biztechmagazine.com/media/video/nrf-2018-questions-arise-intersection-ethics-and-technology

https://www.ibm.com/blogs/industries/retailers-heres-asking-ai/

Our team created one of the most successful data center launches in Europe in August of 2017. Many have asked us how we did it, but our response is that why we did it is more important. In short, our CEOs wanted to build an enterprise that would harness the power of nature and the human resources of the community in a responsible, sustainable manner. Combining data with nature creates a better future for all. We took a page from the luxury industry in marketing and communicating our value proposition.

How successful was the launch?

Our launch reached seven hundred million people around the world, and we were featured in eight hundred publications worldwide. BBC Worldwide, Bloomberg, CNBC, and hundreds of others covered the launch (http://kolos.com/press). Co-CEO’s Mark Robinson and Havard Lillebo conducted over one hundred interviews during this time. 

Why are data centers important?

People use data in their everyday lives. They check the weather forecast, learn how their favorite team performed, or navigate a road when they are driving. The explosive growth of this demand is fueling the need for data centers. Data is at the center of our lives, and we believe that today’s successful data center launches have six important characteristics. Data, personalization and AI will all be drivers in the luxury industry.

What lessons can you learn for your brand or business?

We utilized the our six “Cs” process to launch the data center.

Communications: We found that simple, clear communications worked best for our launch plan. Sustainability, emotion and brand purpose were the key communication points. We selected Bartok, a New York City­–based luxury design and digital agency, for the brand identity and website creation. The press efforts we led by Warren Getler of Getler Strategic Communications

Community: A data center typically is a large structure that consumes power and generates very high noise levels. Instead of sequestering the data center, we wanted it to be integrated into the community. In order to meet the stringent design requirements that would make that possible, our CEOs launched a global request for proposals from the largest architecture firms in the world. HDR was selected based on their ability to understand both the culture and the community.

HDR Kolos Welcome Center

Connectivity: Plentiful power and fiber connections are at the core of a data center, and this location had both.

Conservation: Data centers both require energy to operate and generate a tremendous amount of heat, which in turn requires a large amount of power to counteract. We selected an area in northern Norway that could power the data center with one hundred percent sustainable energy, and we developed a way to use the heat generated in a responsible, eco-friendly manner. We were honored to have Norway’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Vidar Helgesen, spoke at our press conference.

Kolos: Powering The Future Video:

Culture: The area we selected for the data center has a rich cultural and natural legacy. HDR created a design that was respectful of both the culture and the stunning geography of the region.

HDR Kolos Design Site Overview

Cooperation: The process of engaging the community started many months before the project’s conception. We communicated and shared the branding, data center site design, and all the details with local officials involved in the project.

When brands use the six “Cs” process applied against any brand launch, the results will be impressive.

Kolos website: http://kolos.com. Kolos was sold Hive Blockchain in 2018.

I participated in a discussion with Ray Kurweil. Bill Gates said that Ray Kurzweil is “the best person I know at predicting the future of artificial intelligence.” I had the opportunity to meet Ray Kurzweil and here are the key highlights of the discussion. Like Kurzweil, Consumers in Motion Group sees a shift to an Artificial Intelligence first world.

Over the next thirty-six months will see an increase in the rate of change unmatched in human history (see below) whereby we will experience the equivalence of hundreds of years of technical development and knowledge changing annually.

Key Trends That Will Transform People & Business*

  • A connected population of five billion people for the first time in humanity.
  • The rapid connectivity of the world’s objects from cars, houses, refrigerators, offices buildings, medical devices and much more.
  • More industries joining the industrial Internet of Things.
  • A global 24/7 information always-on economy.
  • The industrialization of the cloud and the rapid growth of data centers.
  • A mass commercialization of Graphene for use by industries is a game changer.
  • Entering an AI (Artificial Intelligence) First World

 

*Source: Consumers in Motion Group 2017


Advertising: A Brand is a Pattern

Kurzweil says “a brand is a pattern, it’s a logo, representing a brand. A simple pattern. But for a brand to establish itself, it tried to associate itself with a certain pattern that people will identify with. Like, this brand is fun, and this brand is reliable. And the essence of your intelligence, the essence of our neocortex, which is part of your thinking, is recognizing patterns. It’s based on patterns and brands take advantage of that, so we recognize a certain pattern of activity. And we need brands to help guide us through all the information resources. And the brand is a pattern. It’s a pattern of reliability. We use them as guide posts. We’ll continue to do that as we extend our brains” in a AI first world.


Exponential Change Example: Predictions on the Human Genome Project

Ray discussed the human genome project. He said “that halfway through the project, seven years into a fourteen-year project, one percent had been completed. Most observers declared it a failure and said, I told you this wasn’t going to work. In seven years, one percent, it’s going to take 700 years, just like we said. That was linear thinking. My reaction was one percent, we’re almost done, because one percent is only seven doublings from 100 percent.” He concluded that it was finished seven years later. We’ve continued that trajectory. These technologies are now ten thousand times more powerful than they were fifteen years ago when the Nano project was completed, and that was the enabling factor which has turned health and medicine into information technology. It’s called biotechnology. We’re reprogramming the software underlying life. It’s already reaching clinical practice. We can now grow organs with new DNA, and all of health and medicine is going to be transformed by this. These technologies will be another thousand times more powerful than they are today, a decade from now. We’re seeing a triple in clinical applications that will be a flood over the next ten years.


Smart Technologies to Change Fashion, Food and Building

Kurzweil said “When a girl in Africa spends $50 for a smart phone, it counts for $50 of economic activity. Even though it’s literally a trillion dollars of research development and communications infrastructure to create information services which count for nothing because they’re free. Okay, this is fantastic gains in digital technology, we know all about that. But you can’t eat information technology, you can’t wear it, you can’t live in it.  So, I said, all of that’s going to change. We’re going to put that clothing at pennies per pound in 2020’s with free open source cool designs. We’ll still make money from fashion, because if you look at other technologies which have done this with products, like things like movies and books, you can now get all these fantastic free products but people still spend money to read Harry Potter or get the latest blockbuster.”
“They’ll do the same thing with fashion and every other industry but it’s a great leveler. We’ll be basically printing out food with vertical agriculture or grow food in vertical buildings controlled by AI, very inexpensive. We’ll stem together houses and buildings with 3D modules, LEGO style, printed out on 3D printers. This was demonstrated in Asia recently. They put together a three-story office building in a few days. It was a demonstration but that’s going to be the nature of manufacturing and construction in the 2020’s. So, indeed we will be able to wear, eat, live in, information technology. It’s basically a 50 percent deflation rate.”


Artificial Intelligence & Consciousness.

Question: Can you talk about the whole area of artificial intelligence. We want to talk about a very specific area of AI, which is about the consciousness. You predicted, that we will connect our brains to non-biological neurons with a simple graft. And in that scenario, we wanted to now, what role does consciousness play? And are the non-biological neurons conscious?

Ray said, “so I’ve written a lot about this. It is not a scientific question. There’s no falsifiable experiment, that’s the basis of science, that you can create that you can create that would definitively say this entity is conscious and this one isn’t. You can’t build a consciousness detector, slide it in to the inner gray line, because okay this one’s conscious, this one isn’t, that doesn’t have some philosophical assumptions built into it. 
Non-conscious entities are only important insofar as they affect the conscious experience of consciousness. So, then the whole important moral issue is who and what is conscious. The whole debate about animal rights has to do with people’s disagreements about whether animals … which animals are conscious … the nature of their conscious experience. So, I believe it’s important, but it’s not a scientific question Which is only to say that there is still a role for philosophy. Furthermore, I say that we can’t get up in the morning and go about our day without taking a leap of faith, as to what and whom we believe is conscious. So, I share my leap of faith, which is, if it seems conscious, if it has the subtle behavior that we associate with subjective states, that it is conscious. That’s a leap of faith. So, we believe that human beings are conscious. At least, some human beings seem to be conscious. And the essence of my prediction, that machines will pass a valid Turning test and be able to handle human intelligent activities like language at human levels by 2029. Except they will be conscious. So, you can have a machine today, like a calculator or a virtual reality game, that says, “I’m very angry at you,” and we don’t believe it because it doesn’t have the subtle behavior we associate with that subjective state. The essence of my prediction is by the 2030s, they will have those subtle behaviors

Climate change is urgent and pressing human challenge, demanding action from all parts of society. But while climate change is most a problem to be solved, the transition to a low-carbon economy also represents a commercial opportunity.” A Scandinavian government report highlighted the “high tech opportunity” as artificial intelligence and its data requirements. The report stated that “drawing on our hydropower, our advanced technology and a highly skilled workforce, we could build up domestic high-tech industry across sectors likely to be central to the low carbon economy. 

Why Scandinavia?

Scandinavia with its abundance of renewable energy, proximity to dark international fiber, cool climate, secure locations and highly educated workforce provides the key elements for the development of a robust AI industry in Scandinavian. Elon Musk added Scandinavia  has a tremendous structural advantage with the Fjords and being able to generate immense amounts of hydropower. That’s something that I think can be done in a way that’s aesthetically in harmony with the environment and doesn’t disrupt the local ecology. The region’s electricity production is already decarbonized and is 100% based on renewable energy, mostly hydropower. 

 

What is the role of the AI and the consumption of data?

AI is projected to become the brains of the Internet and the engine that facilitates commerce and the global economy. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and many governments have large AI initiatives.

 

What is driving AI Growth?

AI growth is being driven by a 24/7 intelligent always-on global economy. The growth of smartphones which numbers in the billions along with millions of self- driving vehicles, the consumer and industrial Internet of Things, nano-technologies, defense spending, university research, smart building and homes, entertainment and more. A recent report by Kleiner Perkins report shows data growing from 12 ZB in 2015 to 163 ZB by 2025.

2018 will mark the 50th anniversary of the classic movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. After 50 years is Hal finally here with Artificial Intelligence and Big Data? Who can forget that computerized voice saying, “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t do that Dave”? The movie fiction is not far from the facts regarding Artificial Intelligence and its dangers being written about and discussed at conferences today. Consumers in Motion Group attended major industry events around the world in 2016 and 2017 to learn about the technologies and consumer trends that are shaping our future. We have curated these events based on the quality of their content, exhibitors and attendees and have listed the top events to attend in 2018. A word on our methodology: We ranked the events by three key criteria: 1) Distinct, value-added programming that highlights the direction our industry is going; 2) A diverse, high-caliber attendee list of marketing leaders, and 3) An environment and format that supports learning, networking and community building.  

2018 Top Event Preview

 

CeBit: Hanover, Germany, June 11–15

CeBIT is the largest and most internationally represented computer expo. The event is held in Hanover, Germany. It is considered a barometer of current trends and a measure of the state of information technology. The conferences provide a 360-degree overview of the digital industry’s four core markets: IT, Telecommunications, Digital Media and IOT.

Highlights: The event will focus on the following business areas: Big Data and Business Intelligence, Business Electronics and Equipment, Business Security, Communication Networks, Data Center Infrastructure, ECM, Input/output Solutions, ERP and HR Solutions, IOT, Marketing and Sales Solutions, POS and Banking Solutions, Research and Innovation, Unmanned Systems and Solutions, VR and AR.

 

Cannes Lions, France, June 15–24

Cannes Lions is an eight-day program of creative inspiration, celebration, education and networking held in June. Over 15,000 delegates from around 100 countries attend the Festival, making it the only truly global meeting place for branded communications professionals to connect, share and discover.

Highlights: The Cannes Lions Festival features Health, Entertainment and Innovation as three distinct conferences within Cannes Lions. Lions Health challenges the industry’s norms and motivates it to change the course of healthcare communications – and explores the ways talent and storytelling can elevate content into the cultural mainstream. Lions Innovation is an exploration of data and tech as catalysts for creativity. Over two days it showcases the new and kick-started collaboration. It brings together the start-ups with game-changing products and services, the investors who back them, the brands who work with them and the storytellers who can bring it all to life.

 

MWC: Shanghai, China, June 27-30

The Conference at MWC Shanghai (The Human Element) features thought-provoking presentations from some of the mobile industry’s most influential executives, who will share their visions of the mobile industry while providing essential insights on current and future trends.

Highlights: MWC Shanghai focuses on how mobile technology – from connected cars and wearable tech to IOT and smarter cities – is revolutionizing every aspect of individuals’ lives and creating a personalized experience. The three-day conference is the largest in the Asian marketplace and attracts the key players in the mobile ecosystem held in July.

 

MWCA: Los Angeles, September 12–14

The GSMA and CTIA created a new mobile industry event in the United States. CTIA and the GSMA are equal partners in the joint event with the GSMA leading the event’s production and management.

Highlights: MWC Americas showcases how mobile is creating the connected life, transforming how individuals, businesses and entire industries communicate, interact and innovate. Mobile World Congress Americas is set to become the leading mobile industry event in the Americas.

 

dMexco: Cologne, Germany, September 12–13

dMexco is the world’s leading exhibition and conference for the digital industry and stands for innovative and future-oriented developments and trends in the center of a new digital economy: The digiconomy. Within the two days of dMexco, a top-notch lineup of speakers and a unique presentation of diverse themes will put the crucial trends and business potential in the limelight.

Highlights: The program for 2018 will include more than 550 speakers from all over the world who will hold presentations on 15 different stages. The speakers will include digital stars, top executives, newcomers and trendsetters, who will hold outstanding keynote speeches, engage in exciting discussions and present visionary demonstrations.

 

IOT Solutions World Congress: Barcelona, Spain, October 2-4

The world’s leading Industry IoT congress, where over 250 of the most innovative and influential Industry IoT thinkers will gather together to share knowledge, present visions and explain how IoT is affecting many industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy and utilities, connected transport, buildings and infrastructure, retail, agriculture, mining, hospitality and more.

The summer vacation period provides valuable time to spend with family, friends and to re-charge our batteries. One of the favorite summer activities is reading a good book. I have the great pleasure of recommending five books that will provide valuable lessons, enjoyment and insights.

 

Grant by Ron Chernow was selected as it represents the finest example of the importance leadership and character. The current sexual harassment crisis highlights the importance of character in business and government.

 

Raven Rock by Garrett Graff was selected as it highlights a sixty-year effort by the government to protect itself from nuclear disaster. Innovations in construction, telecommunications, computer science and organization were created as a result. Today’s challenge is superiority in quantum computing. How the government responded in Raven Rock provides insight into how the government will approach quantum computing.

 

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles Mann. Much of what we know about America before Columbus is limited or inaccurate. Like Grant, it is important to know where we came from to know where we are going.

 

A World Without Mind by Franklin Foer highlights the threat created by big tech which is already integrated into every aspect of our business and private lives.

 

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert points to the five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly ended. Experts around the world are monitoring when the sixth extinction may occur. The predictions call for the devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.

 

Grant by Ron Chernow

Grant is one of the most important figures in American history. He was one of the most successful generals in the history of warfare. It was Grant’s focus and character as President that healed the wounds of the Civil War. Grant was written by Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow, author of Hamilton.

The author states that “Ulysses S. Grant’s life has typically been misunderstood. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War. But these stereotypes don’t come close to capturing him, as Chernow shows in his masterful biography, the first to provide a complete understanding of the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency.”

 

Raven Rock by Garrett Graff

The shocking truth about the government’s secret plans to survive a catastrophic attack on US soil. Graff highlights “the eye-opening true story of the government’s secret plans to survive and rebuild after a catastrophic attack on US soil — a narrative that spans from the dawn of the nuclear age to today.

For sixty years, the US government has been developing secret Doomsday plans to protect itself, and the multibillion-dollar Continuity of Government (COG) program takes numerous forms — from its plans to evacuate the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia and our most precious documents from the National Archives to the plans to launch nuclear missiles from a Boeing 747 jet flying high over Nebraska.”

 

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles Mann

In this book this Charles C. Mann alters our basic understanding of the America before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.

Mann adds “Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand.

 

A World Without Mind by Franklin Foer reviews what would happen if ideas were extinguished?

Foer sees “in the past few decades there has been a revolution in terms of who controls knowledge and information. This rapid change has imperiled the way we think. Without pausing to consider the cost, the world has rushed to embrace the products and services of four titanic corporations. We shop with Amazon; socialize on Facebook; turn to Apple for entertainment; and rely on Google for information. These firms sell their efficiency and purport to make the world a better place, but what they have done instead is to enable an intoxicating level of daily convenience. As these companies have expanded, marketing themselves as champions of individuality and pluralism, their algorithms have pressed us into conformity and laid waste to privacy. They have produced an unstable and narrow culture of misinformation and put us on a path to a world without private contemplation, autonomous thought, or solitary introspection — a world without mind. In order to restore our inner lives, we must avoid being coopted by these gigantic companies, and understand the ideas that underpin their success.”

 

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

The author highlights “why and how human beings have altered life on the planet in a way no species has before. Interweaving research in half a dozen disciplines, descriptions of the fascinating species that have already been lost, and the history of extinction as a concept.