Get Smart

Who remembers Maxwell Smart? Come on…hands up!

I was fascinated with all of the crazy inventions they had. Many made me laugh (especially the ‘cone of silence’) but most intrigued me to wonder if they were even possible.

While it seemed a crazy concept to have a ‘shoe phone’, it didn’t take us long to find dependence on the modern day ‘smart’ phone…

And smart is what is really starting to be the key to new technology. People continue to talk about the devices, the technology bits, internet of things and the integration, but it’s the ‘smart’ bit that is really going to make the key difference for how this all comes together.

While I’ve written about AI (Artificial Intelligence) in a previous blog, I’m not just referring to this sort of ‘smart’. You see, while we have the devices and the connectivity, it’s quickly going to become about the quality and quantity of the data that makes all the difference.

‘Big Data’ has been assisting marketers and advertisers for some time now, targeting the right people with advertisements. Sure, this is great for us and our clients but it’s much bigger than just ‘our industry’.

The data we can start to harness is much more powerful and can ensure that real integrations begin to take place. From sensors in construction to alert us of problems, to traffic flow measurements and smart cars that optimise our travel and allow us to reach our destinations quicker and more safely.

All in all, data, content and input will be the keys to the next wave of technology. Yes, there will be amazing new phones, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), driverless cars, on-demand everything and limitless automation…but EVERYTHING will rely on what goes ‘in’.

Some will find these thoughts scary. Others exciting. Many will not even be able to comprehend ‘what’s next’. What we can all be assured of, is the impossible will become possible and that technology will continue to grow, expand and integrate.

My advice? Embrace it and work out what affects you and how it can help you achieve whatever you need or want to achieve – business or personal.
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99: Sometimes I wish you were just an ordinary businessman.
Max: Well, 99, we are what we are. I’m a secret agent, trained to be cold vicious and savage. . . . Not enough to be a businessman.