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Artificial intelligence is only part of the future.
January 06, 2025
Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images
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AI is merely one facet of a sweeping technological change underway, and companies that fail to recognize the importance of other converging technologies risk being left behind. Two other technologies — advanced sensors and biotechnology — are less visible, though no less important, and have been quietly advancing. Soon, the convergence of these three technologies is going to underpin a new reality that will shape the future decisions of every leader across industries. This is the new reality of “living intelligence”: systems that can sense, learn, adapt, and evolve, made possible through artificial intelligence, advanced sensors and biotechnology. Living intelligence will drive an exponential cycle of innovation, disrupting industries, and creating entirely new markets. Leaders who focus solely on AI without understanding its intersections with these two other technologies risk missing a wave of disruption already forming.
Recently I was sitting across the table from the executive leadership team of a global healthcare services company, and I could tell by their body language that something was off. They’d invited me in to consult on their AI strategy, but they seemed defensive. The Chief Information Officer, a sharp guy who’d clearly done his homework on emerging tech, launched into a detailed explanation of their new large language model. It was impressive, no doubt. This model automated their insanely complex data entry process — think mountains of handwritten patient forms and a chaotic mix of digital files — and consolidated everything into a single, coherent record. They’d spent well over a year developing and testing it, and were understandably proud of their accomplishment. But as he talked about the rollout, it was obvious to me that they were already lagging behind.
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