Any history of technology must include discussion of the unintended consequences of innovation. The so-called paperless office increased paper consumption. Email and texting caused employees to work more hours. Social media exposed us to privacy and security issues. Inside IT departments, a different flavor of unintended consequences has reared its head: Adopting AI to increase efficiency and cut costs may eventually leave them without capable IT leadership in the pipeline. By replacing junior and entry-level…  MORE

When emerging technologies begin to deployed in mass scale, they tend be implemented as stand-alone solutions. Yet inevitably, over time, they often merge with other technologies to complement each other. Such is the case with SaaS and AI. While AI provides many capabilities on its own, it’s now improving how SaaS platforms operate. This technical collaboration is transforming product development, an array of business models, and what customers expect from brand and user experiences. AI-powered…  MORE

When it comes to gaining competitive advantage, retailers have never had a more difficult challenge. Loyalty is a thing of the past, as is automatic purchase based solely on brand reputation. Consumers now study product comparisons, watch video reviews, and scroll Twitter feeds to spot both the good and the bad. They demand no-questions-asked returns and free shipping. The tiniest negative perception will induce a click to the competitor’s site. And if that’s not enough…  MORE