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Daniel Newman, founding partner and analyst of Futurum Research, a research firm focused on Digital Innovation, disruptive technologies and trends, these days he participates, remotely, from his home near Chicago in the Barcelona Digital Talent Day 2020.
Teams, Microsoft’s communication and video calling application, works the magic to be able to have breakfast virtually when it is 8 in the morning in Illinois and 9 in Florida.
He begins by talking about the name of his company, a declaration of intent: “It comes from the future in Latin, because we identify the great challenges. Many stay in technology, we link it in relation to humans. The role of people is very important”.
Still immersed in a growing Covid-19 as winter arrives, he dares to predict what the world will be like when the virus is overcome. In your opinion, in mid-2021 we will return to a reality similar to the above, but with interesting nuances. “We will learn to contract remotely, to do everything better remotely. If you are a small store, you will have learned to use eBay or Amazon to sell. These behaviors will continue. We will continue eating in restaurants going to discos and the beach. They are not going to take that away from us, ”he says.
The expert highlights the role of tools in this world that we already envision, in which he highlights an interesting opportunity for our country: “I have been to Spain more than 20 times, I love its culture, you have solid relationships. You don’t share a coffee or wine on the screen, that’s a value that allows you to connect and build trust. We have learned that we can be effective remotely. They will invest more in the change. Many had plans to change the model, now they have had to do it quickly. These disruptions are global. Work will be more flexible and our lives more balanced ”.
Next January 20, Joe Biden he will be proclaimed President of the United States. Newman does not hesitate to share his views on this political change: “He has been a politician for 50 years. He was already a senator and vice president. It will bring a balance that was lost with the previous administration. It will be less polarizing. He is not a progressive, although America is more so today than a few years ago. Going to look for a balance between the power of Wall Street and technology against those who have less and small businesses. If they get a progressive majority in the Senate, they may raise taxes and put more regulation on technology. We have become very radical. You have to think more before acting ”.
Since last spring, some cities in the United States have seen the pandemic cause unexpected moves. New York and San Francisco are two of the worst hit. Still without official figures, the falls in the price of rents are a good indicator. Newman assumes it naturally: “Silicon Valley has become very expensive. Hiring there is expensive. Although it is true that there is a great talent concentrated there. In recent months the movement has been more noticeable. Elon Musk has traded California for Texas. HP takes an important part to Houston. Hedge Funds and some VCs are moving to lower-tax places like Florida. It is logical. Many companies can deploy solutions without having the programmers sitting there or near their data centers. This opens the world to talent from everywhere, without borders. Not only in the United States, but all over the world ”.
This links to one of the workhorses of technology companies, the diversity. Being able to add different profiles, with different contexts, backgrounds and beliefs allows us to be more inclusive. Also better understand reality. They are aware of the benefits but, in general, there is seldom enough representation not only of women, but of more minorities. “In general, more attention is paid to diversity at the top of organizations. On the recommendation of Nasdaq, it is sought that there is at least one woman in positions of true power. Microsoft or Facebook are trying hardBut many companies struggle to achieve that balance. It is being a slower change than we all thought, but there is an irrefutable fact, companies that invest in diversity have better results, “he says.
The author of ‘Human / Machine’, a guide to understanding the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution, sees only benefits in this interaction: “In general, I am optimistic. The relationship between humans and machines is very symbolic. Machines are not going to replace humans. In previous revolutions it looked like this, but we are much more advanced and it has been shown that, as machines become more technical, the prospect of coexistence becomes clearer. The great ambition is to have better experiences, better lives. Mobile is an example of coexistence. It always goes with us. Before to travel you had to carry a phone number, printed tickets, addresses, contacts … Now everything goes in your pocket. We are creating new jobs ”.
Since D+I it is difficult to resist the temptation to ask about the future of the media: “There are many ways to be disruptive in the media. Starting with having a better design that invites you to read, going through having the best information. Being less biased is also a way to innovate. Today we see more and more media that want to put up a paywall. That is disruptive too, but it won’t be a good solution for everyone. They have to think of other ways to make money, different. If everyone repeats the same formula, it stops being useful. “
Newman says goodbye with a philosophical reflection: “The naivety of humans is a gift. We will not starve for the arrival of the robots. You just need motivation to keep innovating and creating ”.
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