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technologies and solutions. We need to
educate them in terms of the positives,
communicate the mechanics of how it
works and speak specifically to the benefits.
We know the fabric of innovation is a digital
foundation built in the cloud and powered
by apps and services that combine new
technologies to build life-changing experiences
and superior products. But your consumer
needs to know what impact these will have on
their daily lives, that they can trust these apps
and that no – AI is not a robot.
Take a look for example at the new Investec
advertisement that speaks to data and its
role in changing our lives; but then it also
comes back full circle to the fact that the
company still sees its consumers as human
beings, who they will service face-to-face
(if needed) and where they are not just
considered a number.
Software has the power to help march the
world forward, but there would have been no
point in building the car if they did not put a
steering wheel in it. The consumer is the first
step in the new digital frontier and as much
as we build apps, services and products for
them – we can’t leave them behind in our
excitement – even when building solutions
for the digital workforce. n
At VMware we recently ran a consumer
survey in EMEA, where we turned to
consumers to get a better idea of how they
feel about this new digital frontier we are in.
Accordingly, 46% of respondents said that
technology was at the heart of their daily
lives, recognising its benefits in a multitude
of areas. Further, 53% realise this is driving a
better customer experience with businesses,
such as banks, retailers and even doctors, and
50% of respondents also highlighted that
they believe new technology can improve
environmental issues such as climate change.
But to every positive there is a negative,
and 50% of consumers (taken from
representative samples in UK, France
and Germany) just don’t understand
enough about the use and impact of these
disruptive technologies. A whopping 45%
of the public believe that AI ‘is a robot’ and
fear its rise, in the same way SkyNet rose in
the cult classic Terminator.
www.intelligentcio.com
Lorna Hardie, Regional
Director Sub-Saharan
Africa at VMware
INTELLIGENTCIO
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