What's Emerging Jan 2023
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy.
Welcome to our first newsletter for the year.
We hope that you all had a happy and safe holiday season and New Year.
Long term readers would know that Paul hates the predictions for the next year that you see in January every year, so we don’t do any predictions. Instead, we get back to the business of providing you information you can think about and come to your own conclusions.
In the next few weeks Paul will be working on a large foresight and strategic planning program for RSL Victoria and speaking at an ag conference in Qld He will also be working with several clients on Wardley mapping analysis of their strategic options as part of our “try before you buy” option for foresight and strategy approaches utilising Wardley mapping. Please contact us if you are interested in our free 2nd Opinion process that demonstrates our approach while working on a real-world issue for you.
Paul will also be continuing his work with Save the Children, and his new position as Chair of Social Venture Partners Melbourne that supports innovative not for profit startups to scale their operations through engaged philanthropy.
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition:
Ukrainian ingenuity is ushering in a new form of warfare at sea
Are uncrewed attack vessels the wave of the future?.......……. Read more
What are we Writing About?
As we are just entering the new year we have nothing in this section this edition.
What’s Emerging
Nvidia shows how surprisingly hard it is for a robot to pick up a chicken wing
Gripping unusually-shaped objects has long been a major challenge for robots. On top of that, something like a piece of chicken can be slippery and shiny, making it even harder to grab. And if a robot drops a food item or knocks it to the floor, it goes to waste. ….. Read More
The lights have been on at a Massachusetts school for over a year because no one can turn them off
The lighting system was installed at Minnechaug Regional High School when it was built over a decade ago and was intended to save money and energy. But ever since the software that runs it failed on Aug. 24, 2021, the lights in the Springfield suburbs school have been on continuously, costing taxpayers a small fortune....... Read More
Ad spending on TikTok defies advertising slowdown
Even as marketers continue to scrape dollars back wherever they can, whether that be from TV or Facebook, they can’t stop pouring money into the short-form video app........……. Read more
China Surpasses Germany To Become World’s Second-Largest Auto Exporter
China exported 3.11 million vehicles in 2022, now it's chasing Japan....……read more
Zara Sues “Responsible” Brand Thilikó for “Passing Off” Zara Wares, Photos as its Own
Paul: Usually these stories are about brands being ripped off by their clothes being copied and discounted. This is the opposite...…..Read more
Farm Bureau, John Deere Sign Right to Repair MOU
The American Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere announced a memorandum of understanding that will allow farmers to repair their own equipment.......…..Read more
Indie bookshop numbers hit 10-year high in 2022 defying brutal UK retail year
Lockdowns were good news for book trade as people read more and sought out bookshops when they reopened...........….. Read more
The age of the grandparent has arrived
The ratio of grandparents to children is higher than ever before. That has big consequences.....…. Read more
DoNotPay is launching an AI chatbot that can negotiate your bills
The latest tool from DoNotPay can have a back-and-forth conversation with a company’s customer service representative through live chat or email........…..Read more
Silicon cost per watt down 96% over last two decades
Since 2004, the volume of polysilicon per watt is down by 87%, and the inflation adjusted price for polysilicon is also down by 76%..............….. Read more
Goodyear's New Tire Is Made From Soybean Oil, Rice Husks And Pine Resin
You may be thinking that this is just a blue-sky concept and won't go much further. However, Goodyear is taking this fairly seriously. The demonstration tire it brought to CES has been put through—and passed—regulatory testing and Goodyear's internal testing......….….Read more
Holtec claims SMR-160 can repurpose any coal-fired plant
Holtec International has applied for a patent for multi-stage compressors that would enable any coal-fired plant to be repurposed by replacing its coal-fired boiler with clean steam from the SMR-160 small modular reactor.......…… Read More
Australian sea dragon conservation enlists help of divers, artificial intelligence
They may have evolved to blend in, but the ornate faces of Australian sea dragons are so unique that scientists are using facial recognition technology to track the lives of individuals. .............…Read more.
We're about to get our first demonstration of space-based solar power
A new demo from Caltech will test the viability of unlimited solar power beamed back to Earth from orbit . .............…Read more.
Business Tips
"ChatGPT is a FREE assistant. But most people don’t know the best ways to use it. Here are 8 ways ChatGPT can save you thousands of hours in 2023
Paul: I am not a big fan of the hype around this tool, but it is useful in certain circumstances. Recognise that it is essentially a statistical program that creates stuff by looking at masses of material and placing the most likely word/code/phrase next in line. As long as you remember that you will be able to identify useful contexts for you…..read more
How to access Nike fitness classes on Netflix
Your Netflix subscription includes Nike fitness classes now. Here's how to access them . .……Read more
Drowning for love’ – 5 ways to protect your life while you’re trying to rescue someone in trouble in the water
Paul: There have been a lot of drownings over this summer season and many have been people drowning while trying to save others. Be careful out there....…. Read more
Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA) | Hybrid Work Policy
Hybrid work is now locked in as the standard for Australians, with a global study suggesting that Australian employers expect workers will work from home once a week. This means it is important that you have a policy in place to set the expectations of the hybrid working environment. This policy provides guidance about the hybrid work options available and set out the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees when working under a hybrid arrangement. .……Read more
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