What's Emerging mid-April 2023
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy.
Welcome to our mid-April newsletter
In the next few weeks Paul will continue working on a large foresight and strategic planning program for RSL Victoria and speaking at an anniversary dinner for the Freemasons. He is also working with mining services representative body Austmine to challenge their strategy. 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. If you in Melbourne are interested in exploring what it is like to be a partner they are holding a networking event on May 10th. You can reserve a spot at EventBrite.
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition:
Scammers can disguise their number so it looks like your bank is calling — here are red flags to watch for
The ACCC's Scamwatch is warning people that scammers are using technology to trick victims by:
making the call appear to come from the bank's legitimate phone number
sending a text that appears in the same conversation thread as genuine bank messages
Paul: this happened to me. A message from a scammer that appeared in the middle of a series of legitimate text messages from my bank. Be careful out there.....…. Read More
What are we Writing About?
Paul’s presentation to the Bundaberg Agtech Showcase is now up online. You can see the presentation by going to our Home Page and looking for the presentation under “Our Latest Work”
What’s Emerging
Experimenting with AI voice trainers and lip flap technology in a way that will eventually open up some new doors for how we make videos
Paul: This is amazing
Carbon Robotics bags $30m to fight the war on weeds with autonomous laser bots
The LaserWeeder, an autonomous robot, uses AI and CO2 laser technology to target and eliminate weeds in the field with what the company claims is “millimeter accuracy, without damaging nearby crops or disturbing the soil.”…..Read More
Supercentenarian and remarkable age records exhibit patterns indicative of clerical errors and pension fraud
Paul: your reminder to always figure out who gains from a story and to follow the money.........……. Read more
Levi’s Will Begin Testing AI-Generated Models
The denim giant says it will experiment with supplementing its human models with AI-generated models later this year.. .........……. Read More
Walmart will derive more profit from services, ad sales in next 5 years -CFO
More of Walmart's future profitability is likely to come from its sales of ads on Walmart.com and from fees it collects from merchants using its online marketplace and delivery services, than from sales of merchandise at its 10,000 stores. Paul: It is amazing how many businesses are making more and more money from advertising. See Amazon for instance...…..Read more
Scientists use 3D-printed biodegradable structures to halt erosion
Australian researchers are testing biodegradable, 3D-printed structures to protect budding wetland species while slowing coastal erosion.Supported by Beach Energy, scientists from Deakin University's Blue Carbon Lab in Victoria are placing mangrove seeds in net-like frames in coastal locations in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay to promote their growth.......…..Read more
Samsung workers made a major error by using ChatGPT
The company allowed engineers at its semiconductor arm to use the AI writer to help fix problems with their source code. But in doing so, the workers inputted confidential data, such as the source code itself for a new program, internal meeting notes data relating to their hardware. The upshot is that in just under a month, there were three recorded incidences of employees leaking sensitive information via ChatGPT. Since ChatGPT retains user input data to further train itself, these trade secrets from Samsung are now effectively in the hands of OpenAI, the company behind the AI service.......….. Read more
Warming-fueled supercells will hit the southern U.S. more often, a study warns
The study predicts a nationwide 6.6% increase in supercells and a 25.8% jump in the area and time the strongest supercells twist and tear over land under a scenario of moderate levels of future warming by the end of the century. But in certain areas in the South the increase is much higher. That includes Rolling Fork, where study authors project an increase of one supercell a year by the year 2100..…. Read more
Snap rolls out augmented reality tools for fashion retailers in latest commerce push
Paul: image generated using the image generation tool on Substack
After years of acquiring AR and AI technologies, Snap is packaging together some of its biggest tools for customers to integrate into their own websites. The business, which Snap calls ARES (Augmented Reality Enterprise Services), is launching with “Shopping Suite,” a set of try-on and sizing tools specifically geared towards retail. “Shopping Suite” currently covers three different verticals: clothing, footwear and eyewear.........…..Read more
Major retail players are walking back their metaverse strategies
These reports have raised questions on the metaverse’s ability to yield returns on the investments companies have made in it. Retailers and brands have mainly been using the metaverse to build brand experiences and marketing, but many have yet to report on its conversion rate. In an economic environment where retailers and brands have been attempting to cut costs, experts said that retailers would likely pare down unprofitable areas of their businesses. ...........….. Read more
India shores up China border strategy with 'Vibrant Villages'
A nearly $600 million Indian program to develop villages in northeastern areas bordering China, including in a state Beijing claims as its own, has underscored New Delhi's determination to consolidate control along the tense Himalayan frontier.Home Minister Amit Shah, a close aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launched the campaign this week during a visit to Arunachal Pradesh, days after China said it was renaming 11 places in the state, which it considers its territory and calls Zangnan. It was the third time Beijing announced name changes in the state, having done so in 2017 and 2021.......….….Read more
Unreal Editor for Fortnite - Full Tech Demo | State of Unreal 2023
Epic showed off how the Unreal Editor for Fortnite works in this short features video.
Can We Make Bicycles Sustainable Again?
Cycling is one of the most sustainable modes of transportation. Increased ridership reduces fossil fuel consumption and pollution, saves space, and improves public health and safety. However, the bicycle itself has managed to elude environmental critique. [1] [2] Studies that calculate the environmental impact of cycling almost always compare it to driving, with predictable results: the bicycle is more sustainable than the car. Such research may encourage people to cycle more often but doesn't encourage manufacturers to make their bicycles as sustainable as possible..........…Read more.
Elvia Wilk and Claire L. Evans on the changing role of science fiction in the age of COVID-19 and catastrophic climate change.
The overlapping crises of the past few years have presented writers of science fiction with a new set of fundamental questions. What use are dystopian futures in a society already sick with cultural pessimism? How can we imagine new ways forward while hurtling towards certain ecological cataclysm? How can sci-fi evolve, in short, to speak to the anxieties and needs of this peculiar time?............…Read more.
Business Tips
FBI warns of public 'juice jacking' charging stations that steal your data. How to stay protected
Public power outlets are being illegally modified to steal your phone's data, according to the FBI. Here's how to keep your information safe. Paul: I have one of these for my charger whenever I travel...…..read more.
GitHub Copilot X: The AI-powered developer experience
GitHub Copilot is evolving to bring chat and voice interfaces, support pull requests, answer questions on docs, and adopt OpenAI’s GPT-4 for a more personalized developer experience……Read more
Getting Tasks Finished - Sunsama Blog
Some people are better at starting things, while others are naturally focused on finishing. Paul: some of the tips here are more important for single practitioners/consultants...…. Read More
Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested in it and they can subscribe using the button below. Or contact us directly if you want to discuss any of the issues.