What's Emerging November 2022
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy
Welcome to our end of November newsletter.
In the next few weeks, Paul will be continuing work with Save the Children on their strategic planning and with the RSL on thinking about the future. He also continues to participate in a global research project led by Simon Wardley from the UK and is continuing a year-long foresight advisory role with Vision Australia. He has also taken over as Chair of Social Venture Partners Melbourne, the venture philanthropy group he has been a partner at for the last 8 years at the same time as working with 100 Story Building on their social enterprise strategy.
Please Contact Us if you want to talk about any of these approaches for your organisation or industry or want a presentation for your organisation or conference.
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition:
Not sure about retiring? Maybe you should try ‘pretirement’
You don’t necessarily have to make a choice between retiring and continuing to work.....…. Read more
What are we Writing About?
Paul’s presentations to the CEO Institute are up on our website. You can access them by going to our Home Page and looking under our latest work
What’s Emerging
China Electric Car Sales — 22% Fully Electric, 31% Have A Plug!
Plugin vehicles continue to be all the rage in the Chinese auto market. They grew 75% year over year (YoY) in October. They scored over 578,000 registrations last month, their second best month ever, only behind last September when they hit 636,000 registrations…….. Read More
Copper’s biggest mystery is finally cracking (maybe)
In what could prove a game changer for global supply, a US startup says it’s solved a puzzle that has frustrated the mining world for decades. If successful, the discovery by Jetti Resources could unlock millions of tons of new copper to feed power grids, building sites and car fleets around the globe, narrowing and possibly even closing the deficit..... Read More
The World Cup's New High-Tech Ball Will Change Soccer Forever
All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been.......……. Read more
KFC blames its bot for promoting its cheese-covered chicken on Kristallnacht
Fast food chain KFC sent customers in Germany a message encouraging them to “treat [themselves]” to the restaurant’s food to mark the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the coordinated anti-Jewish attacks by the Nazi Party many consider to be the beginning of the Holocaust...……read more
AMC to Create Zoom Rooms in Its Theaters
At launch, companies can book a three-hour block of time at several theaters simultaneously, in order to hold virtual events across multiple markets. AMC and Zoom will provide the equipment and will offer food and beverage services, a concierge and a movie viewing for an extra cost. Paul: an interesting business model and change to share work places. We spoke to clients about these sorts of possibilities in the middle of the Pandemic ..…..Read more
OVER 1,000 SONGS WITH HUMAN-MIMICKING AI VOCALS HAVE BEEN RELEASED BY TENCENT MUSIC IN CHINA. ONE OF THEM HAS 100M STREAMS.
During the three months to end of September, TME rolled out what it refers to as “patented voice synthesis technology”, the Lingyin Engine. This tech, says TME, can “quickly and vividly replicate singers’ voices to produce original songs of any style and language”........…..Read more
How metal-munching microbes help the rare, toxic element tellurium circulate in the environment
This discovery is significant because nanoparticles play a special role in the environment, as they have different properties compared to macro-particles. For example, they tend to be more reactive than larger particles, and they may be toxic in their own right. The tellurium nanoparticles appeared very similar to gold nanoparticles that have previously been found on the surface of gold grains............….. Read more
Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking Reduce Front-to-Rear Crashes by 50%
The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) released results of the largest government-automaker study to date about the real-world effectiveness of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in passenger vehicles. The study shows that vehicles equipped with forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) reduced front-to-rear crashes by about half. In addition, AEB continues to perform well in all conditions, even when roadway, weather, and lighting conditions are not ideal. Paul: while driverless vehicles being widespread may still be a while off the technologies are definitely improving safety. One annoyance in my partners car that has flexible cruise control is that it leaves a larger distance to cars in front which people then move into, reducing the safety improvements ....…. Read more
Netflix nights still come wrapped in red-and-white envelopes
Netflix’s trailblazing DVD-by-mail rental service has been relegated as a relic in the age of video streaming, but there is still a steady — albeit shrinking — audience of diehards like Amanda Konkle who are happily paying to receive those discs in the iconic red-and-white envelopes. Paul: Your semi-regular reminder that disruption occurs more slowly than you think.......…..Read more
Caterpillar Successfully Demonstrates First Battery Electric Large Mining Truck and Invests in Sustainable Proving Ground
Caterpillar completed development of its first battery electric 793 prototype with support from key mining customers participating in Caterpillar’s Early Learner program. Participants of the program with definitive electrification agreements include BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Corporation, Rio Tinto and Teck Resources Limited...........….. Read more
Fossil Vehicle Bans Are Likely To Hit Mom-&-Pop Gas Stations The Hardest
According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, there are a little over 5,000 independent gas station owners in California, and they’re already something of an endangered species. In interviews with the Los Angeles Times, many of these owners said the state mandate will accelerate the demise of their business model. Paul: I was interviewed on electric vehicles for a BBC Storyworks feature last week and made the point that at the later stages of the transition it may be hard to find a petrol station.....….….Read more
Smartphone data from drivers could help spot when bridges need urgent repairs
Usually, bridges’ state of repair is monitored in one of two ways: either engineers visually inspect them for cracks and faults, or sensors collect data about their vibrations and movements. But a new method developed by researchers at West Point Military Academy and other universities avoids the need for either by collecting accelerometer data from smartphones in cars as they drive over the bridges. In tests that involved driving across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and a reinforced concrete bridge in Italy, they found that just two smartphones could provide data of similar accuracy to 240 stationary sensors.......…… Read More
France's electric scooter market continues to explode
The 42% increase in sales between 2020 and 2021 shows that this means of transport is no longer simply a passing fad, four years after the first models appeared in the city...........…. Read more
Business Tips
Charge HQ: Easily Coordinate Your EV Charger, Battery and Electricity Tariff
Paul: This is still surprisingly hard to do..…… Read more
Remote work is hard. Here are five ways to make it easier
Hybrid work is becoming the norm in the workforce. People spend about two days a week in the office and rave about decreased expenses, increased productivity, and a better work-life balance. But with fewer trips to the office and fewer opportunities to meet and interact with other employees, hybrid and remote workers risk becoming detached from their company culture. According to a study by tech analyst Gartner, 60% of hybrid workers solely identify with their company culture through their direct manager. .……Read more
Two Stanford Professors Explain How to Produce Hundreds of World-Changing Ideas In 1 Hour
For best results, use an innovation sandwich: Bring people together for all the benefits of serendipity and shared knowledge. Then send them back to their desks for quiet contemplation of what they've discussed. Finally, gather them together once more to share their thoughts and strike even more sparks. ....…. 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.