WELCOME TO 2018

The beginning of a new year always brings it with a slew of reports and thinking on what the top trends for the year will be.

To my mind 2018 is going to be all about artificial intelligence and a December 2017 report from global professional services company Accenture called Fjord Trends 2018 says that rapid technological advancements are altering the world we live in “provoking both wonder and angst about the possibilities. Whether it's artificial intelligence, computer vision or blockchain, emerging technologies are uprooting the digital and physical experiences of our everyday lives. These joint forces are simultaneously creating optimism and concern about the unprecedented wave of change that is unfolding”.

One trend the Accenture report highlights is that of ‘Physical Fights Back'. As Ben Morgan, of Accenture New Zealand said in a media release, the challenge for New Zealand businesses is translating global changes into relevant opportunities for our local market. “Topics, such as the effect of artificial intelligence on our current workforce, need to be embraced head-on so people are prepared and capitalise on the advantages. Additionally, as digital fades from being stand-alone to being embedded in our physical world, our relationships with everything around us will be redefined.”

Welcome to 2018, it's sure to be a big year for New Zealand leaders.