Technology and the future of business productivity and sustainability

“It's not what the tech can do, but what you can do with it.” 

That was just one of the key takeaways from leading technologist Noelle Russell, as she opened the third instalment of Spark Lab and Semi Permanent’s Future State 003: Ahead Of The Curve.

Russell has had years on the front lines of AI – “I got into tech the first time the world was going to end: Y2K” –  having led teams at NPR, Microsoft, IBM, Accenture, AWS and Amazon Alexa. It has left her a vocal advocate for data and AI literacy. 

With AI set to influence everything, how the technology is used comes down to intention, she says. “Build responsibly.”

For businesses considering AI, Russell, who is currently Data & AI market lead at US-based Accenture Federal Services, recommends the following rubric: 

‍Ask how you can make AI helpful, not harmful.  The best place to start with this is creating an internal generative model and encouraging employees to use it, Russell says. Banning the use of AI will do nothing other than set the company back; instead, make a safe place to play and improve literacy. Through that, you’ll discover how it might work for you. 

‍Figure out the use cases you can start with. Within this, consider: 

• Solidifying your organisation’s values; AI will amplify these so be careful.
• Determining what risk looks like for your business. 
• Asking how hard the project is that you’re proposing. The best AI solves a small problem, something Russell terms a ‘minimum remarkable solution’. Start small, not big. ‍

Transform your workforce. Find people who think differently and won’t be afraid to ask what will go wrong. As AI is a learned skill, Russell says these people aren’t necessarily technologists; they are divergent thinkers. Find those set on asking, ‘how do we use this tech for good?’ 

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Russell was the first of eight local and international speakers for the day-long Future State: Ahead Of The Curve conference held at Spark Arena, each tackling a different angle of sustainability and productivity. Here are some of the key points made by the conference’s other speakers:

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On AI – Scott Galloway, NYU Stern School of Business

The self-proclaimed sceptic said he was reluctantly optimistic about AI, seeing it as a time machine in the sense it will give people time back, with the possibility of improving accessibility in under-resourced communities. People need to understand that AI won’t take the job; someone who knows AI will, he said. 

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On productivity  – Ethan Eisman, Slack

Improving productivity within an organisation comes down to the management. Business leaders must take accountability for the company culture. 

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On innovation – Håkan Nordkvist, ex-IKEA Group

Where there is risk, there is business opportunity, but you have to disrupt yourself to stay relevant. This relies on having the right people, mindset, and culture. Provide a place of psychological safety for innovators, and great things will happen. 

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On storytelling – Damon Gameau, the Regenerators

Tackling complex issues requires cultivating a sense of reality and a sense that whatever happens, you can get through it. Tell a story people can relate to. 

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On the circular economy – panel discussion

Consider waste as a resource – Sara Smeath, Co-Founder & CEO, CiRCLR

Design at the start for circularity at the end – Jayden Klinac, Founder & CEO, Anew

It is only imagination that is holding us up – Rachel Brown, Founder & CEO, Sustainable Business Network

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Hear more from the Future State speakers here. 

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