Rob Thomas

AI may be the greatest opportunity of our time, with the potential to add nearly $16 trillion to the global economy over the next decade. But so far, adoption has been much slower than anticipated, or so headlines may lead you to believe. With this practical guide, business leaders will discover where they are in their AI journey and learn the steps necessary to successfully scale AI throughout their organization.

“If you aren’t genuinely pained by the risk involved in your strategic choices, it’s not much of a strategy.” — Reed Hastings

The world economy is driven by innovation and productivity. But, business models that were built for a previous era deliver neither innovation nor productivity. In short, business models reliant on traditional distribution models, large dollar transactions, and human-intensive operations will remain under pressure. Many ‘non-tech companies’ say, “thank goodness… Show more

“If you aren’t genuinely pained by the risk involved in your strategic choices, it’s not much of a strategy.” — Reed Hastings

The world economy is driven by innovation and productivity. But, business models that were built for a previous era deliver neither innovation nor productivity. In short, business models reliant on traditional distribution models, large dollar transactions, and human-intensive operations will remain under pressure. Many ‘non-tech companies’ say, “thank goodness that is not the business we are in” or “technology changes too fast, I’m glad we are in a more traditional space”. These are false hopes.

This fundamental shift is coming (or has already come) to every business and every industry, in every part of the world. It does not matter if you are a retailer, a manufacturer, a healthcare provider, an agricultural producer, or a pharma company. Your traditional distribution model, operational mechanics, and method of value creation will change in the next 5 years; you will either lead or be left behind. It’s been said that we sit on the cusp of the next Industrial Revolution. Data, IoT, and software are replacing industrialization as the driving force of productivity and change. The rise of the Data era, coupled with software and connected device sprawl, creates an opportunity for some companies to outperform others. Those who figure out how to apply this advantage will drive unprecedented wealth creation and comprise the new S&P 500. This is the end of ‘tech companies’.

The era of “tech companies” is over; there are only ‘companies’, steeped in technology, that will survive. Read the blog post that led to the book: http://tinyurl.com/endoftech Show less

Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book… Show more

Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book describes the major trends emerging in the field, the pitfalls and triumphs being experienced, and the many considerations surrounding Big Data, all while guiding readers toward better decision making from the perspective of a data scientist.

Companies are generating data faster than ever before, and managing that data has become a major challenge. With the right strategy, Big Data can be a powerful tool for creating effective business solutions – but deep understanding is key when applying it to individual business needs. Big Data Revolution provides the insight executives need to incorporate Big Data into a better business strategy, improving outcomes with innovation and efficient use of technology. Show less