From driverless cars to the Internet of Things, “we hear all about wonderful, emerging, novel technologies all the time,” noted Saikat Chaudhuri in his introduction to a January 23 panel at the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos. “What’s most powerful about these technologies is the innovations that they enable to help us solve some of the most pressing problems in the world.”
The Defining Moments of Technology panel, hosted by HCL Technologies and moderated by Chaudhuri, explored some of the most pivotal moments predicted to impact society at large in the next decade. The panelists, senior leaders from tech companies based in the U.S., Germany, and India, shared an underlying spirit of optimism, but noted that more emphasis is needed on translating technologies into actual innovations to tackle major problems.
Collaboration between stakeholders can catalyze this change. Panelist Karen Quintos, EVP and CCO at Dell Technologies, noted that Dell’s integration with VMware provided joint accountability and enabled delivery on customer outcomes. Sanjay Poonen, COO at VMware, advocated for “prioritizing ecosystem partnerships,” but also collaborating with divergent industries. As an example, privacy and modernization of medical records within healthcare can be facilitated by collaboration with tech companies, with the added benefit of making patients more trusting of their healthcare partners.
To clear the hurdles that can impede technological advances, panelists encouraged companies to focus on their challenges, including strategy, regulation, management of talent, and privacy. They were hopeful that through symbiotic relationships, shared access to knowledge, and aligned incentives, the next ten years will be a decade of rapid progress.
More Analysis from Davos
Saikat Chaudhuri comments on additional panels at the World Economic Forum.
“Building Trust: Reinventing Culture in a Digital World”
“We Come from the Future: How Companies Thrive in 2030”
“Banking Without Borders”
“CEO, Disrupt Thyself”