Frost & Sullivan recently caught up with noted Keynote Speaker and Futurist Christina “CK” Kerley, who will be the opening headliner at the 20th Anniversary Customer Contact West: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange in Tucson AZ next month. CK, who is currently focused on Artificial Intelligence, Tech Megatrends and The Future of Work, explained that understanding what to prioritize and how to leverage transformative opportunities will be a competitive differentiator for enterprises big and small. As she shared, everything from AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) to real-time, hyper-personalized web content will form the foundation of a bold and boundless future.
In last year’s session, Shock, Awe and AI, CK debunked 10 of the biggest AI myths and misconceptions. This year’s presentation, Navigating A Bold, Bumpy…and Boundless Future, promises to be an engaging exploration of tech-driven predictions and the profound impact they will have on companies and consumers.
As a special preview, CK fielded a few key questions about some of the critical technology trends and developments she’ll be discussing at the upcoming event… and how they will shape our future:
Frost & Sullivan: What Makes the Future Bold, Bumpy, and Boundless?
CK: In my upcoming session, I’ll cover a series of predictions and imperatives. But let me give a preview and address each of these individually:
Bold: The future will be a bold era due to remarkable breakthroughs occurring in rapid succession. From AI to biotech and more, powerful tools are becoming increasingly accessible, affordable, and easy to use, empowering individuals and businesses alike to innovate at unimaginable levels.
Boundless: The future will be boundless because technologies are removing barriers and democratizing access. AI, Augmented and Virtual Reality, and Automation are enabling anyone with an idea and ambition to participate in incredible ways.
Bumpy: Alas, this bold, boundless future will not be without its challenges. As I often say, “Revolutions are as magical… as they are messy!” The road ahead is filled with tremendous progress and promise, but it will also be marked by many hurdles and bumps that will test our adaptability and resilience.
What are the top 3 tech megatrends you see shaping business today?
It likely comes as no surprise that the major tech megatrends currently shaping business are all AI-driven. Here are my top three:
- AI is Powering Productivity’s Next Frontier
AI is the driving force behind productivity gains across all industries. Companies are using AI tools to automate repetitive tasks, create content, provide predictive analytics, and enhance decision-making, ultimately improving operational efficiency.
This trend reflects a shift where businesses leverage AI not just for incremental improvements but as a core tool to redefine their productivity metrics and competitive advantage.
- AI is Evolving Business Models
AI is not just enhancing business processes; it is fundamentally reshaping business models. This shift goes beyond the traditional concept of digital transformation, which often focuses on adopting digital tools or platforms. Rather, AI’s transformative nature is creating new value propositions, products, services, and solutions that were previously unfeasible.
This trend indicates that AI is not merely a tool—but a powerful force enabling companies to rethink and redesign how they operate and create value.
- AI is Igniting New Economies
AI is fostering the growth of new economic structures, encompassing new markets, business opportunities, and ecosystems. Whereas the data economy is emerging as businesses increasingly treat data as a strategic asset, the automation economy is growing through a wealth of new AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) tools. And the creator economy is positively thriving as generative AI empowers individuals and small teams to produce content, art, code, and music at scale, democratizing creativity and innovation.
This trend is proving that AI is not only transforming existing industries; it is also paving the way for entirely new economic landscapes.
Where should businesses focus their tech spending today?
In my answer, I’m intentionally using the term “investment” rather than “spending” — because while companies routinely invest in technologies, they often merely spend on training, reskilling, and talent-development initiatives. The irony is stark, considering that no digital transformation can succeed without human adaptation. Put differently, in the human-machine era, machines are the easy part; but humans aren’t as easily updated as apps!
By and large, businesses are prioritizing budgets and time for new technologies like AI and Automation. However, many companies are falling short when it comes to sustained investments in talent development, both in terms of allocating the appropriate levels of money and time. This oversight continues to astound me, especially given that we cannot run the businesses of the future with the skillsets of the past. I’ll be covering this in more depth during my session.
You’ve been quoted as saying that “the web will be utterly unrecognizable within five years.” Can you elaborate?
I have to admit that my prediction is likely wrong… because I no longer believe it will take five years (that’s too long, lol!). The truth is, while AI’s capabilities are groundbreaking, its pace is equally astonishing. We are witnessing an AI-driven reshaping, restructuring, and reimagining of the Web—and it’s happening at an unimaginable speed!
The Web is quickly evolving from a static, search-based experience to a dynamic, AI-driven one. Forget typing keywords into search bars and sifting through endless pages of potential matches. Now, we’ll use natural language to get exactly what we need. Coding, once a barrier for many, is becoming irrelevant as generative AI tools democratize creation with drag-and-drop simplicity.
Textual interfaces are becoming increasingly conversational. Content will be hyper-personalized in real-time to fit individual preferences, contexts, and moods. Overall, the Web will become more accessible, conversational, and personal—while being far less technical. So yes, the Web will indeed be unrecognizable and it will happen on an unprecedented timeline.
For a deeper dive into what CK and other thought leaders have to say about technology, transformation and today’s top strategic imperatives, join us at the 20th Anniversary Customer Contact West: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange, from 10/20 to 10/23 in Tucson AZ. And don’t forget to take advantage of our “2 for 1” sale, details here.
About CK Kerley
Powerhouse keynoter, Rutgers Business School Instructor, and Corporate Trainer Christina “CK” Kerley has guided scores of Fortune 500s—and thousands of executives—through 25 years of digital disruptions, revolutions, and reinventions. She’s currently focused on: AI, The Tech Megatrends, and whatever’s coming next. More info at: https://allthingsCK.com
