It used to be that we associated the term “hybrid” with plug-in vehicles. But it turns out “hybrid” has an important role to play in the IT world, as well. As companies around the globe continue to explore new options in cloud and as-a-service (aaS) infrastructure, we’re seeing a delicate dance between cloud providers and on-site legacy systems—one where both …
Does Artificial Intelligence Need a Seat in the C-Suite?
It seems like every time you turn around, businesses add another seat in the c-suite. Chief Data Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief User Experience Officer, and so on and so on. There have been a lot of articles about artificial intelligence shaking up the c-suite and gaining a seat at the table. But a recent article by Harvard Business …
Getting a Hold on App Sprawl
We are in an unprecedented era of growth and transformation. Mobile and cloud technology have given enterprises endless new opportunities to become even more efficient using software as a service (SaaS) apps and programs that seem to multiply by the day. In fact, finding new and better ways to sort, process, and manage our workflow has become almost an addiction …
The Business Case for Drone Technology
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a … drone? No matter where you live, you’ve likely seen them speeding around your city—taking pictures, mapping buildings, and changing everything we thought we knew about modern business. With the parallel advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), drone development has also been skyrocketing, and companies everywhere are …
Just One is Not Enough: The Rise of Multi-Cloud
According to recent research, nearly one-third of all businesses use four or more cloud vendors, and these organizations are more satisfied. Even the combination of one private cloud and one public cloud fails to be enough. As a result, the number of organizations relying on a multi-cloud approach will steadily increase: Researchers say 86 percent of enterprises plan to need …
The Expanding Role of Marketing — and Artificial Intelligence — In Experience Business
Disney Magic is alive and well. Take its MagicBands — the all-in-one wristband that connects us to our entire Walt Disney World vacation, letting us enter the parks, unlock our hotel rooms, and buy food and merchandise. Even more magical, or so it seems, is how Disney shares surprises personalized just for its visitor, such as an occasional photo of …
#SMACtalk 80: The Failures and Successes of Enterprise Software with Pega CEO Alan Trefler
In this week’s episode of SMACtalk, hosts Brian Fanzo and Daniel Newman had the opportunity to speak with Pega CEO, Alan Trefler. Known for his “Pull no punches” approach to business, Alan makes for the perfect “SMAC” guest because he’s going to take questions head on and leave the audience wanting more. At Pegaworld, we found out that Mr. Trefler isn’t only the CEO at Pega, he is also a chess master …
How Machine Learning Can Give Us Greater Customer Insights
Big data. Data mining. Data lakes—and data swamps. Today, data is everywhere we look, and most businesses have made it a top priority to gather as much of it as they possibly can—but often, that’s where the story ends. In fact, there is so much data being produced in today’s digital landscape—2.5 exabytes every single day—that it can be completely …
Finding and Targeting the Right Customer with AI
Companies are finally starting to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve sales. When used in sales automation, AI can make predictions about whether a deal will close or move to another stage in the customer journey. This accuracy is transforming how salespeople make decisions and close deals. New York City’s Asaf Jacobi is one such salesperson. Jacobi’s …
Millennials Driving Big Data Adoption
Millennials are changing our world, through sheer numbers and through sheer force of will. As a generation that has grown up with technology, smartphones, and search engines, Millennials are also responsible for driving technological development—and now even the use of Big Data. Despite the promises, Big Data has been slow to become the game changer it was predicted to be. …