Author: Peggy Smedley
Every transformative technology cycle comes with a familiar debate: Are we witnessing the next great economic opportunity—or the formation of a bubble? We have had this conversation before. From the dot.com era to emerging technology booms that followed, periods of rapid investment often spark concerns about whether expectations are outpacing reality. Today, AI (artificial intelligence) finds itself at the center of that discussion. The most important question may not be whether AI itself is a bubble. Instead, it is whether the market can support the pace of growth that businesses, investors, and customers expect. New research from AI infrastructure provider CUDO…
For years, manufacturers have invested in technology to improve efficiency, increase visibility, and drive operational excellence. Yet one of the biggest challenges facing industry today isn’t a technology challenge at all. It’s a knowledge challenge. As experienced workers retire and new generations enter the workforce, manufacturers are confronting the great crew change, as Andreas Eschbach, founder and CEO of Eschbach calls it. Decades of operational expertise, tribal knowledge, and hard-earned lessons are at risk of walking out the door every day. I recently had the opportunity to discuss this challenge with Eschbach. Our conversation centered on an important shift happening…
The construction industry continues to demonstrate resilience amid a rapidly changing economic landscape. While growth remains uneven across market segments, the sector is finding new momentum through public infrastructure investments, digital transformation initiatives, and demand for next-generation facilities such as data centers. But of course, this isn’t anything new. The construction industry has always been cyclical by nature. Let’s consider some recent numbers. National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.1% in April. Spending on data centers, which is included in the office category, increased another 1.9% in April, rising to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $50.7 billion, and is up…
Today, AI (artificial intelligence) dominates nearly every conversation in business and technology. Companies are racing to deploy it. Investors are pouring billions into it. Governments are trying to understand it. And consumers are increasingly relying on it. But amid all the excitement, there is a question that deserves far more attention: Who pays for AI? For years, we have discussed AI primarily through the lens of innovation. We celebrate new capabilities, faster decisions, greater efficiency, and unprecedented productivity gains. Yet the conversation often stops there. What we are failing to acknowledge AI is no longer simply software. Just as electricity…
In the construction industry, AI (artificial intelligence) has become the centerpiece of nearly every technology conversation today. However, amid all the excitement surrounding AI’s capabilities, we are sometimes overlooking a more fundamental issue. The future of AI will not be determined by technology alone. It will be determined by trust. Recently, I caught up with Bryan Reimer, research scientist at MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics, on The Peggy Smedley Show. Our conversation explored many of the challenges surrounding AI, from governance and workforce disruption to safety and accountability. What struck me most was not a discussion about what AI…
For years, I have been saying technology alone will not solve humanity’s greatest challenges. It can help us build smarter cities, safer infrastructure, more efficient manufacturing systems, and more connected healthcare networks—but technology without human responsibility, ethics, and purpose can also be dangerous. Like I always say on The Peggy Smedley Show, with great technology comes great responsibility. Now, one of the world’s most influential spiritual leaders is echoing many of these same concerns. In his recent encyclical, Pope Leo XIV warns humanity stands at a defining crossroads in the age of AI (artificial intelligence) and other emerging technologies. He…
What is the secret sauce to real, true innovation? The answer lies at the intersection of the right people and the right technology. Today’s most successful companies are investing in advanced tools like AI (artificial intelligence), automation, and connected systems, while also leveraging collaborative, cross-functional teams capable of turning those technologies into meaningful business outcomes. This is precisely what Dave Moelker, CEO, Twisthink, is doing to help companies turn their physical products into smart, intelligent, and connected systems with the help of a cross functional team. “It has become increasingly important as the complexity of these systems goes up, you…
Hidden project costs are everywhere in the construction industry: materials, labor, safety, and permitting, just to name a few. As an example, delays tied to regulatory processes are becoming a defining factor in the construction industry. As demand grows for new facilities, energy systems, transportation networks, and large-scale industrial development, bottlenecks tied to permitting, approvals, supply chains, and more are impacting whether projects stay on budget and on schedule. The Cost of Permitting Delays Case in point: New research from The United States Energy Assn. and Energy Exemplar looks at how permitting and interconnection delays impact long-term electricity costs, reliability,…
For decades, ERP (enterprise-resource planning) systems have been the backbone of business. They brought together finance, manufacturing, supply chains, procurement, human resources, and customer data into one centralized platform. Then came M2M (machine-to-machine) communications and the rise of the IoT (Internet of Things), connecting physical assets, equipment, and infrastructure to digital systems in realtime. Now, AI (artificial intelligence) has entered the conversation—and many are beginning to ask one really big question: Will AI be the end of ERP? I’d like to add my two cents to this conversation. For one, this isn’t the first time we have had this conversation.…
Journey back with me 20 years ago. Manufacturing leaders were asking whether automation would fundamentally change the workforce. Today, the conversation has shifted, albeit only slightly. Now, the debate centers on AI (artificial intelligence), robotics, and what many are beginning to call physical AI. And once again, the fear narrative dominates the headlines: Will machines replace people? But perhaps we are asking the wrong question. The manufacturing industry has always evolved through disruption. Steam power changed labor. Electrification changed productivity. The internet changed connectivity. Industrial IoT (Internet of Things) changed data access. And now AI is changing decision-making itself. Yet…