Author: Peggy Smedley
Peggy and Joshua Gans, professor of strategic management, University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, joins the show to talk about his book Power and Prediction. He shares how long it took for electricity to have rapid adoption—and compares it to AI (artificial intelligence). They also discuss: Three stages of really innovative technology. Why the human is going to be a critical part of artificial intelligence. Old systems being displaced by new ones in industries like manufacturing. predictionmachines.ai (11/15/22 – 797) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, 5G, cloud, sustainability,…
One of the age-old challenges with mentorship is it can be hard to quantify a ROI (return on investment). While it may not be completely necessary to quantify such investments, an interesting study crossed my desk recently that shows apprenticeships do in fact lead to a positive ROI. And here’s a case in point. The six-year study—by Abt Associates—of the U.S. DOL’s (Dept. of Labor’s) American Apprenticeship Initiative found apprentices’ wages increased and employers experienced a positive return on investment. The $175 million, five-year grants program, which the DOL launched in 2015, promoted equity by expanding apprenticeships to populations underrepresented…
What is a sustainable home? Everyone has a different definition. The Living Lab in South Carolina has been striving to be a model for sustainable living. I also like to see what others are doing to create more sustainable and eco-friendly developments. Consider a new development on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Hunters Point luxury homes are certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum, and are net-positive, meaning they each generate more energy than they consume, and provide a “grid free” experience while annually saving 8 tons of CO2 that would otherwise be emitted. Currently under development, Hunters Point has…
The future of manufacturing could be self-healing. For several years, I have been talking about circularity, and why it is so important that we move to a more sustainable world. In the years ahead, the materials themselves will change. Let’s consider what the future might look like—but first, let’s journey back. For centuries, durable paper and ruffled lace collars were used for packaging products, but the folding cardboard boxes as we know them today were created by accident by an American printer named Robert Gair roughly 150 years ago. Most of us never knew the history, nor did we really…
Peggy talks about the worker shortage and the state of manufacturing. She poses the question: Have we as parents and a society failed millennials and generations even young than them when it comes to exposing them to all the opportunities that manufacturing has to offer? She also discusses: Research that points to the current state of manufacturing. The crisis we are currently facing with the worker shortage. Where we are today and the current challenges we are facing. peggysmedleyshow.com (11/8/22 – 796) IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, 5G, cloud,…
Peggy and Tony Schmitz, professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and joint faculty, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, talk about the ACE (America’s Cutting Edge) program and what brought him to the University of Tennessee. He explains that East Tennessee is an exploding ecosystem right now. They also discuss: Why it has the ACE program and the importance of machine tools for defense and our economic security. How machine tool technology has improved and the challenge of the lack of workforce to make the best use of that equipment. The result of outsourcing manufacturing to other countries and what needs to happen…
Peggy and Harry Glorikian, general partner, Scientia Ventures, talk about his book The Future You, how AI (artificial intelligence) can help you get healthier, stress less, and live longer. He says he wrote the book because he felt technology had reached a level that really made healthcare more accessible to the average person—and he wanted them to be able to experience this and bring this into their daily lives so they could influence their own health and wellness without depending on the system all the time. They also discuss: How AI helped him diagnose an issue for himself and how…
The construction industry has a two-fold challenge when it comes to the workforce challenge that exists today: attracting new employees and retaining existing ones. The hurdles are mounting, but the solutions are myriad, as we move ahead into a new era of work. The Problem The ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) suggests the construction industry will need to attract nearly 650,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2022. Looking to the future, in 2023, the industry will need to bring in nearly 590,000 new workers on top of normal hiring to meet industry demand. The…
I have been talking about sustainability, climate change, and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) for several years now—and now it is all coming to a point where individuals and businesses alike are also beginning to talk about it as well. In fact, many people around the world recognize climate change is a top concern in all geographies. But not surprising, these terms mean different things to different people and different companies and so is adoption levels. A research report reinforces this messaging and so much more. AXA’s ninth edition of its Future Risks Report studies the evolution of perceptions of…
Distracted Driving Awareness Month is every April, but we constantly need to be talking about how to keep our roads a little bit safer. The total number of deaths caused by road traffic accidents in 2020 was 38,824—which is far too many. I believe the solution to this problem is three-fold—and that everyone in industry, academia, and government need to work together to solve this together. My interest was especially piqued when a report crossed my desk about the most dangerous state to drive in and my new home state—South Carolina—was near the top of the list. The research conducted…