Daily Archives: May 28, 2022

Sixty percent of Americans are worried that automation is putting jobs at risk, and 39% think their own job will be obsolete within five years, according to PwCs Hopes and Fears survey. New positions that may not exist today, however, will replace some of the jobs that will be lost to AI. But, if your job is at risk, its a good idea to have plan B in place now so you can seamlessly transition and stay relevant.

The only thing we can predict is the unpredictable, says Scott Steinberg, author of Think Like a Futurist 2022: The Next Normal. Things tend to move fast and change from week to week at this point, and there will be many next normals. Even when many events are outside your ability to control, you can always steer things toward a more positive outcome.

The first thing is to gain situational awareness. It should raise major red flags if your job is easily reduced to a description on paper that anyone could do, or consists of routine tasks that can be done by technology. If this is the case, future-proof yourself the following strategies.

Not every job is at risk, and companies are always going to need proactive problem solvers, dynamic thinkers, and creative innovators, says Steinberg.

There are certain things you can count on a computer to do, but those things are largely routine, boring, and predictable, he says. Its when variables pop up that the human elements come into play and excel. If you want to future-proof yourself, you really have to think about how you add something essential and irreplaceable to the mix.

Steinberg says you need to stand out in a very visible way at work, and people need to understand the value that you bring to the table. Your value could be in a broader sense than your job description.

Maybe youre the one that everybody in the office looks to for inspiration, creativity, and new ideas, he says. Or when a problem comes up, maybe youre the one who is willing to step up and take charge to do something. Its about finding opportunities to showcase your talents in a way thats not smacking people in the face but that helps support and uplift your team.

Consider yourself to always be a work in progress, thinking about what skills will be in demand tomorrow. Grab what Steinberg calls elastic skills that can translate to a variety of different contexts and industries. For example, if your job in communications uses research, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, they could translate into becoming a business analyst.

Individuals who excel may have extensive learning in one area, but they have a broad range of interests and experiences that they can draw on in a variety of different arenas, says Steinberg. Theyre pushing themselves to constantly be acquiring new skills, new contacts, new connections, and new experiences.

One way you learn what organizations will need is by looking at job postings. You can also learn in-demand skills by looking at startup activity, academic research, and topics that are trending at conferences and events. Take classes to expand your skillsor even grab a pizza with someone in a different team.

If youre in marketing, ask yourself, How can I connect with someone in the software development team to find out what problems customers are reporting?' Steinberg says. Its about getting as much information as possible and then thinking about how you can mix and match and combine those talents to MacGyver your way forward.

To gain elastic skills, Steinberg suggests actively seeking out volunteer opportunities or chances to work at emerging startups where you can pick up knowledge of new technologies, trends, or business models that you can use in different other arenas.

The most successful individuals arent trying to climb the corporate ladder or ride a corporate escalator to the top. That escalator is broken, and the rungs of the corporate ladder are starting to look rickety, says Steinberg.

Instead, be open to taking a sidestep into a position of equal rank or pay in an organization that offers more opportunities for learning and growth. You may even need to take a step back, going down in pay or rank to get into new opportunities.What happens when you take a sidestep or a back step is it oftentimes creates a slingshot effect that can propel you much further over the long run, says Steinberg.

Future-proofing your job means always thinking two or three steps ahead. The funny thing about the future is it oftentimes seems like its coming on fast, he says. But it seems to come on fast only because weve been ignoring it for a long time. The problem is people are hardwired to like comfortable, familiar approaches and routines. But routines very quickly become ruts. We either can ride the waves of change or be dragged along kicking and screaming. Personally, I advocate that people break out the long boards and swim trunks.

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How to future-proof your job by thinking like a futurist - Fast Company

RALEIGH The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is hosting a womens leadership conference on Tuesday, featuring keynote speaker Rebecca Ryan. And shes coming to the capital city ready to talk the future and womens roles in it.

Ryan is one of a few hundred people in the world who holds the APF designation, a designation from the Association of Professional Futurists. In an exclusive interview with WRAL TechWire, Ryan shared that her talk will discuss why the future is women.

As a futurist, Ive got some long-range perspective, said Ryan. Im going to really wear my futurist hat, and I want to talk about the signals of the future that Im seeing and why the long bet is on women in the future, said Ryan.

Its exciting time for women to lead in Triangle, says Greater Raleigh Chambers female CEO

Ryan also said that the talk will be designed for both men and women leaders because gender diversity affects all companies.

Basically, everyone gets a pay increase when there are more women, said Ryan. And so, if you had to have a canary in the coal mine, this is one to watch and one to take care of and nurture. Because as go your women in the workplace, so will go your workplace.

As a futurist, Ryan helps companies and organizations apply long-range thinking to challenges and opportunities.

We are living between two worlds: the familiar pre-COVID world and the unfamiliar, still-emerging post-COVID world, wrote Ryan in a recent blog post. This can be unsettling for folks who prefer stability. Which is all of us.

Ryan is the author ofThe Next Big Things: The Future of Local Government(2015) andReGENERATION: AManifesto for Americas Future Leaders(2013).

Ryan has been named on Accounting Todays Top 100 Most Influential People list and she earned the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Adrienne Cole, CEO and President of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, called Ryan personally to ask if she would speak at the conference. And when she was like, Adrianne, I would love it. I mean, I literally squealed, said Cole. And I dont squeal often.

Cole stressed that gender diversity is something leaders should consider in parallel with their business goals.

You still want to get the work done. You still want a commitment to excellence. Youve still got goals and metrics to meet, and you want to be successful, said Cole. I think what leaders have discovered is that its not an either-or proposition. You can provide a workplace that is supportive of gender diversityand diversity more broadlyand that actually leads to more successful outcomes for your company.

Cole also spoke about whats needed in our region. She called out two specific issues: pay equity and a culture of flexibility.

We have to continue to stay focused on pay equity, said Cole. We have to pay women the same as men for the same jobs with the same qualifications.

Cole referenced Wake Invests in Women, a collaboration between Wake County, Wake Tech, and business partners, as one local organization dedicated to addressing the gender income gap.

Flexibility matters. Creating that culture of flexibility, of trust, of transparency, said Cole. And then creating an environment where you do have a nursing room where a woman can pump in privacy, right? And not feel like shes somehow shirking another responsibility.

Cole said that a culture of flexibility can help women do their best work.

Ive had really great bosses and Ive had really lousy bosses. And I will tell you that I worked so much harder for the great bosses who enabled me to work really hard but also be a great mom and kind of mash it all together, said Cole.

She also said that flexibility culture benefits everyone.

It isnt just for women who are moms, right? Its for all employees, obviously, said Cole.

The Chamber will host the 2022 Womens Leadership Conference on Tuesday, May 24th, at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Im a fan of all the things happening in Raleigh and Raleigh-Durham, said Ryan. So I really do want to bring my A-game.

Read more here:
'The future is women:' So says futurist coming to Raleigh - here's why - WRAL TechWire

Hundreds of 'futurists' from around the world will convene in the UAE for the first Dubai Future Forum, which will be held on October 10 and 11.

It was announced on Tuesday by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, that the emirate would host about 400 forward thinkers from around the world for the forum held at the Museum of the Future.

Guests will include thought leaders and specialists from more than 15 organisations and institutions to debate and discuss the next few decades for humanity.

The Forum will focus on exploring and shaping the future by discussing changes that matter to our daily lives, investing in opportunities and preparing the world for potential risks," said Sheikh Hamdan on his official website.

"The UAEs real strength is in its developmental model that is based on foresight and collaborating with the best ideas and minds to build the best future for human communities.

We want to be proactive in designing and making the future and preparing for its changes. We have great ambitions and a long-term vision. Dubai and the UAE will always have a passion for the future.

The forum will consist of four main themes: the future of the world, values and humanity, existential risks and anticipating future changes.

These topics will be discussed over two days and throughout 30 sessions.

The Museum of the Future opened in February. Spanning an area of 30,000 square metres, the seven-storey pillarless structure stands 77 metres tall. The stainless steel facade, which extends to more than 17,000 square metres, is illuminated by 14,000 metres of Arabic calligraphy.

Updated: May 24, 2022, 1:14 PM

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Sheikh Hamdan to welcome hundreds of 'futurists' to Dubai Future Forum - The National

Photos have surfaced online reportedly showing F2000 assault rifles in the hands of Ukrainian armed forces. The photos also serve as yet another example of a somewhat rare small arm being put to use on the Ukrainian battlefield.

The two photos in question, both posted to Twitter, dont offer much context in terms of the details surrounding the F2000 delivery. In one photo, a Ukrainian soldier in a nondescript uniform and location reclines alone with the weapon in hand. In the other image, three Ukrainian soldiers are photographed in varying uniforms holding the polymer-clad rifles while standing in front of a pick-up truck. There are few common denominators shared between the photos, with the F2000 being one of them.

Belgian company FN Herstal is the manufacturer of the F2000, which was produced by the company to address a need for a modern and modular assault rifle and was first debuted in 2001. The weapon features a compact bullpup layout, which means that the action and the chamber are located behind the trigger parallel to the shooters face as opposed to in front of it, as is with most modern military rifle designs. This not only reduces the length of the rifle, but it makes it an ideal rifle choice for ambidextrous shooters.

The F2000 can also be tailored with various additions to better fit the intended mission. An M303 underbarrel module could be fitted to fire tear gas canisters for peace-keeping operations, or the rifle could be equipped with 40mm FN EGLM grenade launchers and a proprietary computerized fire control system for more lethality. Although, none of these add-ons can be seen on the rifles in the photos.

It should also be noted that the rifles appear to be F2000 models in their original configurations. More recent iterations of the weapon designed for customers like Slovenia possess visibly different characteristics, which could further support the claim that Belgium is the supplier of the F2000s in question. The rifles were used to an extent in Poland and Spain, as well, serving as additional potential sources for the delivery. The remaining known buyers of the F2000s are in the Middle East and Asia, which are not known to be among the countries that have donated weapons to supplement Ukrainian forces.

In the tweet posted by Ukraine Weapons Tracker, which is a Twitter account run by individuals that track publicly available information regarding weapons and other equipment used in the conflict, it is mentioned that Ukraine has received 10,000 rifles from Belgium, including SCAR-L and FNC. Although, it is unclear whether or not F2000 assault rifles were included in that donation.

While it is confirmed that Belgium has donated 5,000 FNC-type assault rifles, 200 anti-tank weapons, and 3,800 tons of fuel to the Ukrainian government, there has been no official mention of SCAR-L deliveries much less an F2000 shipment. However, both SCAR-L and F2000 rifles have been photographed on Ukrainian soil and shared on social media.

The FNC-type assault rifles that are confirmed by the Belgian Ministry of Defense to have been donated are also designed by FN Herstal, which could further support the claim that Belgium had a hand in the sudden appearance of the F2000s on Ukrainian battlefields. These weapons are in the process of being gradually replaced by the FN SCAR-L, making it a logical choice to send to Ukraine as Belgiums capability will not be hindered by the depletion of the stock.

Despite the quantity and means of delivery being up in the air, the sudden appearance of the F2000 rifles does underscore a strange sourcing trend that has become somewhat of a common occurrence. Prior to the conflict, members of Ukraine's volunteer territorial defense forces were seen using a varied array of guns that individuals had sourced themselves. This odd development was brought on in response to a straightforward need for small arms.

As volunteers flooded into Ukraine, and as Ukraine's militia ranks ballooned, the demand for rifles quickly began to outpace the supply. Thus, the guns sent over in foreign aid packages, like that of the FNC-type assault rifles mentioned earlier, have predictably begun to appear in these volunteer units. It will be interesting to see if the F2000s meet the same fate.

Ukraine's armed forces are already strong proponents of polymer-covered bullpup designs. They make their own rifle called the Malyuk which is popular among Ukrainian special operations forces and they also build a version of Israel's Tavor called the Fort-221 under license. You can read about both of those rifles in Ukrainian service here.

Needless to say, domestically supplied weapons are becoming harder to come by as the conflict rages on, reserves diminish, and demand increases. Otherwise rare, smaller arms are becoming less and less surprising to see on battleground, with Polands Grot C16A2 assault rifles having also made an appearance, for example.

There are also rumors of privately funded weapons buys occurring to equip volunteer forces.

While Ukrainian forces are surely making do with what they have, the sources through which they have acquired many of their weapons arent always clear. But that doesnt seem to matter to the Ukrainian volunteers and militia members in need of small arms, and likely wont anytime soon.

Contact the author: Emma@thewarzone.com

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Futuristic Belgian F2000 Rifles Have Been Spotted In Ukrainian Hands - The War Zone

When looked at closely, the concept Asahi Kasei AKXY2 can be seen featuring a split body with a streamlined lower section and an upper glass canopy.

By : HT Auto Desk |Updated on: 26 May 2022, 03:55 PM

To mark its its centennial, Japans Asahi Kasei has unveiled the AKXY2 concept pod vehicle. The vehicle has been designed to reimagine values of sustainability, satisfaction and society and how these will influence the needs of future mobility on the road to automation and electrification. The new concept and futuristic pod shares some visual similarities with the Wienermobile.

When looked at closely, the concept AKXY2 can be seen featuring a split body with a streamlined lower section and an upper glass canopy. The latter can be lifted up vertically, while a door folds down to provide access to the cabin. The exterior of the vehicle features slender lighting units and aerodynamic wheel covers with transparent inserts. The model rides on S-SBR tyres, which are made from a bio-based butadiene and have a low rolling resistance.

(Also read | Mercedes-AMG introduces all-electric Vision AMG concept car)

The cabin also has a futuristic design language, featuring an ottoman as well as two individual seats with Cubit cushioning. It features a 3D mesh material made of PET and partially bio-based PTT. Other interior surroundings have Dinamica microfiber upholstery; there's a small wooden table, and a minimalist information display.

The model lacks a steering wheel and pedals, and one can safely assume that the concept is envisioned to be fully autonomous. The technology features on the vehicle extend beyond the driving system. The concept vehicle has been equipped with the company's Healthy Car Portfolio of products. Among the features, there are antimicrobial fabrics and a CO2 sensor that works to ensure optimal air quality."

The AKXY2 concept showcases the Japanese automaker's expertise as a trusted partner to OEMs and Tier-1s for both interior and exterior components and technology, said Asahi Kasei, America's Director of North American Mobility, Mike Franchy. He added that the company has come a long way in the past 100 years and he's looking forward to seeing these contributions continue to shape the automotive industry."

First Published Date: 26 May 2022, 03:53 PM IST

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This futuristic, autonomous pod vehicle is a living room on wheels - HT Auto

Talk about shock and awe.War From Space

Russian forces are continuing their all-out assault on Ukraine a catastrophic and needless humanitarian crisis that isn't likely to end any time soon.

The extensive shelling of several Ukrainian cities has been so severe,in fact, that the invasion can literally be seen from space, in a shocking reminder of the devastating scale of the ongoing war.

"When you're in space, you feel so far away at first," European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who recently completed his 177 day stint on board the space station, told German broadcaster ARD.

The invasion "was clearly visible to the naked eye from space," he recalled, adding that he could spot "huge black columns of smoke over cities like Mariupol," a port city that has been leveled by Russian forces.

Maurer recalls spotting the earliest signs of the conflict from the ISS.

"At the beginning of the war, the whole country went dark at night," he told ARD.

"People actually only recognized Kyiv," he added. "Then you could also see the impacts in the first days of the war. In Kyiv, you could see lightning at night," even when individual rockets made impact with their targets.

Despite Russia's ongoing presence on the International Space Station, Maurer argued that that all crew members agreed pretty quickly on the fact that "terrible things are happening in Ukraine."

It's hard to get a full grasp of what it must be like, cohabitating with Russian forces within the tight confines of the space station.

But according to other first hand accounts, things have remained civilized and peaceful so far, with the only notable difference being the occasional awkward conversation.

War, unsurprisingly,is hard to watch unfold,evenfrom hundreds of miles above the Earth.

"War seen from above is a hundred times more irrational than from the ground," Maurer told ARD. "Why don't we humans stick together?"

More on the invasion: NASA Astronaut Heard Rumor of Being Abandoned in Space From His Wife

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Astronaut Says the Ukraine War Is So Brutal He Could See It From Space - Futurism

It might not be too long until robots are whizzing around your home picking up mess and doing the daily dishes. Dyson has just announced that it's investing heavily in this futuristic technology with plans to create a new robotics centre at Hullavington Airfield in Wiltshire plus a huge recruitment drive which will see almost 1,000 new staff being employed over the next five years.

This new breed of bots could help consumers with those tedious everyday chores such as cleaning, tidying and unpacking the dishwasher. To show the firm is serious about its plans it has released a video showing some of its upcoming inventions including a robot that vacuums the sofa and a hand that's capable of picking up objects without damaging them.

There's no word just yet on exactly what Dyson has planned for the homes of the future or when they will arrive in your kitchen the company is clearly serious about its ambitions.

This latest robotics makeover is the next stage in Dysons 2.75bn investment plan in new technologies, products and facilities; 600m of which is to be spent this year.

Speaking about the new venture, Jake Dyson, Chief Engineer at Dyson, said: Dyson employed its first roboticist 20 years ago and this year alone we are seeking 250 more experts for our team. This is a big bet on future robotic technology that will drive research across the whole of Dyson, in areas including mechanical engineering, vision systems, machine learning and energy storage. We need the very best people in the world to come and join us now.

Of course, it's not just about robotics with Dyson also about to launch its new Zone headphones.

These music-makers not only belt out your favourite playlists but also clean the air you are about to breathe in.

Fans and filters in each earcup suck in the polluted air around you with things then purified before being blown into your noise and mouth via a face shield.

They may look pretty whacky but with the latest figures from the World Health Organisation suggesting that billions of us are constantly breathing in highly polluted air, the famous vacuum might just be onto something.

Read more here:
Forget vacuums! Dyson is developing futuristic robots that will live in your home - Express

Jason Silva, futurist and host of National Geographics Brain Games,recently published a mind-bending YouTube video combining the technological prowess of AI with the artistic creativity of someone who believes in the power of psychoactive experiences.

Its called Dreaming while awake: a journey into ourselves. The description on Silvas YouTube channel describes the video as:

The first art piece of the singularity: born from a human-AI collaboration by Jason Silva, Hueman Instrument and digital intelligence.

Personally, Id describe it as a surrealistic experience that seems equal parts Ted Talk and Burning Man. And, Id add, it makes me want to eat a bunch of psychedelic mushrooms and think about the future.

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Take a look:

The video comes to us from Silvas Shots of Awe channel which features inspirational videos. Most touch upon the human condition and how what we create ultimately shapes who we are.

Silvas bent, in general, seems to be that our brightest future will come from a dedication to developing human-centered technologies.

In the above video, Silva spends six minutes riffing on the nature of being human. At one point, he explains that were both gods and worms, creatures able to shape the world around us with the power of deity, yet destined for death regardless.

Its an existential trip (pun intended) into a place where Silvas words exist only for the purpose of inspiration. Its difficult to describe the exact point of the video, except to call it a meditation on perspective and what it means to be human.

Did you know Jason Silva, futurist, and host of National Geographics Brain Games, is speaking at the TNW Conference on June 17? Check out the full list of speakers here.

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Watching this AI-assisted art video is like tripping on acid in the Matrix - The Next Web