Page 84 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)

THE FIVE

TRENDS TO

FUTURE-

PROOF

YOUR

BUSINESS

Some of these fads were slowly building in
the previous decade, others are still

nascent, but need your full attention to
prepare your business for the times ahead.

BY SAMANTHA STEELE

1. AI AND MACHINE LEARNING have discovered that even unconscious human biases are learned
Key takeaway: Automate repetitive tasks, but be wary of by machines (for example, CVs belonging to certain genders and
automating inefficiencies and biases. races are discredited. Machines are not born neutral – especially
if they’re learning from humans.) Embrace machine learning, but
You’re surrounded by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine do so with a pinch of salt.

learning: from the recommendations Netflix makes based on
your viewing history to those pesky adverts that track you 2. DRIVERLESS CARS AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN
around the internet. As Bronwyn Williams, a trend analyst at Key takeaway: Autonomous cars are still about 15 years away, but
Flux Trends in South Africa, explains, “Most of what you think is it’s best to prepare your fleet and supply chain choice now.
AI is actually machine learning.” Williams emphasizes that fears
about AI “stealing jobs” are overrated, and most businesses will The automotive industry is going through some major changes:
see the arduous, repetitive tasks given to machines, freeing up electric cars, the growth of services like Uber and Lift, and
humans for analysis and critical thinking. She warns businesses lastly, the development of autonomous vehicles. Though the
to remember it’s the human interaction that differentiates first two will impact everyday consumer experiences, it’s self-
one offering from another. “Don't automate away your value. driving cars that will massively alter businesses and their supply
Look under the hood and make sure you understand why you chains across Africa in the next decade. “As convenience and
are automating something – and be careful not to automate efficiency are the cornerstones of the fleet industry, there is no
inefficiencies.” Looking at automated HR processes, companies doubt self-driving vehicles will start making a play for their

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