Do not fear these technological changes; they won’t make humans redundant; instead, they will make humans all the more valuable, said Mr. Kamal Bali, President and MD of Volvo Group, India.
Delivering the keynote address at the 9th International Communication Management Conference (ICMC) at MICA Ahmedabad on the theme ‘Enhancing Customer Engagement: Connecting AI With Humans,’ Mr. Bali spoke of the everincreasing value of the human touch amidst the growing technological integrations. He said, “When something is scarce, it becomes more valuable. The human touch will start to become an increasingly precious commodity, and this will bring much prosperity to humanity.
Human needs are elastic. The more possibilities you throw at humans, the more their wishes expand.”
The 4-day international conference in association with the Department of Marketing, J Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, was inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Kamal Bali, President and Managing Director, Volvo Group, India, Dr. Shailendra Raj Mehta, President and Director, MICA, Dr. Githa Heggde, Dean, MICA, Conference Cochairs Prof. Falguni Vasavada Oza and Prof. Mini Mathur among faculty, staff, students and other participants from across the country.
Speaking of mega socio-economic trends, Mr. Bali said, “We are living at the cusp of a massive socio-economic transformation. The world order is going to change drastically. At this crossroads of change, both engines are moving in opposite directions. On the one end are the imminent challenges of climate change, global inequalities, complex geopolitics, etc. In contrast, on the other end, we have opportunities emerging from technologies like Machine Learning, the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Green Hydrogen, etc. The bridge which will convert these challenges and opportunities will be aided by technology.”
Detailing what futuristic technology would consist of, he shared examples of futuristic cars and how emerging technologies can help us in critical times. He said, “Chatbots integrated into vehicles and ambulances will be able to save human lives,” adding, “The beauty of technology is that it is sector agnostic. Soon, all companies will transition into becoming technology companies. Volvo, too, has committed globally to becoming 100% safe by 2030-2040. What all the sectors would have done in 5-7 years, they have been able to achieve in 5-7 months with the aid of technology.”
He laid the 5-pronged framework of integrating technology into our daily lives. “Automation, prediction, recommendation, content generation and individualization. Repetitive tasks would be automated and free humans to take on more value-added and complex functions. It will help us predict what the customers need - when, where and how much. AI will lend crucial support in critical situations, such as assisting drivers in critical moments on the road, and helping sift through information clutter to find what is relevant. Lastly, we will get tailor-made solutions for each customer in the emerging era of mass customization, where everything is customized for everyone.”
He concluded his talk by saying that technology has created a level-playing field where all countries can be at par. Amidst data privacy challenges, what we need is a good policy framework. Once that is in place, we are set to achieve glory.” ICMC 2023 will include several paper presentations, speaker sessions, academic and industry panel discussions, cultural events, etc., offering all attendees an unforgettable experience and abundant food for thought over the existing and possible avenues of compatibility between AI and human lives.
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