22. 05. 2019 Interview with Mark van Rijmenam
What recent innovation surprised you the most?
I came across recently with an AI-driven toilet! For around $8000, you get a toilet with sensors and LED lights that change dynamically. You also get Alexa integration, so if you are bored, you can always talk to her! AI is really used everywhere now – whether if the toilet is the best use, I don’t know yet. However, I do see that AI offers enormous opportunities for all industries: it is high time for organizations to start working with AI.
As an international speaker, you come to different companies and different countries. What could one learn from each other?
Digital transformation is difficult but also very necessary. I always say that AI is just like Lego: you have to start small and make sure that different AIs fit well together. With enough creativity and money, you can build beautiful things. Many existing organizations can learn a lot from startups, who have a much more data-driven approach. In China, where I speak regularly, many organizations are ahead of European organizations.
Innovation requires the ability to constantly change: a huge challenge for many companies. What advice would you give them?
In the age of exponential changes, standing still is going backwards. To help organizations with their digital transformation, I have developed the D2 + A2 model: this helps organizations to collect data, distribute data via the cloud or blockchain, analyze data for insights and automate the organization. In my latest book, The Organization of Tomorrow, I explain how this model works in detail.