As the rate of technology development accelerates to unprecedented levels it's increasingly difficult for people to see what's coming and get their heads around it all.
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About this keynote
Firstly, it was an honour to be invited to be the keynote at this year’s ICEFest in Romania where the atmosphere was as hot as the weather outside the venue. Surrounded by some of the latest vehicle technologies from Toyota, from the latest hybrids and driverless vehicles, the event was not just a showcase for some of the sponsors latest wears, but also a showcase for Romanian innovation that included the latest developments in TV and filming, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
One of the questions I sometimes have is just how much of the content I produce is out there in the wild being used by other people because people tell me they see my material, especially my Starburst, all the time, and that was answered when after my keynote I went into another stage, looked up, and saw my DeepFake content being played while the presenter discussed how he and his company were one of the primes educating the EU Council on the development and trajectory of the technology as they become increasingly worried about its weaponisation. What made the situation even odder though was the fact that during my own keynote I’d already taken the wraps off of the latest bleeding edge developments in DeepFakes and Synthetic Content that went way beyond “his” content, and frankly I found it rather ironic that the EU was being fed information about developments in the field that were, frankly, #OldNews.
Watch the keynote in full
On the one hand though, on a positive note, at least the EU are trying to get a point of view, but on the other hand it also highlights how fast the technology is moving, and the challenges that governments and regulators face when trying to tackle the issue, something that’s not helped by the fact that the advisors they’ve chosen to work with, as I see so many times around the world, continue to share out of date information rather than future forward information.
DeepFakes asides though during the remainder of the keynote I showed the audience things they’d never seen before, lifted the lid on Creative Machines, and jauntily walked through the large number of breakthroughs that are now helping transform sectors as diverse as agriculture and transport, as well as energy and healthcare.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Policy advice is running behind.
The EU Council is being briefed on DeepFakes with material that is already #OldNews. Advisers around the world often pass on out of date information. Leaders should check whether their own advisers look forward or backward.
Synthetic content is already here.
311 data puts Synthetic Content in wide use by 2026, with the action rating Act now. AI-made text, images, music and video are becoming a large share of what is published online. Plan for it in your media, brand and trust policies.
Creative machines reach every sector.
The keynote linked Creative Machines to change in agriculture, transport, energy and healthcare. 311 rates the trend as Prepare, with wide use by 2028. Leaders in any sector should test where machine-made designs could reach their own work.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Who advises our board on fast-moving technology, and how current is that advice?
Where could synthetic content affect our brand or customers' trust?
Which of our products could a Creative Machine redesign first?
The trends and technologies behind this session
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Technology is moving faster than the people advising governments and regulators. Organisations should not wait for rules to settle. They should build their own view of DeepFakes, Synthetic Content and Creative Machines now.
How does Synthetic Content relate to this session?
The keynote showed the latest DeepFake and Synthetic Content work. 311 data puts the trend in wide use by 2026 and rates it Act now. The summary is that AI-made text, images, music and video are fast becoming a large share of what is published online.
How do Creative Machines relate to this session?
Matthew lifted the lid on Creative Machines during the keynote. 311 rates the trend as Prepare, with wide use by 2028. It covers AI that designs products, proteins and media, which speeds up research and shakes up creative industries.
How can 311 brief our leadership team on this?
Through a private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector, in person first.
Bring this to your leadership teamA private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector. In person first, anywhere in the world.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s session and 311 data.
If Matthew gave this session today
Hundreds of emerging technologies, mapped for industry.
The codex explores hundreds of emerging technologies and their implications for global culture, industry and society, the long-range view that any 2080 infrastructure strategy depends on.
