Digital and exponential technologies are transforming every sector, decentralising services, and are having a major impact on the future of infrastructure planning and investment.
Matthew GriffinFounder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
G7 · G20governments advised
850+keynotes
102countries
17codexes
Mobility and logistics sessions forAutoalan KeskusliittoSlovakiaTechLondon Borough of HounslowWISTA InternationalCorporate World IntelligenceManagement Events
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About this fireside chat
Firstly, thank you to Kirsty at P3 for inviting me to take part in their annual P3 Hub Americas event where Jim Ray, Corporate president of HNTB, the biggest supplier of infrastructure services to the US Government, and I participated in a fireside chat to discuss the Future of Infrastructure, which included everything from educational and healthcare to energy and transportation infrastructure, and the impact that new emerging and disruptive trends across all these various sectors will have on the future of infrastructure projects and investments.
During the session we discussed everything from the development of new Mach 1 and Mach 3 Hyperloop trains, and the impact that they could have on air travel, as well as the importance of a data driven approach to traffic management and optimisation, then discussed the impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having on improving the dire traffic situation within Smart Cities around the globe.
Not to be left out though we also discussed the future of energy infrastructure and, by association, the impact new energy technologies will have on electric vehicles, and then discussed what the future has in store for education and healthcare infrastructure investments across the US and the world.
All of which is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as new exponential technologies, as well as new government strategies and investment strategies, continue to have an increasingly transformative and disruptive impact on both the kind of infrastructure we envision, build, and invest in.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Transport plans need a wider view.
The session covered Mach 1 and Mach 3 Hyperloop trains and their possible effect on air travel. Leaders who plan around one mode of travel may find that other modes shift under them. Plans should be tested against that risk.
Data comes before capacity.
Traffic management and optimisation rely on a data driven approach, and AI is being used to ease the dire traffic seen in Smart Cities. Smart data, which is cleaned and organised where it is collected, is the base for this work. Poor data limits any gain.
Ageing assets meet new demand.
Roads, bridges and sewers from the post-war period are wearing out faster than budgets and workforces can repair them. At the same time, new energy technologies will affect electric vehicles, and education and healthcare also need investment. Funding choices will have to be ranked with care.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Which of our infrastructure plans would suffer if Hyperloop reduced air travel?
Is our traffic and asset data clean enough to support AI?
Where do ageing assets compete with new projects for our budget?
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.
What does this session mean for organisations that build or fund infrastructure?
It signals that new technologies, government strategies and investment strategies are changing what gets built and funded. Organisations should review plans across transport, energy, education and healthcare, rather than treating each sector alone.
How does artificial intelligence relate to the future of transport infrastructure?
The session discussed AI improving the dire traffic situation in Smart Cities around the globe. It works best on good data, so leaders should pair AI projects with strong data collection and management.
How does crumbling infrastructure relate to these new projects?
Post-war roads, bridges and sewers are wearing out faster than budgets and workforces can repair them. New ideas such as Hyperloop compete for the same funds, so leaders must weigh renewal against new build.
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
Whole industries may soon be disrupted in a day.
The codex sets out the forces accelerating global disruption and how close we are to disrupting whole industries in a day, the same forces that could flatten or eliminate today's supply chains.
