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Troubador Transition Point: From Steam to the Singularity

Released: 28/01/2019

ISBN: 9781789014884
eISBN: 9781789012941

Format: Hardback/eBook

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Transition Point: From Steam to the Singularity

How technology has transformed the world, and why what comes next is critical

by Sean A. Culey

We live in disruptive times. The world is changing faster than ever before, leaving people dazed, businesses struggling, economies floundering and societies fracturing. But why? Transition Point is the result of over five years of research to establish the answer; a breathtaking tale of freedom, unintended consequences and disruptive technologies that starts 1000 years ago and ends up in the second half of the 21st Century.

Starting with an examination into the drivers of technological change and the social, economic and political factors that both enable or suppress it, Transition Point explains why industrialisation happened where and when it did, why progress comes in waves, and why the technologies in the current wave, such as robotics, blockchain and AI, are likely to be the most disruptive of all.

It then addresses the million-dollar question: what’s next? What impact will this wave have on our businesses, our economies and most importantly, on our society? Culey explores how our current trajectory could result in a new golden age, but also how it is just as likely to result in a digital dictatorship of compliance and constant surveillance. Finally, he explains why we may soon see Homo sapiens’ role as the dominant species come to an end.

As Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, stated; "We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before."

Transition Point explains why this is happening, what it means, and why the decisions we make now will prove to be critical.

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The world is changing faster than ever before, leaving people dazed, businesses struggling, economies floundering and societies fracturing. But why? Transition Point is the result of years of research to establish the answer; a breath-taking three-part investigation into the cause, nature and effect of technological change and the future social, economic and cultural challenges we are likely to encounter as a result.

Part one dives into a historical analysis of why progress suddenly and exponentially exploded in the 18th Century. It investigates the drivers of technological change, why it happens in waves, and details the different waves we have experienced to date. It not only explains the nature of technological change, but uniquely explores the social, economic and political factors that enable or suppress it.

Part Two of the book then examines the breath of technologies in the current wave, and their impact on the world of work. From advanced robotics through to artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and the blockchain, Culey explains how these technologies are converging together to automate the entire global supply chain, creating the potential to replace human labour and human cognitive skills.

Finally, in the book's third and biggest section, the book examines what impact this technological change will have on our business practices, our economy, the nature of work, our society and on our future as a species. It highlights trends that are leading us towards some very dystopian outcomes, from mass unemployment to a totalitarian society of constant surveillance. It also demonstrates why this period may represent the beginning of the end for Homo sapiens.

As Klaus Schwab, founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, stated; "We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before." Transition Point explains why.

sean@seanculey.com

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About the Author

Sean A. Culey

Sean Culey (SCOR-P, FCILT) advises leaders on how to develop and deliver new customer-centric business models and align their organisation to ensure they are executed successfully. He is also a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University, a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and the UK's only certified SCOR Master Instructor. He is also a futurist for IBM Watson Supply Chain.

He is also the author of numerous articles on business transformation, supply chains and disruptive technologies that have been published in magazines such as Forbes, The World Financial Review, The European Business Review and The Chief Executive Officer.