MHI Annual Conference Preview – Vivek Wadhwa and the Technofuture
Technologies are trending exponentially upward, and, as they converge and create, can disrupt entire industries and create new ones. As science fiction becomes science reality, our lives have the potential to get better, but – it means that there will be disruption in supply chains as we learn to use and adapt these technologies to serve our companies and our customers. Vivek Wadhwa, one of the keynotes at the 2016 MHI Annual Conference, will be speaking on these trends and how they impact supply chains, both now and in the future.
Though Wadhwa admits that precise outcomes cannot be predicted due to the nature of technology development, he says that we can examine current trends and make educated estimates about where we will move to over the next decade.
For example, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are changing manufacturing and supply chain operations. They are creating efficiencies, but also creating accelerating change – the theme for the 2016 Annual Conference. Many companies aren’t ready for the disruption that is coming. Competitors can be created in weeks or months on this schedule of accelerated change. For companies to stay competitive, they need to be flexible and adaptive to these new technologies, leading the charge to work through and thrive in the disruption.
Known for pioneering change and innovation, Wadhwa will offer a look into how exponentially advancing technologies including robotics, AI, computing, synthetic biology, 3D printing, and nanomaterials will change our world, disrupt entire industries, and create new ones. As it is increasingly possible for small teams to complete work once reserved for governments and large corporations, Wadhwa also focuses on the keys to the U.S. remaining competitive and solving grand challenges in the face of the rapid transformation shaping business in India, China, and Latin America.
Vivek Wadhwa’s work puts him at the heart of innovation. From tech entrepreneur and business owner to accomplished academic and widely published author, he is a Stanford University research fellow and director of at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, where he teaches on the impact of technology.
Taking place on October 17-19, 2016 in Tucson, AZ, the MHI Annual Conference focuses on key themes identified by the US Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics and the MHI 2016 Annual Industry Report. Conference participants learn how to utilize these trends and innovations and seize new opportunities that produce tangible results; additionally, they have the opportunity to participate in Product and Solutions Groups meetings that help shape the future of our industry. For more information and to register for the MHI Annual Conference, visit mhi.org/conference.
