Patrick Schwerdtfeger is a business futurist specializing in technology trends including cognitive computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Machine learning, neural networks, reinforcement learning, and self-learning algorithms are evolving quickly, driving a flood of innovations across the economy. Patrick is the author of the award-winning book Anarchy, Inc.: Profiting in a Decentralized World with Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain (2018, Authority Publishing) and a regular speaker for Bloomberg TV. He has lectured at various academic institutions including Purdue and Stanford Universities. Cognitive computing and robotic process automation (RPA) will displace millions of jobs in the years ahead, and Patrick can provide the insights your attendees need to profit amidst these volatile employment markets. And while this job displacement will have dramatic cultural and societal consequences, it will also deliver unrivaled efficiencies and profits for progress corporations. Patrick’s focus on disruptive innovation and exponential technologies gives him a unique perspective to these challenges, and what we’re likely to see as the technology develops further.
Past speaking clients include:
Recent speaking destinations include:
Expert on Artificial Intelligence
To be clear, not all jobs are at risk of displacement by robotics and algorithms. It’s the routine tasks – the repetitive tasks – that will soon be handed over to automated systems. Nevertheless, millions of jobs will be affected, particularly in the developing world. A study out of Oxford University recently predicted that 47% of American jobs will be displaced by automation, but that percentage was significantly lower than developing economies like China (77%) and India (69%). Regardless of the country in question, we can reasonably assume that repetitive manual jobs will be replaced by robotics, and repetitive cognitive jobs will be replaced by algorithms. Cognitive computing will focus on the latter category, using technologies like natural language processing (NLP), object and image recognition, and autonomous driving to replace call center workers (3M jobs in the USA), retail cashiers (3.4M jobs in the USA), quality control inspectors, security guards (1.8M jobs in the USA), and commercial drivers (3.5M jobs in the USA), just to name a few.
The core characteristic of cognitive computing is virtually unlimited computational power. Computers are very good at computation. They are NOT very good at things like emotional intelligence, empathy, compassion, critical thinking, and problem solving. Anything that requires creativity or compassion is safe from displacement, at least for the next 50 years or more. But for any routine tasks, robotic process automation and signal processing are a natural fit. Business executives need to understand these distinctions in order to guide their technology investments, and Patrick can provide those insights in a dynamic and actionable way.
Machine Learning Keynote Speech
Patrick builds his keynotes with case histories and success stories. He also follows the companies that emerge as leaders in these digital technologies. There are a number of companies doing interesting things with machine learning technology including the following:
- BMC: Helix Cognitive Service Management (CSM)
- C3 IoT: AI and IoT Software Platforms for Digital Transformation
- Amazon AI Services: Putting machine learning in the hands of every developer
- BlueData: Run Big Data and Machine Learning Workloads on Containers.
- ABBYY: platforms for document recognition, data capture, and language processing.
- Attivio: the leading cognitive search & insight platform company
Patrick Schwerdtfeger is a keynote speaker who has spoken at business conferences in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
