OPINION
two in the end. IBM went away and worked a little more on the code and in May 1997 Deep Blue won the rematch by three-and-a-half to two-and-a-half. Since that point, the world of chess has never looked the same. Computers have routinely beaten the best human chess players in the world. The use of computers to beat real people in other games has continued and shows that computing power and technology are a match for men and women. That said, what came next was even more curious. Players experimented with different formats of advanced chess, where computers or machines intervened in different moments. What became clear was that while computers can beat humans, when humans and computers worked together, they could beat another computer operating independently. Surely proof, if any was needed, that partnering with technology is definitely well worth the effort.
their employees time to work on other projects is Google and its ‘20 per cent time’ in which employees are encouraged to work on projects outside the scope of their daily work. This initiative was responsible for Gmail among other innovations, so why not focus your 20 per cent time on technology and its potential applications? Recruit tech-savvy leaders Recruit technology acumen to your board of directors. This is an important step, ensuring you have senior leadership that has a track record and understanding of new technology to support your teams. A 2019 Deloitte study found that high-performing S&P 500 companies were more likely to have tech- savvy board members than lower-performing companies (31 per cent compared to 17 per cent, respectively). A true partnership The final questions are, “Do you want to work as a team?” and “Will you partner with technology on your journey?” If you can push aside your fear and leave your ego at the door, partnerships can prove very fruitful when innovation is needed. Technology isn’t new; new technologies are, but technology overall is not. Of course, it is normal to be nervous about new technology
find public resources that analyse the latest technology useful, such as McKinsey’s The top trends in tech report. You can also run customer insight sessions in the form of surveys or roundtables to research their opinions and views. Consultancies or companies such as Ipsos MORI can help if you have the budget to outsource this function. Discuss your options Consider holding technology-related board meetings, strategy committees, or even monthly meetings with your executive team that are dedicated to discussing the latest technology and how it could be applied across the company. You should make it everyone’s responsibility to consider new technology. This is not only the chief technology officer’s domain; we are all responsible. Your organisation should also visit and participate in trade events and conferences structured around innovative technologies. Partner on projects You may choose to partner with third parties from the technology industry and explore if there are new products or services you could offer jointly. For example, automotive maker Renault has partnered with LG Corporation to offer its electric car drivers an intelligent infotainment service from its dashboard. You could also partner with a consulting firm or technology company on a deep dive, or root-and-branch review of your business in terms of any existing technology or future technologies that may be applicable. Facilitate experimentation Experiments are often more important than expertise and you can build an environment where experiments with technology can be undertaken. Give your technology teams a safe space to try new things with real customers and seek their feedback. Take an ‘incubator’ approach and reduce your enterprise risk. Scale what works. You can also give your teams time to innovate and try new ideas. Of course, the most famous example of a company giving
“The most innovative companies have taken a proactive
because there are always traps to fall into. But, if we work together with
technology and partner with it side by side, we can succeed. When looking through the history of chess, there was a moment when Garry Kasparov, chess grandmaster and one of the
approach to their relationship with
technology, planning for the longer term”
most successful and pioneering players in history, played a game against a computer. IBM had developed a computer called Deep Blue which was developed to win chess matches. And, indeed, in February 1996 it beat Kasparov in the first game it played. The match was a six-game match and Kasparov won four-
Ambition | MARCH 2023 | 39
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