U.S. Demographic Shifts
Earlier this week the Census Bureau released national and state population estimates. Some key take-aways: U.S. population continues to slow. U.S. Population increased 0.48% between July 1, 2018 and July 1, 2019. This is the slowest growth rates since 1918. Nature increase (births minus deaths) continue to slow. S. births fell 0.9 percent in 2019, […]
AI and Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Early detection and treatment can lower mortality rates. But clinicians still fail to identify breast cancer about 20 percent of the time (false-negative results). Clinicians also identify cancer, when there is no breast cancer present (false-positive results). Studies suggest 7-12 percent of women will receive […]
Friday’s Assorted Stats and Links
“87 percent of seniors age 65 and older, and 71 percent of those between 50 and 64, want to age in place” The mall as a retail destination is declining. But the mall as an experience center and assorted brand activation is rising in its place. The internet has taught us we shouldn’t tie retail […]
Internet Fragmentation: Why the Web Is Splitting
The internet is undergoing rapid internet fragmentation, reshaping how global citizens experience the web and how companies operate within it. A Decade of Global Connectivity The last decade focused on connecting billions. In 2005, there were just over one billion internet users. By 2010, that number had doubled. By the end of 2019, over four […]
Drinking Your Own Wine
Last week I spent time with several teams at Paylocity – a cloud-based provider of payroll and human capital management (HCM) – at their HQ just outside of Chicago. But Paylocity isn’t just a producer, they are also a consumer. Paylocity uses their software platform for their own HCM. In fact, Paylocity is also their […]
The State of Best Buy 4Q FY18
Yesterday Best Buy reported 4Q FY18 results well above Street estimates. Comparable store sales in the quarter were up 9% (domestic) and 9.9% (international), compared with a 3% Street estimate. US comps were especially strong for entertainment (16.8%) and appliances (20.7%). Entertainment was up 26% year-over-year (likely driven by gaming). Appliance sales were up nearly […]
Can Technology Make Us Better Off While Also Taking Our Jobs?
Earlier this week Axios published the results from a recent Axios-SurveyMonkey poll. The results reveal an interesting dichotomy. There appears to be wide consensus that technology is making us better off and that this will continue into the future. Consider the following findings: 82% of American adults believe the success of U.S. technology companies has […]
A Simple Model of Smart Speaker Adoption and Sales
The market for smart speakers, also commonly referred to as voice-enabled smart speakers and virtual personal assistant (VPA)-enabled wireless speakers, is still a very nascent market. Yes, the market has enjoyed tremendous growth, especially over the last six months, but there is still significant growth yet to be had. I’m already beginning to see some […]
A Global Cold War and the Fear Mongering AI
Earlier this week Eurasia Group published their Top Risks for 2018 which includes the risk of a global tech cold war. They write that, “achieving dominance in emerging technologies is the world’s most important battle for economic power.” But what does “dominance” of an emerging technology mean? And what does that dominance look like? Does […]
Social Implications of AI: Uber’s Effect on Ambulance Services
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming centralized services by enabling decentralized, distributed alternatives. The social implications of AI are becoming increasingly evident, with Uber’s impact on ambulance usage providing a clear example of this shift. Uber and Ambulance Demand: Social Implications of AI in Healthcare Recent research from the National Bureau of Economic Research […]