Op-ed

AI could replace knowledge and creative experts faster than customer service personnel. Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT late last year, there has been speculation that the generative tech will enable firms to do away with people and cut costs by deploying chatbots to run the sales funnel, deliver customer service and generate marketing and communications activities.

Sapien Ventures, a pan Asia Pacific, technology venture capital firm, is calling on the Federal Government to urgently reconsider plans to alter Australia’s Significant Investor Visa (SIV) program. The Albanese Government has signalled intentions to review the program, with the Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neal saying it “isn’t adding value to the country.”

After decades of big corporations producing trillions of oil-based plastics, the negative consequences of pollution caused by these products are startling and undeniable. It is now one of the most pressing environmental and public health hazards of modern times. With more than 418 million tons of plastic thought to be produced annually, our oceans, rivers, food, land, and air are overrun with pollution. That said, it is time to accelerate solutions to combat plastic pollution by activating governments, citizens, and businesses to do their part to invest in our planet- everyone accounted for, everyone accountable.

The global economy has become increasingly interconnected, and organizations today are more likely to have a workforce that includes employees from different parts of the globe. Having a high proportion of overseas workers can bring significant benefits to a company, including increased diversity, access to new markets, and a more flexible workforce.

Like most businesses in Australia and New Zealand, financial services organisations have been through major digital transformation and innovation over the past three years. Rapid changes in customer and employee behaviours, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have created a need for new and more personalised experiences. The shift to hybrid work in particular has required the adoption of new tech that enable employees to collaborate from any location.

When it comes to creating more gender balanced experiences in the workplace, there is still work to do. While the latest findings from the Employee Experience (EX) Trends research from Qualtrics shows there are no significant gaps in the core employee experience metrics between men and women in the workplace- such as engagement, intent to stay, inclusion, well-being, and meeting employee expectations - this does not tell the complete story.  

We are well into 2023 and one thing that has not changed since 2022 is the unpredictability that many economies are still experiencing as a result of the pandemic and continued geopolitical conflicts. For the supply chain industry, this means that businesses need to be strategic, leveraging on tech and real time data to stay up to date. Achieving a connected supply chain allows businesses to have end to end visibility, which is a necessity today.

While we hope that the worst of COVID-19 is behind us, the pandemic’s lasting social and economic impacts remain felt. Take for example the ‘great resignation’ phenomenon. While it was slower to hit Australia than other markets, it has certainly made up for lost time locally. Research from NAB surveyed 2,000 Australians this year and found that 1 in 5 workers surveyed had resigned in the 12 months prior. As employers and HR leaders, we are facing an uphill battle to attract and retain top talent. The pandemic saw people re-evaluating their life priorities and what deriving value and purpose from work means to them.

Individuals and businesses depend on software daily – for work processes, shopping, booking travel, banking, entertainment, etc. That much may be obvious. But what you may not know is that much of that software is open source. In other words, components built by volunteers that make up freely accessible code used to create that software we all depend upon. 

AI and contactless ordering is not only making ordering easier for patrons and making marketing and engagement easier for venues, it is also keeping the hospitality industry alive during the labour shortage. Everyone I talk to across the industry is struggling to get staff. Venues are offering incredible incentives and deals to attract and retain staff.