Peggy Smedley Show

Peggy Smedley and Chris Willis, chief design officer and futurist, Domo, talk about the danger of moving too fast with AI (artificial intelligence). He says real strategy doesn't start with fear; it starts with trying to solve a problem. They also discuss: · What history tells us about this movement, such as the PC revolution. · What needs to happen to greenlight AI projects. · How to go faster on...

Peggy Smedley and Tim Lindner, warehouse automation consultant, talk about the widening gap between China and the United States in robot manufacturing and why the disparity is growing. He says robot manufacturing isn't just a technology sector anymore, but rather a foundational geopolitical battleground. They also discuss: · The ways the United States is falling behind in robot manufacturing. · Th...

On Aiglatson, Peggy Smedley and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about how workers are gaining autonomy, the inherent complexity with that, and how organizations protect collaboration and creativity when work becomes personalized. He says looking broadly the market doesn't seem to be responding to the idea that AI (artificial intelligence) is going to make a workle...

Peggy Smedley and Andrew Moore, founder and CEO, Lovelace, talk about the move from raw data to real, trusted context. He has been working in AI his whole career, both in academia and industry, and he wants to make sure AI is useful. They also discuss: · Good data versus bad data and how to determine what is the most important information. · Why independent data is so important today—and an exampl...

Peggy talks about why women are adopting AI (artificial intelligence) tools at a lower rate than men on average. She says when more people understand and use AI effectively, everyone benefits. She also discusses: · Why framing women as behind is too simplistic because some skepticism around AI is healthy. · Five major concerns that could come as a result if this gap persists. · What needs to happe...

Peggy Smedley and Bryan Reimer, research scientist, MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, talk about some of the tough AI (artificial intelligence) questions: Who pays for its impact? How will we tax it? Who is liable when it fails? Who gets hit hardest in the workforce? What happens when innovation outruns governance? How do we make AI really useful? He says we forget that AI today may be...

Peggy Smedley and Boris Martin, Engineers Without Borders USA, talk about healthcare workers that are fighting to save lives without the basics like clean water, safe sanitation, and dependable energy. He says the question of fair, equitable access to infrastructure is seldom in the news and people don't pay much attention to it, but health often is. They also discuss: · Engineering solutions and...

Peggy shares why the next 10 years may define the future of infrastructure more than the last 10. She says the question is not whether the technology is coming, but rather the bigger question we need to be asking is if our infrastructure is ready for it. She also discusses: · What cities, manufacturers, construction companies, and policymakers must do right now to prepare for the next decade of sm...

Peggy Smedley and Angelia O'Neal, founder and chief learning officer, MWI Workforce Institute, talk about the essential life skills people need to succeed and the habits people can start building right now to show up stronger at work. She shares what led her to start her nonprofit. They also: · Define what the essential life skills actually are. · Talk about why it is important to always put your...

Peggy Smedley and Dave Moelker, CEO, Twisthink, take a closer look at a team that is redefining what real innovation looks like. He says the company focuses on helping companies turn their physical products into smart, intelligent, and connected systems. They also discuss: · How the company connects strategy, design, and engineering. · A case study of remote monitoring in the mining industry. · Ho...

Peggy shares her thoughts on how to scale AI (artificial intelligence), breaking down what it really looks like to move from pilots to production. She says companies must have a plan for scaling the agentic and physical AI. She also shares: · Lessons learned from M2M and the IoT (Internet of Things). · Core business challenges that exist today. · What successful implementations include. https://pe...

Peggy Smedley and Ross Eisenberg, president, America's Plastic Makers, American Chemistry Council, talk about advanced recycling and the future of American manufacturing. He explains the difference between advanced recycling and traditional mechanical recycling, explaining it is like un-baking a cake. They also discuss: · The biggest benefits of advanced manufacturing. · Two things in the governme...

Peggy Smedley and Andreas Welsch talk about the governance that will determine whether AI (artificial intelligence) agents actually help the business or quietly create more challenges. He says it is so important to have this conversation at this moment in time. They also discuss: · What an AI agent control plane is and why leaders should be paying attention. · How to create governance for an entir...

On Aiglatson, Peggy Smedley and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about our "used future," which is a future imagined decades ago and built on metaphors and assumption about what intelligence is, which ultimately impacts how we talk about AI (artificial intelligence) today. He says people seem to have different understandings of what AI actually is. They also discus...

Peggy Smedley and Andrea Janzen, founder and CEO, Ambition Theory, talk about how leadership is shifting fast, and organizations are feeling the pressure to evolve. She says research shows when there is at least one woman on a construction team, everyone on the team is more productive, and explains why this is. They also discuss: · The differences between transactional and transformational leaders...

Peggy talks about physical AI (artificial intelligence), sharing real-world use cases, industry momentum, and the foundation required to scale physical AI. She says it is quickly becoming a reality in many businesses, and it is accelerating faster than many expected. She also discusses: · The percentage of manufacturers that plan to adopt physical AI within the next two years. · How many organizat...

Peggy and Thorsten Wuest, professor, University of South Carolina, talk about the future of industry. He says the university that he is working at today consciously decided it wanted to be strong in manufacturing. They also discuss: · How he ended up working in South Carolina—and the new opportunities that exist in South Carolina. · The smart manufacturing program at the University of South Caroli...

Peggy talks about distracted driving, why the problem hasn't gone away, and what we can do about it. She says we need a multi-layered approach that starts and ends with each and every one of us. She also discusses: · The number of lives lost and the number of people injured in 2024. · The history of distracted driving and why it persists. · The evolution of technology and where we are headed. http...

Peggy and Dave Moelker, CEO, Twisthink, talk about the societal factors impacting OEMs (original-equipment manufacturers) today including shifting customer expectations and accelerating technology cycles. He says there are a couple of different dimensions, especially in the B2B context. They also discuss: · The need to bring in muti-disciplinary groups. · The importance of contextual data. · Two n...

Peggy and Matt Hatton, founding partner, Transforma Insights, talk about how the IoT (Internet of Things) has changed in the past decade. He shares a few interesting points, such as the fact that it is an operational issue, rather than just a technological issue. They also discuss: · What has happened in more recent years. · Challenges, current realities, and where the best IoT use cases come from...

Peggy explores how AI (artificial intelligence) is reshaping senior leadership and what it ultimately means for the future of work. She says AI is a force that is redefining what it means to lead at the highest level. She also discusses: · The role of the senior leader—past, present, and future. · How many leaders identified human factors as the primary barrier to adoption. · Next steps to take to...

Peggy Smedley and David Levinson, professor, University of Sydney, talk about how transportation is evolving as cities grow and technologies accelerate. He says 30 years ago, there was an assumption technology wouldn't change, but there have been technology shifts. They also discuss: · How the field of transportation has changed throughout his career. · Challenges cities are going to face and less...

Peggy and Wyatt Jenkins, senior vice president of product management, midmarket, Intuit, talk about how AI (artificial intelligence) is reshaping the future of construction operations. He says labor is still the number one consideration for construction companies today. They also discuss: · The biggest priorities for construction companies today. · The importance of job cost accuracy and cash flow...

On Aiglatson, Peggy Smedley and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, talk about big signals that are realigning how talent moves and leadership sits. He says the trend with AI (artificial intelligence) cuts both ways in the hiring process. They also discuss: · City states vs nation states and the impact on the workforce. · Hybrid vs return-to-office mandates and the impact...

Peggy Smedley and Steve Yates, CEO, Buildxact, talk about how the construction industry is evolving quickly and the next wave of meaningful innovation. He says small business builders are trying to determine how to grow with the resources they have. They also discuss: · How technology can help solve some of the challenges for small business builders. · Labor shortages and the importance of recogni...