Digital Intelligence Weekly by Kevin Benedict

Kevin Benedict's
Center for Digital Intelligence™

In this weekly report I collect, curate and comment on interesting topics related to emerging technologies and digital trends.  Enjoy!

Question: Why is 2017 a record year for retail stores in the USA?  Answer: A record 6,700 retail stores have already closed in the USA in 2017, and as many as 8,600 will close by the end of the year. Online stores are capturing more market share, and fast fashion is overturning traditional retail business models and supply chains. [KRB Comment] This is our fault.  We like to shop online. We like access to global inventories and next day shipping.  We like to be able to conveniently return products that don’t work for us.  We like personalized product offerings.  We like recommendations. We like lower prices.  We like shopping from our couches and beds.
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Question: How do you dupe Americans out of more personal information without their knowledge and then sway an election?  Answer: Offer them a free personality test on Facebook, and then use that information to create psychographic data. Cambridge Analytica built psychological profiles of over 200 million Americans in part by using information they shared on social media.  For example, many Americans took personality quizzes spread by the firm on Facebook, which were designed to reveal how they score on measures of the so-called “big five” personality traits.  [KRB Comment] I am guilty of taking both personality tests and political leanings tests on Facebook.  I am now sure the results were ultimately combined to create a profile that could be used for nefarious purposes.  I don’t think this is what Mark Zuckerberg had in mind when he first programmed Facebook at Harvard.
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Silicon Valley Series: Security as a Service and Managing Enterprise Security, Processes and Policies

In this Silicon Valley Series I have the privilege of interviewing very smart and experienced Silicon Valley veterans on a variety of important business trends, technologies and strategies.  I hope you find this series of short interviews interesting.

In this episode, I interview the CTO of Cybric, Mike D. Kail, and discuss Security-As-A-Service, and the challenges involved in managing the digital security of a large enterprise when there are so many wireless and mobile connected devices and objects in your IT ecosystem.  Enjoy!

Silicon Valley Series: Cultural Impact on Digital Transformation

In this Silicon Valley Series I am honored to interview a number of very smart and experienced Silicon Valley dignitaries on a variety of important business trends, technologies and strategies.  I hope you find this series of short interviews useful.

In this episode, I interview Tom Thimot, a veteran three time CEO of Silicon Valley companies, on the importance of developing the right culture in your enterprise so you can compete successfully in an age of digital transformation.  Enjoy!

Silicon Valley Series: Customer Analytics, Personalization, Privacy and Context

In this Silicon Valley Series I was honored to interview a number of very smart and experienced Silicon Valley dignitaries on a variety of important business trends, technologies and strategies.  I hope you find this series of short interviews useful.

In this episode, I have the honor of learning from Silicon Valley veteran CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), brand and digital marketing expert, Mark Lewis (Twitter @marklewis_sf).  We discuss the latest trends and strategies in personalization, opportunities and privacy challenges.

Silicon Valley Series: Evolution of Cloud, Analytics, AI and Human Integration

In this Silicon Valley Series I was honored to interview a number of very smart and experienced Silicon Valley dignitaries on a variety of important business trends, technologies and strategies.  I hope you find this series of short interviews useful.

In this episode, I interview Silicon Valley veteran and three time CEO Tom Thimot on how artificial intelligence and automation are evolving from hybrid models to more trusted automation models.