INSIGHTS Intelligence: Personal, Professional and…Artificial? By Marge Axelrad Monday, December 12, 2016 12:00 AM Intelligence is a special term. It’s something I’ve always thought folks should aspire to. It conveys aptitude, receptivity to learning, the ability to gather and process information, form knowledgeable opinions, assess details, sift through data and make sense of it in order to move forward, make progress, enjoy more of culture, business and life. In the year just about to end, however, I’ve had some misgivings about intelligence. And, the presidential election notwithstanding, that’s in part because everything and everyone, from media to public personalities and politicians, businesspeople and entertainers, have all thrown previous interpretations of intelligence into question for me. That question is sometimes, ‘Where the hell did it go?’ But, as a New Year beckons, perhaps we should note that’s the wrong question to ask. For when it comes to intelligence, it’s pointless to abandon hope for intelligence. In fact, locating it and making decisions based on it is more important than ever. Particularly in light of today’s radically different and changing competitive world, it’s crucial. Yes, we need our own brains. But we also now need systems of intelligence to help us sift through an impossible amount of data, to use digital tools and better understand how to use them to sort through valid information, solid facts (backed up, verified facts) in order to make sure that our decisions and judgments are sound. As a matter of fact, here’s a nice segue: VM will tackle these ideas at our 11th annual Global Leadership Summit next year on March 29. We’re calling it “A-EYE: Supercharging Knowledge and Decision Making.” Diagnosing an illness that confounds the experts. Accurately predicting the perfect product choice. Identifying and interpreting massive amounts of data. Machines that understand you and speak your language. These are the scenarios that involve Artificial Intelligence, the most transformative technology in today’s digital world. Suppliers, retailers, health care providers and marketers are discovering AI and learning how to combine this powerful new tool with human expertise to inform decision making. Be prepared and consider expanding your own knowledge and join us at our 2017 special program. I invite you to visit VisionMonday.com to learn how to register and get more details. Thanks so much from me and the entire VM editorial team for your involvement and positive feedback throughout this past year. Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. maxelrad@jobson.com