(US and Canada) Katia Walsh, PhD, Chief Global Strategy and AI Officer, Levi Strauss, speaks with Baz Khuti, President US, Modak, on the key global digital data and AI developments she expects in 2022. The first trend she identifies is the global acceleration of the use of digital data and AI capabilities. The last 18 months have demonstrated to companies and individuals who were previously uneasy with digital tools, virtual meetings, Angela, and fully digital business models that enterprises can not only survive, but also prosper in a digital environment.

"The usage of digital tools, technologies, and capacities will be accelerated even further," said Strauss. "There will be a greater demand for talent in this field. However, there is already a severe scarcity of people with these talents in business. Companies will begin to upskill even more, which will be an excellent strategy to win what I refer to as the ‘battle for AI talent.’"

As a result, the global trend of increasing usage of digital data and AI skills will result in a subtrend of increased demand for talent. And, as a result, companies will have a stronger tendency to upskill employees, which is wonderful news for the world.

The second trend will be an uneven and increased focus on privacy. "Data is a wonderful asset for a company," said Strauss. "But as leaders, we must ensure that we treat data as both an asset and a liability. We must ensure that we put this fantastic combination of digital data and AI tools to use in the service of our consumers and customers. Because of the rapid advancement of technology, regulation will never be able to keep up with consumer protection. As a result, it’s up to individual organizations to ensure that they do what is good for society, consumers, and their businesses, which may not always be what regulation mandates."

The concept of the metaverse is a third extremely interesting trend that she believes is a result of the first trend, which is the acceleration of the usage of digital data and AI capabilities in organizations and society in general. It is the fusion of our physical and digital environments. With all that has transpired with mobility, data, and artificial intelligence, the next great wave revolves on metaphors and the mixing of mixed realities of all of the experiences that humans can and will enjoy today and in the future.