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The Signals Are Talking
Why Today's Fringe Is Tomorrow's Mainstream
Axiom Business Book Award in Business Technology, 2017
Description
Amy Webb is a noted futurist who combines curiosity, skepticism, colorful storytelling, and deeply reported, real-world analysis in this essential book for understanding the future. The Signals Are Talking reveals a systemic way of evaluating new ideas bubbling up on the horizon-distinguishing what is a real trend from the merely trendy. This book helps us hear which signals are talking sense, and which are simply nonsense, so that we might know today what developments-especially those seemingly random ideas at the fringe as they converge and begin to move toward the mainstream-that have long-term consequence for tomorrow.
With the methodology developed in The Signals Are Talking, we learn how to think like a futurist and answer vitally important questions: How will a technology-like artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-driving cars, biohacking, bots, and the Internet of Things-affect us personally? How will it impact our businesses and workplaces? How will it eventually change the way we live, work, play, and think-and how should we prepare for it now?
Most importantly, Webb persuasively shows that the future isn’t something that happens to us passively. Instead, she allows us to see ahead so that we may forecast what’s to come-challenging us to create our own preferred futures.
With the methodology developed in The Signals Are Talking, we learn how to think like a futurist and answer vitally important questions: How will a technology-like artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-driving cars, biohacking, bots, and the Internet of Things-affect us personally? How will it impact our businesses and workplaces? How will it eventually change the way we live, work, play, and think-and how should we prepare for it now?
Most importantly, Webb persuasively shows that the future isn’t something that happens to us passively. Instead, she allows us to see ahead so that we may forecast what’s to come-challenging us to create our own preferred futures.
Praise
"Webb teaches us to listen...[she] combines well-researched, reader-friendly insights on Google, drones and artificial intelligence with a system of questions you can bring to your next strategy meeting..."
—Chicago Tribune
"Will undoubtedly help leaders contemplate what lies ahead. Webb provides a logical way to sift through today's onslaught of events and information to spot coming changes in your corner of the world."
—Kirkus Reviews
"[The Signals Are Talking] provides several brain-bending future possibilities...Webb's stellar reputation in this red-hot field should generate demand."
—Booklist
"At this moment, it seems obvious that we could all stand to brush up on our skills as prognosticators. And not just so we can avoid being blindsided by seismic elections, but because technology promises to continue its disruptive march through our societies and economies. What will cabbies do when cars are self-driving, and what will warehouse workers do when robots can pick, pack, and ship without lunch breaks and health care benefits? Forget NAFTA; the shift is toward Silicon Valley. But where to start? The Signals Are Talking: Why Today's Fringe Is Tomorrow's Mainstream is a good place. Sitting somewhere between Nate Silver and The Tipping Point, Amy Webb's book provides a practical guide for leaders - at any level - in the age of Big Data, offering tools for picking out the 'true signal, a pattern that will coalesce into a trend with the potential to change everything' - and land on the right side of disruption."
—Jon Foro, The Amazon Book Review (An Amazon Best Book of December 2016)
"The clear, insightful, and humorous Amy Webb has crafted a rare treasure: a substantive guide written in a narrative that's a delight to read. While most futurologists want guru status through a few Nostradamus-like visions that never materialize, Webb modestly reports with depth and discipline, and creates a system and tools we can all use to better navigate the future. Through her deep research, specific anecdotes and brilliant insights, she has performed the selfless but hugely valuable act of teaching us all to fish at the fringe."
—Christopher J. Graves, Global Chair, Ogilvy Public Relations
"Amy Webb, with insight and a big dose of pragmatism, shows how to clearly see the next big disruption and then take action before it strikes"
—Ram Charan, advisor to CEOs and corporate boards, author of The Attackers Advantage and co-author of Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
"Forecasting the future is a challenging-and absolutely necessary-part of every leader's job. In this ambitious and timely book Amy Webb shows not only how to identify actual trends and surprises emerging from the fringes but-even more important-how to do something about them so you can thrive in the face of the unexpected."
—Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist
"The best leaders will know how to listen for the future. Amy Webb's book tells you the signals to listen for-as well as the noise you should ignore. The signals are talking and leaders should listen."
—Bob Johansen, Distinguished Fellow, Institute for the Future, author of Leaders Make the Future
"The renowned futurist Amy Webb zeroes in-with clarity, specificity and verve-on the indispensable skill for people in every industry: how to recognize and interpret the clues that reveal the next big thing."
—Vivian Schiller, former president and CEO, National Public Radio
