WE NEED TO TAKE AI, IT'S BENEFITS AND FIND THE TOOLS TO PUT IN PEOPLE'S HANDS EVERY DAY

In the 1980s and 1990s, the Lotus Development Corporation was famous for the 1-2-3 spreadsheet and the email system Notes. For Dataquest 15 years, we had got Lotus President Jeff Papows to write for us. For Dataquest 40 years we get him again to throw light on the tech world of the 2020s. He is currently CEO of ShopAdvisor.

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You have had a software career spanning nearly three decades and seen successes with many companies. What is the most important trait for a software company to survive and any special tips for the Age of AI? 

Software companies are about the human brain trust. There is no manufacturing, there are literal physical assets. It's about people. It's about inspiration. Back in the day at Lotus I was convinced and convinced with 10,000 of my colleagues and employees that we are changing the way people live and work. We did but it takes tenacity, some trial and error, and lots of organizational resilience. Steve Jobs once told me, "Your customers will never love your products before you love and motivate your workforce. One always comes before the other." Steve was right of course. Clarity of vision, passion, and respect for those enlisted in the pursuit of great things lead to the real paradigm shifts that matter.

Has the Gen AI era begun or is it all hype? How will it change the CX space, in terms of predictability of the customer's needs? Will e-commerce get a greater advantage than the real world? AI is real and it's not going away. It's more help than hindrance but it will require a pragmatic understanding of where it enhances experiences. The greatest downside is "disinformation" and that's where things need some smart degree of regulation. That said I'm not hopeful.