Technology moves fast and doesn't wait for anyone. New digital innovations such as cloud computing have forced businesses to adapt quickly in order to keep up with innovation. Jason McDonald, U.S. President for Contino, a consulting firm helping brands adopt new tech, was with us to chat about how businesses are responding to rapid changes in technology.
McDonald breaks down the challenges for moving data to the cloud. He points out that 70% of digital transformation projects will fail in 2018, according to a recent study. The key failure is not bringing the right personnel into the system, he says. McDonald names the healthcare sector as a laggard because of moving regulations and calls out the government for being even farther behind.
It's hard for companies to ignore headlines around cybersecurity breaches. Contino is working to mitigate concerns about those threats and help businesses plan for the future. McDonald says it's less of a "software and tech" conversation, and more of a "people and process" conversation.
Cloud contact center software company Five9's shareholders voted against the $14.7 billion all-stock acquisition deal from Zoom. A return to offices and in-person meetings have been cited for at least some of the reasons the deal ultimately fell through.
Autonomous car companies Waymo and Cruise are one step closer to offering driverless ridesharing in California after receiving approval from the state's DMV to begin charging fees for their services. Both companies still need approval from the California Public Utilities Commission before offering rides to the public.
Honda is looking to get more futuristic. The automaker announced a $45 billion, six-year investment into developing rockets, robots, and flying cars, noting that these areas of R&D are extensions of their core business.
The FAA has completed its investigation of Virgin Galactic’s Unity 22 test flight on July 12 after the aircraft flew out of protected airspace on its descent back to Earth. Virgin Galactic has been given the green light to resume flights but must request a larger share of protected airspace for future missions.
