These days, many consumers are finding buying decisions overwhelming and walking away from interactions online. It’s getting harder to tell what’s real – from product reviews to descriptions – which can lead to hesitation and confusion in people’s shopping habits. This poses a real challenge for organizations engaged in digital commerce. In this episode, we’ll hear from Corie Barry, C.E.O. of Best Buy, and Baiju Shah, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Accenture Song.

For this episode, our hosts Josh and Elise take us on a journey into the future of air travel. For the airline industry, the demand for operational resilience in the face of disruption has never been higher. Looking ahead, aviation companies need to reinvent themselves to build a future that is sustainable, innovative and more convenient for the customer. We’ll speak to Emily Weiss, Global Travel Industry Lead at Accenture and Decius Valmorbida, President of Travel at Amadeus.

If there was ever a time for organizations to get better at managing change, that time is now. Leaders have a love-hate relationship with the idea of change. And it’s easy to see why: Accenture research shows that 90% of organizations have gone through two or more major transformations in the past three years. In this episode, we’ll explore what it means to embrace reinvention as a long-term strategy. We’ll speak to Patrick Apostolo, Director of Corporate Operations and Business Transformation for EMEA at the Radisson Hotel Group; Karalee Close, Global Lead, Talent and Organization at Accenture; and Fred Oswald, Professor and Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences at Rice University and Member, National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC).

Making meaningful progress toward a net-zero transition requires a new era of collaboration between global stakeholders — from oil, gas and power providers to heavy industry such as steel, metals and mining, cement, chemicals, freight and logistics, to light industry that includes pulp and paper, aerospace and defense, automotive, industrial equipment, life sciences and consumer goods. This episode highlights the critical need for innovation, investment and cooperation across industries to drive the energy transition forward. Working together, industry leaders can flip a vicious cycle of inaction into a virtuous cycle of action. We’ll speak to Emily Shults, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer of Low Carbon Solutions at Sempra Infrastructure and Stephanie Jamison, Global Resources Industry Practices Chair and Sustainability Services Lead at Accenture.

Across industries, innovators are building technologies and systems that can understand people better than ever before. Wearability, portability, convenience and other features of consumer-oriented devices are driving transformation anywhere people and technology interact. It’s time for leaders to ask how these latest developments might help their enterprises. In this episode, we’ll speak to Moha Bensofia, Chief Evangelist at Mendi; Mary Hamilton, Lead of Accenture Technology Innovation Technology for North America and Latin America; and Prof. Xuanhe Zhao at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Spatial computing is about to hit its stride. A medium is emerging that can create new value in the form of augmented and virtual realities, enabling the digital world to reflect what it means to be human and in a physical space. In this episode, we’ll explore how open source technology — developed in the entertainment industry — is helping enterprises build immersive new environments. And we’ll take a look at how new spatial technologies could have profound impacts on our everyday experiences. We’ll speak to Steve May, Chief Technology Officer at Pixar; Adam Burden, Global Innovation Lead at Accenture; and Kyle Rand, C.E.O. of Rendever.

With the rapid acceleration of innovation, many people are feeling that technology is happening to them rather than for them. In fact, according to Accenture research, 41% of frequent tech users say that technology has complicated their lives just as much as it has simplified it. Because of this, businesses should not hide from the oncoming tide of people seeking control over their relationship with technology. The best approach for many organizations is to become part of the solution. In this episode, our guests will be Joe Hollier, Co-Founder of Light (creators of the Light Phone); Katie Burke, Global Thought Leadership Lead for Accenture Song; and Kenneth Schlenker, Founder and C.E.O. of Opal.

In this episode, we delve into the evolving landscape of text-based generative AI and its widespread implications for businesses. With increasing attention being paid to how AI systems are trained and implemented, leaders must learn how to use AI technology responsibly and in ways that are beneficial to the world around us. We’ll explore ways businesses have attempted to address these questions, from staying ahead of the technology by “outsmarting” AI’s learning models to working with them in ways that are open and transparent for users, customers and employees. Our guests will be Alex Cui, Co-Founder of GPTZero; Arnab Chakraborty, Senior Managing Director, Responsible AI Lead at Accenture; and May Habib, CEO and Co-Founder of Writer.

The manufacturing centers of the future use every technology at their disposal, from automation to digital twin networks and proprietary cellular networks. Advances in technology will allow enterprises to predict and respond quickly to problems before they arise. In this episode, we’ll examine what a resilient supply chain looks like — and discuss the new technologies that can help create manufacturing processes that remain stable amidst disruption. We’ll speak to Eric Green, VP of User Experience at Dassault Systèmes; Sef Tuma, Global Engineering and Manufacturing Lead at Accenture; and Manish Bhatia, Executive VP of Global Operations at Micron Technology.

We are in the midst of an era defined by constant change. Many organizations are rising to the challenge, transforming faster than ever and embracing new technologies. But research shows that some companies are truly leading the way, embracing a strategy that Accenture calls Total Enterprise Reinvention. So what does it mean to be a Reinventor? In this episode, our host Josh Klein leads a roundtable discussion with Jack Azagury, Group Chief Executive, and Penelope Prett, former Chief Information, Data and Analytics Officer and now lead for the Workday Business Group at Accenture. We’ll also speak with David Puente, Global Head of Client Solutions at BBVA.

Recent breakthroughs in quantum computing show that the technology is on the verge of fulfilling its vast potential, creating a wave of opportunity for businesses. Leaders who understand the capabilities of quantum computing will be better positioned for the long term — and will be able to capitalize as the technology continues to mature. In this episode, we’ll speak to Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C); Carl Dukatz, Next Gen Compute Lead at Accenture; and Rebecca Krauthamer, Chief Product Officer at QuSecure.

For most of the 20th century, the role of CFO didn’t exist. But the economic turmoil of the 1970s prompted big changes and highlighted the need for more stable financial leadership in most organizations. The role has evolved over the years, with the responsibilities becoming broader and more strategic. These days, the modern CFO is often at the helm for critical decisions within their organization, driving change and taking responsibility for vast amounts of data. In this episode, we’ll speak to Itay Goldstein, Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; Jason Dess, Global Lead of CFO and Enterprise Value at Accenture; and Alice Globus, CFO of Nanotronics.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a fourth of the American workforce will be over the age of 55 by 2024. At the same time, technology is changing at such a rapid pace that skill gaps and talent shortages are emerging at every level. To help close those gaps, business leaders should invest in a talent pool that is often overlooked: our aging workforce. And yet, Accenture research shows that only 23% of workers feel that their workplace provides them with a learning environment that promotes skill development. In this episode, we’ll explore why the onus is on business leaders to offer better opportunities for skilling — and speak to a former teacher who made a successful transition into a tech career. Our guests will be Michele Richmond, Software Engineer Associate at Accenture Federal Services; Allison Horn, Global Talent Lead at Accenture; and Aaron Skonnard, Co-Founder and C.E.O. at Pluralsight.

Many organizations are collecting large amounts of data just by going about their everyday business. All this data can provide insight into broader industry trends, consumer habits, market shifts and much more. That’s why businesses need to shift their mindsets toward responsibly embracing transparency, to enhance customer relationships—and to secure new ones. The bottom line? Companies can seize the moment and find ways to take advantage of the changing data ecosystem, or resist them and miss big opportunities. In this episode, we’ll speak with Nick Smith-George, Senior Director of Growth Strategy and Revenue Operations at StreetEasy; Karthik Narain, Lead of Accenture Cloud First and Data & AI; and Carolyn Jameson, Chief Trust Officer at Trustpilot.

Progress in science and technology go hand in hand — their relationship is a bidirectional feedback loop. Advancements in one direction can accelerate innovation in the other. Today, as new discoveries are being made in areas such as space exploration, artificial intelligence and life sciences, it’s critical for organizations to take strategic advantage of these developments to transform their industries. In this episode, we’ll explore the nascent fields of space data and synthetic biology, and identify key strategies for enterprises looking to benefit from the science-tech feedback loop. We’ll hear from Jason Kelly, Co-Founder and C.E.O. of Ginkgo Bioworks; Marc Carrel-Billiard, Global Senior Managing Director at Accenture R&D Labs; and Rafel Jorda Siquier, Founder and C.E.O. of Open Cosmos.

A.I.-enabled creative technology is evolving at an astonishing speed and becoming increasingly accessible to all. Chatbots, image processors and music generators are changing the way humans create, but they are also raising concerns around ethics, authorship and intellectual property. As a result, companies must stay ahead of this trend to avoid missing out on a wave of innovation. In this episode, we’ll learn how two A.I.-based companies have reimagined music and design. We’ll also hear from an Accenture thought leader on how A.I. can enable new ways of working for teams. This episode features Oleg Stavitsky, C.E.O. and Co-Founder of Endel; Nick Law, Global Lead for Design and Creative Tech at Accenture Song; and Joseph Reisinger, C.E.O. and Co-Founder of Facet.

How can businesses free up more time for their employees, reduce effort spent struggling with multiple applications and foster meaningful collaboration between teams? The key is interoperability. Accenture research shows that companies that achieve high interoperability grow revenue 6x faster than their more disconnected peers. So, in this episode we explore how the ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances, adopt new technologies and otherwise remain nimble allows companies to thrive. We’ll speak to Michelle Green, V.P. of Business Technology for Strategy, Transformation and Governance at Discover Financial Services, and Emma McGuigan, Global Lead for Enterprise and Industry Technologies at Accenture.

In an unstable world, communities of belonging are more important than ever. That’s why people are using technology to build new digital identities. The question is: Will brands find success online by treating people as customers, or as part of the brand? In this episode, we explore why companies should take a community-first approach to things like content, experiences, data and identity. We’ll speak with Tom Verrilli, Chief Product Officer at Twitch, an interactive livestreaming platform; Katie Burke, Global Thought Leadership Lead at Accenture Song; and Karyl Fowler, C.E.O. and Co-Founder of Transmute, a company empowering enterprises across industries with authentic data and traceable insights.

The energy industry is undergoing a huge transformation. Sustainability goals and the demand for a cleaner energy system are driving new investment across the entire sector. But recently, global challenges such as the pandemic, inflation and the war in Ukraine have shown that the need for secure energy resources also demands immediate attention. In this episode, we’ll explore how the global economy’s energy future depends on a balanced approach to both security and sustainability. We’ll speak to Ory Zik, C.E.O of Qnergy; Muqsit Ashraf, Chief Executive of Accenture Strategy; and Luis Cabra, Managing Director of Energy Transition Technology, Institutional Affairs and Deputy C.E.O. at Repsol.

Over the past several years, disruption has been the norm in the travel industry. But in 2022, customer demand for vacations, air travel and other forms of hospitality climbed back toward pre pandemic levels. In this episode, we’ll explore how the demands of the modern traveler are shifting – and how companies can reward their customers with new experiences, better service and seamless operations. We’ll speak to Claire Bennett, Global Chief Customer Officer at IHG Hotels and Resorts; Emily Weiss, Global Travel Industry Lead at Accenture; and Steven Zaat, Chief Financial Officer at Air France-KLM.