In this last podcast, Peter asks two experts, Tom Van de Weghe and Fijoy Vadakkumpadan, to share their view on the current infodemic. Today, one cannot even be sure of what’s real and what not. Where (most) media used to inform us, we are now bombarded with disinformation through social media. So that’s why for this podcast we invited Tom Van de Weghe, journalist for Belgian national television and AI expert, explaining the roots of the problem and how individuals and companies can battle fake news. Next to Tom, Fijoy Vadakkumpadan, manager Computer Vision at SAS, talks about the interpretation of information and how it can be used for decisioning. He offers cases and examples and shares how organizations have used data science to battle disinformation, inside and outside their structures.

The world is facing a huge amount of highly complex and intricately connected problems like an ageing population, environmental problems, water problems, migration, terrorism, a new cold war etc. In this podcast, Peter invites Ann Dooms, leading the research group of Digital Mathematics at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), to explain how the purest of science can help us solve some of the problems that keep increasing the uncertainty of our environment. Following Professor Dooms, Cristina Conti, SAS senior manager Artificial Intelligence EMEA, will share cases and examples of data science used in healthcare, (renewable) energy etc. that have helped to create a better world. Enjoy the talks of these ‘Math-women’

Now that the shopping experience has drastically changed, the bol.coms and Amazons of these worlds are companies whose financial estimates have improved since the start of the year. More and more commercial approaches involve filters and subscription models. Think about bots like Alexa and Google Home, or food-box subscriptions. This results in customer relationships becoming increasingly complex and uncertain. Steven Van Belleghem explains the three best practices brands should follow to stay relevant and visible: transactional convenience, emotional convenience and helping customers save the world. Steven Hofmans explains how data and analytics can help create this transactional & emotional convenience. The combination between customer-centric thinking, the latest technologies and the human touch is the guiding principle in today’s podcast.

Second in this series of podcasts is on the subject of “Antifragile Operations”, where Rik Vera from Nexxworks, shares his vision on 'Antifragile Operations'. Rik explaines how we can design our supply chains, production and logistics to become antifragile. As stated by Nicholas Nassim Taleb, author of “Antifragile” and “Black Swan” exposure to stressors, shocks, volatility, attacks, or failures only makes them stronger instead of weaker. Adriaan follows Rik, zooming in on the crucial importance of data and analytics in this process. And talking about real life implementations at companies like Solvay and Prayon.

The Never Normal In this first podcast, Peter Hinssen explaines why we are entering the Never Normal, a time when nothing but uncertainty is certain and where we will need a to be able to thrive. VACINE is not a medicine here but an acronym for: Velocity, Agility, Creativity, Innovation, Networks and Experimentation. Pascal Coppens joins Peter and explains what we can learn from China, a country that seems at ease with responding to uncertainty in a fast and agile manner. He offers many inspiring practical examples and cases. Peter will start off by telling you somewhat more about what to expect from this podcast: enjoy!

Introduction podcast from SAS Virtual Fridays: ‘Thriving in the Never Normal’ with Ivy Vanderheyden, Marketing Director BeNeLux. This podcast is about what we can expect in the coming series of five.