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HPE News. Tech Insights. World-Class Innovations. We take you straight to the source — interviewing tech's foremost thought leaders and change-makers that are propelling businesses and industries forward.
Aubrey Lovell:
Hello, and a very warm welcome to Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where we take what's happening in the world around us and explore how it's changing the way organizations are using technology. We're your hosts, Aubrey Lovell-
Michael Bird:
... and Michael Bird. And in this episode we are exploring the weather, from storms to cold snaps, why does weather and the way we predict it matter to organizations? We'll also be looking at AI podcasts and the future of battery tech, and we'll be looking at the books that are changing the way that you, our listeners, see the world.
So if you are the kind of person who needs to know why, what's going on in the world matters to your organization, then this podcast is for you. And of course, if you're enjoying it, do make sure you subscribe on your podcast app of choice so you don't miss out. Right, let's get on with the show.
Aubrey Lovell:
Michael, you and I live across the pond from each other.
Michael Bird:
We do.
Aubrey Lovell:
And we live in very different climates.
Michael Bird:
Yes.
Aubrey Lovell:
I mean, I live in Florida, you live in England. And today we are talking about the importance of weather forecasting and why it matters. And it really does come at an interesting time because Britain has just undergone its coldest snap in decades, following its hottest summer on record, while in the US I know we've had an unusually late and harsh hurricane season. So if that's not enough, a massive cold front recently plunged parts of China down to negative 50C. That's negative 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Michael Bird:
Wow. Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
That's like The Day After Tomorrow. Have you ever seen that movie?
Michael Bird:
Oh my goodness.
Aubrey Lovell:
It's pretty crazy. But we know that weather is a key factor in how we live and work. So extreme weather can be very disruptive to organizations, not only for your people, but for your operations and your customer experience. And I do have some facts here, so I have to put my glasses on. Are you ready?
Michael Bird:
Ooh, yes. Give me some facts. I love some facts.
Aubrey Lovell:
Okay.
Michael Bird:
Here we go.
Aubrey Lovell:
Since 1980, in the US alone, there have been over 340 weather events where the damage has totaled over a billion dollars.
Michael Bird:
Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
And in the last 10 years, $40 billion worth of crops have been lost to bad weather.
Michael Bird:
Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
So that's around a thousand people a year die in the US alone due to extreme weather.
Michael Bird:
Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
Bottom line, weather can affect every aspect of our lives, and is a important factor for your success and your business to consider.
Michael Bird:
I sort of understand the whole weather affecting our personal lives, but why does it matter to organizations? And I guess, why does it matter to the IT functions of organizations?
Aubrey Lovell:
There's many reasons. We know that, in short, if we can better predict the weather, organizations can better predict demand and drive growth, while also protecting their physical assets and finding ways to be sustainable. So there's many layers to this.
And if you think about data centers, think about your data centers. Lots of energy use. So then you start to beg the question, how can you ensure your data center leverages its location for cooling capabilities? Or how can you leverage more accurate insights in data to remove that strain on that compute power, but also get maximum output and get faster decision-making? Or you can be thinking about your overall carbon footprint.
All of these different decisions and how you're managing your business strategy really is influenced by weather and weather patterns. And that all ties back to the weather forecasting and why it's important.
Michael Bird:
Yeah. I guess, if you think about your average weather forecast, it can tell you some information, but maybe not all the information that some organizations might need.
Aubrey Lovell:
Right.
Michael Bird:
It can probably see how much rain is going to fall over the next 24 hours. Maybe it'll give me, oh it's a 60% chance of rain at 5:00 PM, 10% chance of sunshine or something like that sort of thing you get in the UK. But if you want to get any more specific than that you're a bit stuck. I guess the next question is, how do we get to that level of forecasting?
Aubrey Lovell:
Well, it's definitely being invested in. The world of weather technology is moving so quickly and you're seeing a lot of tech companies step to the plate and say, "Hey, I'm going to get into the forecasting arena."
You look at Microsoft, they're using a new AI model called DeepMC, which uses elements of machine learning, deep learning, looking at that historical weather data, and merging it with mainstream forecast IoT sensors. All of these different things to predict how weather will change in a local area over a matter of hours. And they claim that in tests these predictions were actually up to 90% accurate, which is way better than any model previously released.
Michael Bird:
How does this affect organizations around the world then?
Aubrey Lovell:
With better technology, feeding better forecasts, industries such as agriculture can use those insights to know the best times to, for example, plant and harvest their crops, where they can maintain that optimum quality and also have [inaudible 00:05:06] savings. And then you think about some of the other industries, off the top of my head, let's say Amazon. Amazon, and the transport industry, understanding the most efficient ways and times to ship across land, sea and air, all of those packages that you're ordering on a daily basis. Or for retail, leveraging that data and understanding the seasons and consumer behaviors to launch a clothing collection, or maybe plan out your ad campaigns.
There's just so many examples. You could even think about entertainment, the telecom industry, streaming services, that's huge. Being able to predict when they need to increase that capacity for all those rainy days, when grandma might be binge-watching the Highlander. Or for example in my case, binge-watching something while the hurricane passes. So really, weather in many ways affects every industry, and it's a really an important thing to keep in your purview when you're planning these types of things.
Michael Bird:
Yeah. I mean, I suppose what we talked about earlier with, if you can get better forecasting, the sort of forecasting we get on our apps, is it takes you to a certain point. And if you can get better, that's quite useful for us as consumers. But I guess for business, it could basically become some sort of competitive advantage if you can better predict what's going on.
I suppose the next question then is, what has changed to enable these sorts of things?
Aubrey Lovell:
I think there's a few things that we've looked at, number one being computing power in itself. Until now, minute by minute forecasting has really been tricky to do with the computing power available to most meteorologists.
And there's three things that are changing within that. First, you have the better coding and the efficiencies there. Secondly, supercomputers are getting more and more powerful. For example, HPE just released the first Exascale computer, which does exaflops of operations per second, which is actually like the equivalent of the processing power of our human brain so that's pretty incredible.
Michael Bird:
Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
Yeah.
Michael Bird:
That is incredible.
Aubrey Lovell:
You think about the advancements in technology, it's really amazing to see. But I guess the other part of the equation is most people can't afford to even get access to an exascale computer. So the third change is, is how is weather being privatized? And we see that happening.
There's commercial companies offering these services to paying clients, and it's a double-edged sword. There's benefits and there's drawbacks, because historically weather forecasting has always been in the hands of national, state-owned or at least funded scientific organizations, who have shared their data freely to the public as part of the idea that this access improves everyone's lives and therefore ultimately benefits the majority. And that makes sense. Going back to our agriculture example with supplying weather forecasts to farmers so their crops are not ruined, that they're optimal producing those crops, it really helps the economy and therefore everybody wins.
These private companies don't have to do that. They're only focused on supplying that data to a few companies willing to pay out for it. So that means they don't need anywhere near as much overall computing power as some of these national forecasting organizations do. The downside of this is that not everyone gets the data. So you've taken basically a big, monolithic industry and chopped it up into tiny parts, all of which are compartmentalized, all using their own algorithms and AI. So that really makes for an interesting combination down the road.
Michael Bird:
Yeah, absolutely. Because I guess there might be some things that maybe aren't profitable to report on, but might be actually quite useful. And I suppose you then have to ask, how efficient is all of this in the long run. And what happens to people who can't afford to buy into, or I guess don't even need that level of detail?
Aubrey Lovell:
Right. I mean, it's a very valid question and it's an interesting one. Because say for example, if one forecast spots something the others or the public should know about, should they be obliged to tell us? It could literally save lives. If you think about extreme weather events, which we've been talking about a lot, even if you think about the airline industry, with aircrafts and turbulence, all of these decisions are being made in real-time. And sometimes that data can be captured in a way that can provide that additional insight, on top of what's publicly known. It could make or break all of these decisions and protect people as well.
The interesting thing is, when we talk about the concept of the governance, how do we ensure that the governance and ensuring the information is all correct? There's a lot to think about in the arena.
Michael Bird:
Yeah.
Aubrey Lovell:
Either way, super fascinating look at the way AI is topping up conventional wisdom, which I think is something that's super important for a lot of organizations. And that's why weather matters.
Michael Bird:
Thank you, Aubrey. That was super interesting, and I do hope you stay safe.
Now, listeners, you can find notes on the reports and the people that we've referenced this week in the show notes. This isn't the whole picture, but it'll get you started if you want to read more.
Okay. Next up it's down to you, our audience. We open the floor for you to give us your recommendations on books which have changed the way that you looked at the world, at life, and business in the last 12 months. Now they could be technology-based, they could have changed the way that you work, or they could have just made you look at the world in a slightly different way. If you want to share your recommendations, there's a link in the podcast description. We'd absolutely love them. All you need to do is just record a voice note on your phone and pop it in.
Okay. So this week we are joined by Bobby Ford, who is Chief Security Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Bobby Ford:
The book that changed my year was Think Again by Adam Grant. Adam Grant is the youngest tenured professor at Wharton, at the University of Pennsylvania. I mean, he has just so much in here. One of the things that he says is that arrogance is ignorance plus conviction. He says that knowledge is power, but knowing what you don't know is wisdom. That's really good.
And the reason that it was so impactful for me is because it really challenged those of us that think that we're on the right side, or the left side, to really see the alternative view. And to really challenge ourselves to put ourselves in the other or the opposing viewpoint's shoes.
Aubrey Lovell:
All right, it's time for TIL, Today I Learned. It's the part of the show where we each share something amazing we've learned about the world of technology this week.
Michael Bird:
And we're going to take it in turns to talk about an organization doing something that we think that you need to know about. Okay, Aubrey, I reckon you should go first.
Aubrey Lovell:
All right. Well, I've had a very interesting experience. This week I've been exploring AI podcasts and no, the guest was not the Terminator, so I just want to make sure that people were aware. AI host podcasts-
Michael Bird:
Yeah. Okay, okay.
Aubrey Lovell:
... have been floating around for a year or two now, and they are definitely a novelty rather than a viable form of entertainment. The first episode of podcast.ai is a bit different because it features an AI Joe Rogan interviewing an AI Steve Jobs. And it's quite weird. The podcast is produced by play.ht, which is an AI voice service, to showcase their machine learning talent. It's super bizarre, but very hilarious. And the more you listen to it, the AI voices listen to each other, which makes it more believable, which is kind of creepy, but also really cool.
Michael Bird:
Wow.
Aubrey Lovell:
Because by that point it's gotten so believable, you're forgetting that you're actually listening to an AI. That barrier where a conversation becomes believable, the tones are mashed, the AI asking the questions, they're listening to the answers, they're answering them back and expanding on them. It's just, those lines are being blurred.
And when you can do that, I think it speaks to the volumes of what we can do with that potential. Opening up a whole world of customer service automation, AI assisted workforces. I mean, just there's so many opportunities, and there's literally an endless list of waves that that could change our world. So it's just something really fascinating. And I know we have a long way to go with it, but it's really cool if you get to check it out.
Michael Bird:
Okay. Big news this week for people who use batteries, which is basically everyone. Now the first zinc-ion battery has passed safety testing in the US. The battery pack by Salient Energy has passed standard UL9540A. Aubrey, I know you're a big fan of that standard.
Aubrey Lovell:
Oh yes.
Michael Bird:
Top list of yours. At Underwriters Laboratories, one of the biggest safety testers in the world. But why on earth should you care? Well, lithium-ion batteries, that we are all used to, may look pretty innocuous, but as many of you all know, 99% of the time they are perfectly safe. But they do have a one in a million failure rate. But the one time they go wrong, it is really bad news. They swell, they catch fire, they explode, and they can emit a cloud of really pretty toxic fumes. Not fun stuff. And it means fires can actually be really quite difficult to put out.
Zinc-ion batteries look to be a bit different. They don't appear to have any of those problems associated with thermal runaway. They don't emit toxic gases, even when punctured, whilst basically being drop-in replacements. And they are supposed to be quite a bit cheaper to produce, so watch this space. Zinc-ion batteries promise far safer energy supplies, which means less fires, which means less protection is needed, which means cheaper products. What do you think? Was that a cool story?
Aubrey Lovell:
I think it is. It's very fascinating, both very cool stories. And you can find links to them in the podcast description if you'd like to know more.
All right. We're getting towards the end of this week's show, which means it's time for This Week in History.
Michael Bird:
This Week IN History.
Aubrey Lovell:
A look at something in the world of business and technology which has changed our lives, and also Michael, our singing voices.
Michael Bird:
Not necessarily for the better. Anyway, this week we are heading all the way back to 1455 for an event that changed knowledge and learning forever. Yes, happy birthday to the Gutenberg Bible, the first mass-produced printed book. It's hard to believe that until this point, if you wanted a book, you had to wait two years for a monk to paint you one. But the Gutenberg printing press allowed anyone to publish anything, and it sparked modern learning and knowledge, political thoughts, and modern philosophy. And on that, happy birthday to the very first phone book published this week in 1878.
Aubrey Lovell:
Wow.
Michael Bird:
The book covering New Haven, Connecticut, had 21 names. So it was, I guess, less of a book, more of a postcard. Anyway, next week, we are heading to 1954.
Aubrey Lovell:
Ooh.
Michael Bird:
And the clue is R-O-Y-G-B-I-V. I don't think those are Roman numerals, I think they might be initials for something. Anyway, if you know what we're talking about, shh, shh, shh. Don't tell, don't tell.
Aubrey Lovell:
LOL
Michael Bird:
LOL. BRB.
Aubrey Lovell:
That brings us to the end of Technology Now for this week. Next week we'll be discussing saving energy with our very special guest, John Frey, Chief Technologist and sustainability expert from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Do send your questions on sustainability and tech using the link in the podcast description, and keep those suggestions coming for books that have changed your year.
Michael Bird:
And until then, thank you so much for joining us. Technology Now is hosted by Aubrey Lovell and me, Michael Bird. And this episode was produced by Sam Datta-Paulin and Zoe Anderson, with production support from Harry Morton, Alicia Kempson, Alison Paisley, Alex Podmore, and Ed Everstone. Technology Now is a Lower Street production for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. And we'll see you next week. Thank you.
Aubrey Lovell:
Cheers.