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In the ever-evolving tech advancement, it is imperative to recognise and address the multifaceted challenges and benefits that arise from today’s innovations. To predict trends affecting businesses and the global travel and retail industry, the closing session of yesterday’s TFWA Asia Pacific Conference featured a captivating address from Dr Michio Kaku, Author, Physicist, and Professor, City College of New York. Tech innovation: from AI to quantum computers and supersonic jets S ociety has witnessed technological advancements that are gradually making everyday lives easier and more convenient. The rapid progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening new opportunities and challenges for businesses and individuals alike and is set to revolutionise the world as we know it. While AI is the magic of the moment, the closing session of yesterday’s TFWA Asia Pacific Conference was a story about what’s next. Dr Michio Kaku, Author, Physicist, and Professor, City College of New York, delivered a fascinating address, highlighting that the tourist industry is making a steady comeback. “Tourist agencies are flooded with a rising request for foreign travel,” he said. “What is driving much of this is the demographic change in world finances, with a rising middle class eager to see the world. After centuries of poverty and neglect, a historically new rising middle class is driving a steady rise in tourism. Second, technology is making tourismmore accessible to first-time travellers. The bottlenecks and inconveniences of travel are being eliminated. Companies must take advantage of this technological revolution, especially AI, to encourage the next generation of tourists.” Indeed, AI is making long distance travel easier, faster, more convenient, and cheaper. AI is smoothing out all the kinks and speed bumps in international travel, especially for first-time tourists. “Problems, like lost luggage, long lines, confusing signs, lost tourists, can be eliminated by AI,” Kaku explained. “Menial tasks are increasingly being done by robots. The language problem with international travel can also be eliminated via AI universal translators, in people’s cell phones and also in friendly robots that can answer all questions.” Above all, the purpose of AI in the tourist industry is to make things painless and pleasant. So, Kaku shared, companies have to identify the kinks in the travel industry and use AI to eliminate them or smooth them out. “For example, AI can shorten the huge lines often found at airports, which sometimes cause people to miss their connection. AI can make it easier to book and change reservations. AI robots at airports can also answer all questions in any language.” We are just beginning to enter the AI era. AI is just beginning the process of making travel pleasant and painless. More advances are yet to come. “But after the AI revolution, the next revolution will be with quantum computers, which are potentially millions of times more powerful than ordinary digital computers,” Kaku explained. “Another coming revolution is the introduction of supersonic jet planes. With supercomputers, it is possible to design next-generation aircraft that can travel smoothly beyond the sound barrier, without shattering windows on the ground. Supersonic jets can open up entirely new avenues for tourism. Distant, hard-to-reach destinations may become more popular with supersonic jets. Beyond Dr Michio Kaku, Author, Physicist, and Professor, City College of New York: “After the AI revolution, the next revolution will be with quantum computers, which are potentially millions of times more powerful than ordinary digital computers. Another coming revolution is the introduction of supersonic jet planes.” that, there is the falling cost of travelling into outer space. Although currently only the rich can afford to blast off into space, the price of rocketry is falling rapidly with reusable rockets.” Kaku added that, for first-time travellers, going around the world sounds intimidating and unnerving. “This means that companies must make tourism as simple, pleasant and convenient as possible, removing the irritations, bottlenecks, and inconveniences often encountered by tourists. This means tourist companies must adopt the latest technological advances, or else your competition will.” Tuesday 14 May 2024 12 T F W A D A I L Y