The Society’s 1314th Ordinary General Meeting was held in the Gallery Room of the State Library of NSW on 2 August. An audience of approximately forty people enjoyed an outstanding presentation titled “Convergence: the hybridisation of the future”, delivered as a conversation between Dr Catherine Ball — Futurist, Author, Researcher, and Rebel, and Maria MacNamara — Director, Government Affairs and Innovation Strategy at Kyndryl.

Their thought-provoking presentation discussed convergent technologies, and particularly artificial intelligence, that are accelerating business model evolution and simultaneously changing our tolerance and social licence.  A key focus of their conversation was around the dangers implicit in the extraordinarily rapid rise of technologies such as generative AI, and the slowness of regulators and governments to keep up.  The presentation, which is now available on the Society’s YouTube channel, is must-see viewing for those who seek to demystify the future in this “convergent” world. 

Some images from the occasion are available at this link for viewing and downloading.