Crystal Washington on Navigating Technological Changes

Today’s technological transformation is unprecedented, futurist and technology expert Crystal Washington said in her Oct. 16 General Session at PRSA's ICON 2024 in Anaheim, Calif. 

“We’re living in a world of constant change, unlike anything we’ve seen in years past,” she said. 

In this uncharted territory, waiting for best practices or following the leads of others no longer works. People must forge their own paths with bold, self-directed innovation, she said.

Companies used to reinvent themselves every 75 years, she said. By 2001, the business-reinvention cycle had shrunk to 15 years. But to stay competitive today, companies need to refresh their business models every four to seven years.

The problem is, “Organizations are innovating from a place of fear, which sometimes makes them innovate in ways that aren’t helpful,” Washington said. 

Increasingly, organizations use data to measure results and make decisions. She said corporate social and environmental initiatives are important for millennials and members of Generation Z, who are pushing organizations to do more than just make profits.

Regarding the trend of artificial intelligence, she doesn’t envision a future in which technology replaces humans. “But I do think that humans who utilize [AI] will replace humans who don’t,” she said. 

She acknowledged that AI and other automation technologies can perform specific tasks that people used to perform, but said AI also offers opportunities for improvement and innovation.

With all these new tech tools, changes and advances, how can people stay current? Even if you downloaded everything you needed to know directly into your brain today, it would be outdated by tomorrow, she said.

“You will never be caught up again,” Washington said. “So be kind to yourself. The key to riding out this wave of change … is to adopt a culture of curiosity like children.”