Breadth is the new depth: The power of intentional intersections
In an increasingly convergent world, enterprises would do well to explore intentional industry and technology intersections that propel innovation across boundaries
In consulting, we often rely on the MECE problem-solving framework, which proposes that a problem can be more readily solved if it can be broken down into distinct “mutually exclusive” (ME) tasks that, when taken in sum, provide a “collectively exhaustive” (CE) solution.
Yet, we are increasingly living in a convergent world where the MECE principle isn’t always easily applied. That’s evident in this report’s six chapters. Although we’ve neatly packaged six trends into distinct chapters, they’re far from separate and isolated. For that matter, neither are today’s technologies, organizations, and industries—and most of the rest of the world. Increasingly, separation, segmentation, and specialization are being replaced by a complex web of intersections—a convergence of “unusual suspects” that can be found across both industries and technologies. Consider the confluence of blockchain and generative artificial intelligence for better detection of, and protection from, synthetic media; or that of space tech and biotech, for protecting astronauts from the effects of long-term space travel.
Companies have long relied on innovation-driven revenue streams, synergies created through mergers and acquisitions, and strategic business partnerships to drive new growth. More than ever, they should double down on such intentional, dedicated pursuits of breadth. The business case for breadth reveals that the most promising (and profitable) futures will likely emerge from industry and technology convergence. This convergence can help uncover two key perspectives:
- Insight into adjacent industries whose current research and development efforts might hold the keys to an organization’s future
- Clarity on how different technologies might be combined so that the sum is greater than its respective parts: synergy, if you will—a concept that has itself gone through the hype cycle and emerged intact
Let’s take a deeper dive into each of these.
Industry intersections: Exploring beyond industry boundaries
Cyberpunk science fiction writer William Gibson is often attributed with the well-known quote, “The future is already here; it’s just not evenly distributed.”1
Overused? Yes. Relevant now more than ever? Also yes. Gibson’s statement can help leaders see that their organizations’ next big breakthrough likely exists today in another industry, geography, or competitor.
Let’s take a look at the space and life sciences industries. One could argue that there’s minimal synergy between the two, but we’d counter with the following example: The unique properties of microgravity in space allow for pharmaceutical product inputs to be developed with more uniformity and higher production quality.2
Although the idea of manufacturing in microgravity might seem fantastical, it’s far from theoretical: Companies like Eli Lilly and Merck are already investing in this possibility.3 Biopharma companies that overlook the space sector as a relevant partner could miss a potential discovery that could directly have an impact on their core business.
Many other examples of industry convergence reiterate the importance of searching beyond one’s own industry for innovative solutions and answers. Auto giants Toyota and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are partnering with space agencies to build lunar rovers,4 while clothing retailer lululemon is partnering with biotech companies such as LanzaTech and Samsara Eco to develop more sustainable fabrics.5 Meanwhile, food delivery now accounts for about a third of transportation company Uber’s total revenues,6 and e-commerce leader Amazon has made significant strides in the health care sector with Amazon Pharmacy.7
Tech intersections: Compounding growth and integration
Whereas industry intersections can serve as a wide-angle camera lens for searching adjacent industries for insight, technology intersections offer a slightly different perspective. They help us better understand how technologies and innovations can compound growth.
Technologies are tools, often applied to specific problems. But what separates a hammer from a jackhammer is that a jackhammer is the combination of several tools (a hammer, chisel, and an energy source) that together create a more efficient tool. Rather than viewing technologies in isolation, it’s important to think of them as tightly integrated, with the ability to compound each other’s growth.
For example, quantum machine learning applies quantum computing principles to machine learning programs to increase efficiency. Networking technologies like 5G networks and edge computing are so tightly coupled that they are often grouped into a singular shorthand name, 5G edge. And as we discussed in "Hardware is eating the world," smart factories are combining computer vision, sensors, and data to build machines that can learn and improve, potentially leading to the development of humanoid robotics.8
And what about artificial intelligence, the tool of the moment? We discussed in our introduction the expectation that AI will eventually become as ubiquitous and foundational as electricity, which suggests that it will have endless convergence points with all manner of downstream technologies. As just one example, let’s explore the intersection of AI and robotics. Although both technologies can be viewed distinctly, the real magic happens when they are combined—when mechanical minds meet mechanical muscles. AI enables robots to operate autonomously, allowing the robots to collect more data about the world and their movement through it, which is, in turn, fed into the AI algorithm’s training data, improving the algorithm itself. When viewing technologies as intersectional by nature, we can start to see the flywheel effect bolstering growth and innovation.
What does this mean for business and technology leaders? While having “mutually exclusive” technology teams focused on à la carte technologies is functionally efficient, it’s also imperative to build bridges between teams. Choosing slightly improved hammers over a jackhammer is forfeiting innovation for the tyranny of incrementalism.
Renaissance reimagined
The term “renaissance person” embodies an ideal, in a time of rapid change around science, art, and commerce, that people who build expertise across several areas of knowledge are poised to lead. In today’s world, accelerating industry and technology intersections affirm that breadth is the new depth. Generalists are needed more than ever. As the amount of available information approaches infinity, so, too, does the demand for interdisciplinary dot connectors—the big-picture thinkers who can identify correlations and links between seemingly unrelated industries, technologies, and other ideas.
If, as we mentioned, AI becomes as ubiquitous as electricity, the second- and third-order effects could be profound. The advent of electricity influenced immense changes in society, such as urban migration, industrialization, and radio communication.9 We may be on the cusp of similar changes through AI that alter the way we work, live, and communicate. Expertise in historical methods may not be as important as the vision to imagine and execute new intersections of AI with the macro technology forces we’ve covered in this report, such as AI applied to spatial computing and core modernization.
For leaders, this serves as a nudge to see odd-combination dual degrees, bridges between disparate teams, and interest in adjacent industries as necessary features, not bugs. If organizations can see beyond the silos of specialization and embrace these intentional intersections, we might very well find ourselves on the cusp of a reimagined renaissance. What convergence will your organization discover next?