The Industries of the Future

By: Alec Ross

Narrated by: Alec Ross

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Leading innovation expert Alec Ross explains what's next for the world, mapping out the advances and stumbling blocks that will emerge in the next 10 years - for businesses, governments, and the global community - and how we can navigate them.

While Alec Ross was working as Hillary Clinton's senior advisor on innovation, he traveled to 41 countries. He visited some of the toughest places in the world - from refugee camps of Congo to Syrian war zones. From phone-charger stands in Eastern Congo to R&D labs in South Korea, Ross has seen what the future holds.

Over the past two decades, the Internet has radically changed markets and businesses worldwide. In The Industries of the Future, Ross shows us what's next, highlighting the best opportunities for progress and explaining why countries thrive or sputter. He examines the specific fields that will most shape our economic future over the next 10 years, including cybercrime and cybersecurity; the commercialization of genomics; the next step for big data; and the coming impact of digital technology on money, payments, and markets. And in each of these realms, Ross addresses the toughest questions: How will we have to adapt to the changing nature of work? Is the prospect of cyberwar sparking the next arms race? How can the world's rising nations hope to match Silicon Valley in creating their own innovation hotspots?

Ross blends storytelling and economic analysis to give a vivid and informed perspective on how sweeping global trends are affecting the ways we live, incorporating the insights of leaders ranging from tech moguls to defense experts. The Industries of the Future takes the intimidating, complex topics that many of us know to be important and boils them down into clear, plain-spoken language. This is an essential work for understanding how the world works - now and tomorrow - and a must-listen for businesspeople in every sector, from every country.

©2016 Alec Ross (P)2016 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

great and interesting read...couldn't put it down

Got through this book fast. great read. wouldn't expect anything less from a fellow Northwestern Alum that was there when I was.

my only question is how this bright mind that advised Hillary Clinton on technical issues didn't advise that it may not be a good idea to have an illegal private email server in her bathroom and send classified government emails and sensitive secrets via this email?

Best book I've listened to in a long time

This is one of those rare audiobooks that you listen to over and over, I'm currently on my fourth round. He speaks from reputation and experience, and is very inspirational. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the opportunities for future markets.

Worth listening

Good insights and experience from the author. Great narration as well. Easy listening and intriguing.

It's ok

As you might have guessed from the cover artwork, this isn't the highest-quality audiobook around. Most of it is unexciting, with old news, but it does get more interesting towards the end. I wouldn't look to this journalist as a herald of what the big industries and jobs will be in the future, but some of his personal stories or talking about how technology is in use around the world are good.

If you're into futurism, this isn't the best book, but is worth adding to your reading list anyway.

Primer on the future

A valuable analysis of current trends in innovation and what they will mean going forward. The pace of change is fast and a corresponding pace of adaptation - or at least adjustment - will be crucial for those who wish to take advantage or even stay afloat. Read and absorb.

Excellent coverage of changing landscapes

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely recommend this book for anyone interested in environmental scanning to stay abreast of the latest shifts in technology and the applications of said technology to our future. Well documented and researched with compelling visions for how these technologies will affect humanity in the near and mid term.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, too long but I did go through it fairly quickly.

Most insightful book I have read in years

Factual, hard hitting, detailed, insightful and compelling look into the near future whether we are ready or not. Wake up America and brace for serious competition on all fronts! Be prepared to run scared!

Insightful!!!

Would you listen to The Industries of the Future again? Why?

Yes, its a guide that is already helping me decide which direction I should encourage my children in the future endeavors.

What did you like best about this story?

That I read it now and not 20 years from now

Great insight !!

Really a good book to understand the industries of future and also to understand the importance of openness and woman empowerment. Enjoyed it !!

wrong title.

this is actually a fairly interesting book, with interesting topics. I enjoyed it, however I think the title should have been something along the lines of... Hey guess what I did while working for Obama.