Technological disruptions are driving our current era of rapid business transformation and raising questions about what the future of work might be, the implications for organizations, and how to navigate successfully to the "next horizon." How small businesses respond to the challenges and exploit the benefits of smart technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will be a key determinant of their success going forward. Artificial intelligence is the rapidly growing field of computer science focused on creating intelligent software tools able to replicate critical human mental faculties. Artificial intelligence is perhaps the most disruptive technology fueling the radical transformation of business; it is truly altering the nature, scope, and scale of today's organizations. With a level of focused attention on the now, the next, and the future of AI, small business leaders will be able to prepare for a range of possible outcomes and increase their organizations' resilience in the face of future uncertainty.

There are five important dimensions that we must address as part of securing humanity's future in an automated world and ensuring that the advances in technology are used to serve humanity--not replace it. Reframing Society--We are reaching a truly dramatic point in human history where a number of exponential technologies are being combined to deliver radical performance improvements. A powerful mix of unleashed imaginations applied to disruptive technologies is catalyzing a possibility revolution across every aspect of human life, society, government, and business. As a result, in the next few years, society will be challenged to confront fundamental issues that go to the core of what it means to be human. Advances in science and technology will test every assumption we have about how our world works and the purpose of humans within it.