Earlier this week we launched Accenture Technology Vision 2018, our annual tech trends report. While I’ve been presenting and discussing the research with hundreds of people from San Francisco to New York, I’ve been reflecting on the past year. There are many forces which we explored as part of our research and development of this year’s theme: “Unleash the Intelligent Enterprise: Redefine Your Company Based on the Company You Keep.”

We’ve talked for the last few years about the accelerating pace of technology change, and the same drivers continue: compute, storage and network are asymptotically approaching zero - at a rapid, exponential pace. It's easy to become 'numb' in the face of the dazzling technology innovations.

However, 2018 reflects a real pivot point in our use of technology. What’s new is that we've moved from era where technology was a 'peripheral', 'product' or 'accessory', to an era where technology is at the core of our human experience, embedded into our daily lives. For example, a recent study revealed that four in 10 Americans would rather lose their voice for a day than lose their phone for 24 hours. And 41 percent of people surveyed said they would be literally lost and wouldn’t be able to navigate without the GPS function on their mobile phones. From the apps and devices we use to the systems that connect us to products and services, technology has become pervasive (some will also say invasive), fundamentally reshaping how we live and work.

As a result, this year we are seeing a new imperative for leaders and enterprises to think and act differently, shifting their mindsets and business models to unleash the potential of the intelligent enterprise and usher in new levels of differentiation and growth. We’ve identified three characteristics that these intelligent enterprises share:

Innovation: A systematized approach to continuous innovation. Technology: Mastery of technology throughout the enterprise, with the understanding that every company is a tech company (whether they know it or not). Trust: A focus on building trusted relationships with employees, customers and partners to ensure an ongoing reciprocal exchange of value.

Pioneering organizations are realizing that this level of connection—and this degree of trust—will require a new type of relationship - with customers, employees, citizens, business partners. It’s how leaders will redefine their company, based on the company they keep.

Amazon’s evolution is a great example. Years ago, Amazon pioneered an innovative recommendations engine, giving you highly personalized recommendations. Then it invented Kindle, bringing you content instantaneously. Next it created Prime, delivering you needed products overnight. Next came Amazon Alexa, an in-home personal assistant, and now they’ve introduced Amazon Key, which allows a delivery person into your home to leave packages inside. Think about that for a minute - consumers allowing Amazon to directly enter their homes. This level of trust is a hallmark of the age we are moving into. And it is a hallmark of the intelligent enterprise.

Our Technology Vision 2018 identifies five technology trends that, individually and collectively, form the foundation of the intelligent enterprise:

Our report has a wealth of survey data, examples and insights that can be summarized in three key implications for leaders:

Create your own Innovation Architecture to continuously harvest, pilot and scale innovation rapidly and effectively.

to continuously harvest, pilot and scale innovation rapidly and effectively. Build your intelligent enterprise by adopting the five trends to pioneer new experiences, and new services, for your customers.

by adopting the five trends to pioneer new experiences, and new services, for your customers. And in the course of doing this, adopt a mindset to Reimagine and Reinvent your business.

I encourage you to read the report, and I’d love to hear from you on your own experiences in unleashing the intelligent enterprise.