The power of being a black sheep: A conversation with Valentina Contini

In this episode of Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Valentina Contini, a futurist, engineer and self-declared “professional black sheep.” With experience spanning Lamborghini, Porsche and now NTT DATA, Valentina brings her boundary-breaking mindset to everything from mobility to machine interfaces. She and Tammy dig into leading by example, challenging norms and what it means to be a tech futurist.

Highlights from the episode include:

• Black sheep energy. Valentina has built her career by doing the unexpected. From being the only woman on a Lamborghini engine team to flipping the typical consulting-to-industry path on its head, she’s proof that going off-script can pay off.
• Imagining the future. As a tech futurist, Valentina looks at the interplay of technology, society and environmental changes to explore what could actually happen. She pushes past hype to consider broader factors that influence new technology adoption.
• AI is creating the real multiverse. AI and digital twins could be used to simulate different worlds and potential outcomes, offering exciting possibilities for strategic planning and innovation. AI could also change traditional marketing if ads of the future target AI agents instead of human consumers.

Check out the full episode to hear more about using empathy and analysis to bridge gaps and why Valentina is excited about getting a brain-machine interface.

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The views expressed in this episode may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA.