INTRODUCTION

Take a letter Maria, was recorded by RB Greaves, an American soul singer, in August 1969. Decades later it was still a song frequently heard as I drove home from my night classes at the University of Melbourne.

The song reflected a life already gone, when I joined the workforce at BA Australia we used dictating machines and had Wang operators. At the Life insurance Federation, I was truly blessed to have Alcia McCulloch as my PA. She had worked with actuaries for over 30 years and was willing to type my university assignments in econometrics which to most people look like hieroglyphics. It was all gone on IBM golf ball typewriters which had golf balls for actuarial work. These were the days when your PA knew all your sizes and would happily go shopping for you. I must admit, on day one, as I answered all her questions, I felt affronted. Richard, my predecessor, told me she is a good woman, she has known the CEO, Nick Renton, since he was a cadet actuary.

Within two weeks I had four hours notice we were flying to Canberra to meet with Federal Treasurer and we be staying overnight. Out of the cupboard came bag with all the things I would need for an overnight stay in Canberra. Things have changed.

When I commenced a Shell Australia, John Crosby was the lawyer focused on mining, John had an amazing career before joining Shell commencing as court stenographer then moving to being a magistrate and a mining warden based in North Queensland. I vividly remember the Comptroller had a PC on his desk but it was not turned on but when I went to John’s office he was using his PC and record speed. I do remember his PA, Margaret, saying to me, John types faster than I can take dictation, my job is to screen the calls. People like you just walk in! Margaret might have been able screen my calls but unfortunately for John she could not stop me knocking at the door with the message the Finance Director wants to see us … NOW.

NOW

last night I got a text message from Graham Kinder our in-house actuary you clearly dictated as the words were right but the spelling was not : to not two and sott and not sought. Graham had been unwell but could speak.

For me, it mainly reflect on how our world has changed for the better.

Alica and I used to sit in my office and I would dictate government submissions she would take them down in shorthand, type them up on the IBM golf ball machine and bring me the draft. Alica never quite made it across to the Wang’s in the office. Of course, knowing what Nick thought, sometimes what I said was not what came back and for those who knew Nick great appreciation of the rules of English Grammar, she fixed my grammar and punctuation, plus she always got the spelling right. However, it was time and labour inefficient and we had to move on.

I am not the world’s best typist but that no longer matters as we now all have access to dictating systems with artificial intelligence which learn as we correct their interpretations of what we say.

Daily I need to write much and I used Dragon speaking naturally. It was first released in June 1997. I first used to about 15 years ago when it was still quite “clunky”. Today is an essential tool. I am currently investigating putting it on my phone but I do use it for WhatApp, WeChat and text messages off my laptop.

The convergence of technology with AI capacity is inevitable and for many of us reality. The marvel of the technology is I can accept the call and answer in writing as is often required.

LOOKING FORWARD

Like so many others I look forward to the next level of technology when I don’t even have two say the words but think them and they will appear on the screen which can be converted to paper if required.

This future is bright and laboursaving, is available whenever we want demands of us we manage not only our time that our accessibility.

Projects RH and Tabatinga are young companies and we need to grow our reputation in business we need to be available and able to respond quickly. We need to know and use the tools let us more efficient.

I look forward not only to the business opportunity will bring how our lives will be improved by the application of technologies. I think the letter is almost dead and the future lies beyond emails and I wait to see what it is.

This is a journey we can all share, we just need to remain open-minded and flexible. I don’t see too many IBM golf ball typewriters in the office these days but I do see lots of headphones and people using Dragon Speaking Naturally. What will be next?

Paul Raftery