Daniel Newman

In the past, organizations primarily harvested descriptive information about prospects, customers and product performance; but now, more companies also extract both predictive and prescriptive intelligence from customer and business data.

Already, AI advances are racing ahead, with technologies like 5G and blockchain paving the way for other innovations like the Internet of Things, real-time analytics and more.

However, as Amazon sees it, people with soft skills will also need at least some technical acumen if they want to play a valuable role in advancing the company's agenda.

For digital transformation success, companies need to abandon preconceived notions about customers. Instead, be experts at learning customers' true needs, preferences and behaviors.

Too much data can actually bog your company down – leaving it vulnerable to security breaches and hindering your ability to make quick, informed decisions.