If you listen to the hype that accompanies the introduction of digital transformation programs, the conversation often focuses on the technology. While it might be fun to geek out on all the cool new features and engineering of the technology implementation, all too often, there’s a disconnect between the promise and what the technology delivers on the plant floor.

A San Francisco auditorium is spellbound. The audience is catching a 90-minute glimpse into the future of work. Teams edit documents together seamlessly in real time. They collaborate virtually over video around the world with a single click as they effortlessly navigate the reams of data and information needed to make important decisions.

At a recent fintech conference, an insurance company executive participated in a panel on innovation in the financial sector. The company’s representative took to the stage and regaled the crowd with stories of voice-activated applications for Alexa and Google Home. No more paper, and no more six-week waiting period to be reimbursed for your trip to the dentist. “The digital age of insurance is upon us!” he proclaimed.

Ray Kurzweil coined the “technological singularity” — the emergence of a “super” AI that will lead to irreversible changes to human civilization as we know it. Mark the year 2045 in our calendars — Kurzweil predicts we're only a few decades away.

Connected devices are all the rage. It seems that every new product announcement includes Internet connectivity as tech companies look for ways to stand out from the competition. Here, I wonder if a little bit of perspective can be a useful thing: how did we get to a point where your refrigerator asks you for your Wi-Fi password, and more importantly, who’s asking for this stuff anyway?