Technology has pervaded our lives like never before. But this is only a slice of what is to come.
Are we ready to tackle technology’s biggest questions before the “Life in 2030”?
1) Are we prepared to deal with greater vulnerabilities that come with greater Connectivity?
Experts claim that internet in 2030 will become more like electricity today- less visible but deeply embedded in our day to day lives. With greater connectivity come greater vulnerabilities. If something breaks down, will we know how to fix it? Who will be responsible fixing it when the objects are networked across the global grid? What will be contingencies when attacks can metastasize (spread) quickly in this connected World?
2) Are we prepared for the jobs of 21 st century?
There’s a lot of speculation whether technology will destroy or create more jobs in the future. But one thing for sure, mundane, repetitive tasks that can be automated will be done by machines and AI. That leaves us to prepare for works that machines can’t replace, which is our very basic human talents. Human talents like emotional intelligence, creativity, collaborative activity, complex communication skills, rational thinking, thinking outside the box and the ability to thrive in dynamic and diverse environment will bail us out. These skills will be highly valuable to thrive and succeed in the 21 st century. These skills are part of ‘entrepreneurial mindset’. They can be learnt, practiced and exercised. Is our current education system preparing next generation to active entrepreneurial mindset with these skills or still using outdated curriculum Structure?
3) Can trust and truth be held or revived in a highly manipulative tech environment?
With recent outbreak of ‘hoax’ or fake news, it is quite clear that technology can be used to manipulate and prey on deep human instincts. With this, trust on technology, trust on other human beings or trust on the whole system can easily be diluted. Consequently, it can give rise to violence and chaos. Trust is the binding agent that keeps all the societal, economic and political actions and thoughts in check. Will technology be able to hold or revive ‘trust’ and ‘truth’ when bad actors (for their selfishness) are able to achieve societal disruptions at scale and from afar?
4) How will we tackle law enforcement issues when there are no preceding rules to apply?
The great thing about technology is that it can be used for both knowledge sharing and mobilising others to action. But it also raises questions that were never raised before. Questions like, who owns the information? When something goes wrong with an information processing system (eg self-driving car propels itself off a bridge); who is responsible? Where do we draw the line between data capture, surveillance and privacy? What level of information can be legitimately gathered for the purpose of assessing someone’s employment or credit worthiness or insurance status?
Whilst 2030 may look far away, it is important to prepare ourselves and our next generation for the future of work and technology. At Illume, our goal is to prepare the next generation for the future of work. Join us in building the future together- mentor a student, hire a talent, train a class, there are so many ways to get involved. Reach out to us, if you’d like to be involved.
-By Illume Foundation
