Question
Asked 30 August 2024

What are the biggest changes it brings compared to current digital technology?

Almost every development we cover on Our World in Data is underpinned by technological change.
Medical innovations contributed to the decline in child mortality and the improvement in life expectancy. Thanks to the advances in agricultural technologies, higher crop yields and less undernourishment became possible. The long-term decline of global poverty was primarily driven by increased productivity from technological change. Access to energy, electricity, sanitation, and clean water has transformed the lives of billions. Transport, telephones, and the Internet have allowed us to collaborate on problems at a global level.
Emerging technologies are often expensive and, therefore, initially limited to society's richest. A key part of technological progress is making these life-changing and often life-saving innovations affordable for everyone.
Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but these developments are not always positive. Many of humanity’s largest threats — such as nuclear weapons and potentially artificial intelligence — result from technological advances. To mitigate these risks, good governance can be as important as the technology itself.

All Answers (3)

Saikat Barua
North South University
Thanks, Eduard, for such a thoughtful question. I think that with rapid growth in digital technology, productivity will soar higher than ever before in virtually every kind of business through the use of AI, automation, and next-generation computing. Because of their very nature, such technologies offer unparalleled efficiency and innovation that drive economic output significantly higher. But this productivity advance amplifies the already formidable challenge of adequate wealth distribution. Quite often, productivity increases, but the benefits are reaped by corporations and the wealthiest fragments of society, thereby deepening economic disparities. This distribution can be uneven and a serious threat to social stability, in which the majority see very little gains despite there being some growth at an aggregate level. But what really makes things worse is that with digital technologies continuing to automate tasks, humans may lose much of their functional value in the workforce. Now is the time to concentrate on those aesthetic, creative, and inspiring things wherein human work can never be replaced. An art- and inspiration-based vibe will ensure people play an important role even though machines will take over most of the functional tasks. In this way, it not only keeps alive the human touch in the techy world but also betters society by emphasizing things beyond just making wealth.
Md Foysal Ahmed
Southwest University of Science and Technology
The biggest change we might see in the next several years (maybe 10-20+ years) is that where we now see humans, we may soon see humanoid machines everywhere, along with large digital displays and even holographic virtual displays. AI is progressing much faster than we ever imagined. However, the truth is that most cutting-edge technology, both now and in the future, will be limited to the richest or so-called stakeholders, representing only 1% of the Earth's population. But they will still need to sell these products to the other 99% of people. Imagine a large company where the call center currently employs 100 people. If they set up an AI call center, then without a doubt, those 100 people will no longer be needed. They will have to find alternative work. But if this continues, I think there will be no work left that humans can do, and they may even need to outsource work outside of Earth.
Very soon, a sudden great depression could occur as AI takes over all areas. I am concerned about the people currently working in various fields. Some experts may say that with the development of AI, human productivity will increase, and I agree (but for those 1% people). However, considering how much money we are spending on AI products, maintenance, and component costs, maybe humans were better in those fields. Actually, with the current trends, we must have to practice AI to survive.
Today or tomorrow AI will control all sectors, where it will also maybe develop emotions or so called consciousness then it will be happy, sad or angry on human. And very soon a big disaster must be happen maybe then human will rethink about ethics and governance to control the situations with critical thinking.
Parul Saxena
Soban Singh Jeena University
The current scenario in digital technology has changed the world completely. Now people like to interact with each other at social and academic platforms digitally rather than physically, it saves time and money. Side by side it has many drawbacks as people are not paying time to their most valuable relations.
If we do not pay attention on these problems in near future then very soon we may lose all our valuable relations.
We thought to make a machine as human via Artificial Intelligence but vise versa we the human are in the phase of transformation from Human to Machine.

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