The digital age: The new era of human-machine relations
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:40 am
Who would have imagined that remote work would become a reality overnight, just a few months into the new decade?
When I started thinking about writing this article, I had in mind that we are approaching a completely new chapter in human history, which will see humans and machines closer than ever before in all aspects of modern life. It seems that we have entered this new chapter. Change is inevitable for any organization that wants to keep pace with the new reality. Digital transformation should no longer be postponed. On the contrary, we must embrace it to build a better future.
“Change is inevitable for any organization that wants to keep pace with the new reality. Digital transformation should no longer be postponed. On the contrary, we must embrace it to build a better future.
“Georgina Makri
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It seems like every organization is embracing the “remote” aspect of technology. From how to get usa whatsapp number remote work to distance learning to virtual conferencing to a huge budget shift to digital tools, we now have to rely on technology more than ever. The significant growth of digital technology and the rise of new emerging technologies are multiplying the capabilities of systems and increasing the dependence of humans on machines. We tend to view this as inevitable, as a statement on our Human-Machine Partnerships blog says: “As the power of technology increases 10-fold every five years, so will our dependence on technology.”
“"As the power of technology increases 10-fold every five years, so will our dependence on technology." Human-Machine Partnerships
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Let's examine this argument from the point of view of a new generation of people - younger than me - who have grown up immersed in digital technology. Young men and women ready to enter higher education and the workforce. People with lots of vitality, dreams and aspirations, but also "plugged in" 24 hours a day, who have never known a world without the Internet and who have real trouble living without their smartphone.
These digital natives are the future citizens of the world, but also the “netizens”, the individuals who will leave their digital footprint in everything that is traditionally called “cyberspace”.
This generation, and those that come after, will be the true inheritors of the world we are preparing for them today. This future is a bit difficult to see because we don't know how far technology will be able to go, even 10 years from now. We are just scratching the surface of the enormous possibilities of a truly perfect data management system, and we have not yet seen its applications in our daily lives.
We can predict powerful AI assistants that will anticipate our needs from our behaviour patterns and improve our entertainment , our shopping, our travel, our work, our transport. They will help manage our home, promote healthier lifestyles and help us prevent health problems . Intelligent systems will also help us make more informed business decisions , gain useful insights from large amounts of user data to help us understand our customers’ needs and serve them better content (if fed with unbiased data); thus, with the help of AI, we will be better prepared to serve them.
The aid of new technology in our lives will reshape reality as we know it. Ubiquitous computing devices, hidden from view, in the form of microsensors and smart grids, will run “smart” cities and grow “smart” crops. At the same time, a new breed of supercomputers will bring us closer to tackling big problems like climate change and combating dangerous epidemics and diseases on a large scale.
At the same time, new materials and advanced manufacturing and fabrication methods will lead to brilliant new applications in artificial organs and in the enhancement of human bodies , helping the disabled to enjoy the simple things in life while restoring their physical capabilities.
Throughout all these exciting prospects, we must not forget that technology must be governed and guided to serve humans . That is why human guidance will always be essential in all relationships between man and machine, and along with purely technical terms, we must also consider the ethical and social impact of our innovations.
Over the past few decades, it seems that countless predictions have failed to materialize. However, it is also clear that this is the first decade in our history in which we are closer to an interconnected world in which more and more people have access to the same fundamental technologies and information. It is now up to us to work together to use this for common benefit and progress, taking into account the risks and advantages of each innovation.
When I started thinking about writing this article, I had in mind that we are approaching a completely new chapter in human history, which will see humans and machines closer than ever before in all aspects of modern life. It seems that we have entered this new chapter. Change is inevitable for any organization that wants to keep pace with the new reality. Digital transformation should no longer be postponed. On the contrary, we must embrace it to build a better future.
“Change is inevitable for any organization that wants to keep pace with the new reality. Digital transformation should no longer be postponed. On the contrary, we must embrace it to build a better future.
“Georgina Makri
Share
It seems like every organization is embracing the “remote” aspect of technology. From how to get usa whatsapp number remote work to distance learning to virtual conferencing to a huge budget shift to digital tools, we now have to rely on technology more than ever. The significant growth of digital technology and the rise of new emerging technologies are multiplying the capabilities of systems and increasing the dependence of humans on machines. We tend to view this as inevitable, as a statement on our Human-Machine Partnerships blog says: “As the power of technology increases 10-fold every five years, so will our dependence on technology.”
“"As the power of technology increases 10-fold every five years, so will our dependence on technology." Human-Machine Partnerships
Share
Let's examine this argument from the point of view of a new generation of people - younger than me - who have grown up immersed in digital technology. Young men and women ready to enter higher education and the workforce. People with lots of vitality, dreams and aspirations, but also "plugged in" 24 hours a day, who have never known a world without the Internet and who have real trouble living without their smartphone.
These digital natives are the future citizens of the world, but also the “netizens”, the individuals who will leave their digital footprint in everything that is traditionally called “cyberspace”.
This generation, and those that come after, will be the true inheritors of the world we are preparing for them today. This future is a bit difficult to see because we don't know how far technology will be able to go, even 10 years from now. We are just scratching the surface of the enormous possibilities of a truly perfect data management system, and we have not yet seen its applications in our daily lives.
We can predict powerful AI assistants that will anticipate our needs from our behaviour patterns and improve our entertainment , our shopping, our travel, our work, our transport. They will help manage our home, promote healthier lifestyles and help us prevent health problems . Intelligent systems will also help us make more informed business decisions , gain useful insights from large amounts of user data to help us understand our customers’ needs and serve them better content (if fed with unbiased data); thus, with the help of AI, we will be better prepared to serve them.
The aid of new technology in our lives will reshape reality as we know it. Ubiquitous computing devices, hidden from view, in the form of microsensors and smart grids, will run “smart” cities and grow “smart” crops. At the same time, a new breed of supercomputers will bring us closer to tackling big problems like climate change and combating dangerous epidemics and diseases on a large scale.
At the same time, new materials and advanced manufacturing and fabrication methods will lead to brilliant new applications in artificial organs and in the enhancement of human bodies , helping the disabled to enjoy the simple things in life while restoring their physical capabilities.
Throughout all these exciting prospects, we must not forget that technology must be governed and guided to serve humans . That is why human guidance will always be essential in all relationships between man and machine, and along with purely technical terms, we must also consider the ethical and social impact of our innovations.
Over the past few decades, it seems that countless predictions have failed to materialize. However, it is also clear that this is the first decade in our history in which we are closer to an interconnected world in which more and more people have access to the same fundamental technologies and information. It is now up to us to work together to use this for common benefit and progress, taking into account the risks and advantages of each innovation.