THE FUTURE OF WORK
Methods and processes of work have been changing for a long time but the rate of change since last century has been exponentially rather than linear.
A quick recap of the industrial revolution:
The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production. The Second used electric power to create mass production. The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production. Now a Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century. It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.
It is obvious now that the world is changing her approach to business and the future of work and these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, textile designing, architectural and quantum computing.
Although this revolution is not without its downsides, the Fourth Industrial Revolution may indeed have the potential to “robotize” humanity and thus to deprive us of our heart and soul. But also can be a complement to the best parts of human nature creativity, empathy, stewardship and it can also lift humanity into a new collective and moral consciousness.
Hence in order not to be left behind, one must roll with the tides by active participation in shaping this resolution We should thus grasp the opportunity and power we have to shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution and direct it toward a future that reflects our common objectives and values.
This is because, this resolution will affect our identity and all the issues associated with it: our sense of privacy, our notions of ownership, our consumption patterns, the time we devote to work and leisure, and how we develop our careers, cultivate our skills, meet people, and nurture relationships. It is already changing our health and leading to a “quantified” self, and sooner than we think it may lead to human augmentation. The list is endless because it is bound only by our imagination. Also it will improve productivity and efficiency as well as high income, low cost of products and a better economy.
