“Technology & Civilization.

It’s effect to the Society”

Part #1: Introduction of Technology & Civilization and its impact:

• What is technology?
Technology means the use of scientific knowledge to achieve some specific goal or create
applications that are used in industry or in everyday life.

• What is civilization?
Civilization is a complex way of life that emerged when people developed urban
settlements and networks. The earliest civilizations developed between 4000 and 3000 B.C.

• What is society?
Society is defined as the group of among human beings sharing social relationships. Or in
other words, a society is a group of people that lives together in a community that includes some
form of government, along with some rules and economy.

• Impact of Technology on its society:

In the past few decades, technology has proliferated. The use of technology has also
increased drastically. It affects the lives of people and changes the way they learn, think, and
communicate. It plays a major role in society, and now it is very tough to imagine life without
technology. Both technology and society are co-related, co-dependent, co-influence with each
other. Technology has an impact on society, including the potential for society to progress or
decline, in both good and bad manner.
 • The Interdependence of Technology & Civilization:

Are computers making us smarter or dumbing us down? However, we feel about it, technology
will progress and we need to decide for ourselves how we will interact with it. Yet before we can do that,
we need to understand how technology is created and how it impacts our lives. We need to understand how
human decisions are impacted or what happens when they are replaced by computerized ones. Only then
we can make the right choices.

Development of technology depends on uncovering an aspect of nature, from how atoms form
molecules, via how bacteria live in symbiosis with the human body, to how humans interact in a social
network. It is interesting that technology does not grow and spread equally around the world, but there are
hotspots and dead spots. It is both opportunity and culture that shape technological progress.

In The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs argues that the one core aspect of
culture that drives progress is diversity of people and ideas. It fosters a creative environment that bubbles
with innovation. Let’s not forget that this applies to any social grouping including businesses. The creative
work of uncovering technological principles requires an environment of tolerance, prosperity, and
opportunities for a diversity of ideas to mix. So quite apparently culture has an influence on
technology. Ever since a stone axe has been used to shape the first wooden wheel, new technology is a
combination of previous technologies, much like biological organisms are combinations of genes. My most
used example is the one of the Apple Appstore ecosystem, setting free the immense creativity pool of its
worldwide developer network.
 It is those applications and content that put Apple in front of Microsoft. Not the Mac or iPhone. As
technology progresses, markets of humans using technology increasingly resemble biological ecosystems,
with its building blocks being mixed and matched in new and unpredictable ways.

As the number of basic technologies expands the number of permutations and recombination’s
increases exponentially. That’s why technological advancement is always accelerating. New technology
enables us to uncover even more phenomena and that allows us to build even more technology.

When people say that they are afraid of technology what they are really saying is that they are afraid
of people using to technology in the wrong way. As a general guideline we should only do things we fully
understand and clearly there is always the military and political aspect to consider. Technology is equally
suited for surveillance as it is for control. Too often Technology has been and is being used to kill more
people more efficiently. War and peace are both dependent on technology.

And here comes the surprising loopback: Technology more than anything else changes the culture
of the social group using it.
 • Historical overview of technological impacts on human societies:

Technology—broadly understood as material artifacts or assemblages of artifacts used by

humans to reconfigure social, political, economic activity—has been the subject of a vast canon of
scholarship. When the field of the history of technology first developed, scholars devoted much
attention to those technologies (and practices associated with them) that seemed to have punctuated
important turnings points in the history of humankind. These technologies and practices included,
for example, farming and food-storage techniques in the Neolithic era, metallurgy, weaving,
printing, and electronics. Historians of technology exploring early human civilization, antiquity,
and then the Middle Ages often focused on moments of technical creation in the global context.
However, as their temporal focus gravitated to the early modern and modern eras, they
have typically narrowed their purview to Western Europe and North America as the geographic
loci for the development of technology. Here, they represented the high points of the history of
technology in, for example, printing in the fifteenth century, the steam engine in the eighteenth,
industrial factories in the nineteenth, and nuclear power in the twentieth.
This literature, while valuable for mining the empirical and narrative threads of many
technologies, ultimately proved limited for a variety of reasons.
 Historians beginning the 1980s onwards have invoked, rethought, and imagined many
newer approaches to the history of technology. These have identified, for example: the limitations
of deterministic views of technologies as disembodied forces simply acting on society; the many
serious pitfalls of Eurocentric narratives that ignore or minimize the costs and contributions of
violence, dispossession, and colonialism to the history of technology;
the fundamental inequalities of race and gender embedded in both the history and
historiography of technology; the question not only of failed technologies, but as Edward Jones-
Imhotep has noted, failure as “a condition that machines experience”; and the irreversible costs to
both societies and the environment of capitalism to this same history, damage that was occluded
from the received literature by triumphalist narratives enraptured by the cult of Western progress
and “innovation.”
This is not to say that we have always avoided looking at the deleterious costs of technology
in history but that the history of technology is far more complex and difficult to parse than we
might have imagined. We can still speak of the revolution in mass production in American factories
but also account for how the aftereffects of slavery were fundamental to its conception.
 Despite the many recent academic contributions to the history of technology, the mutual
interactions between technology and society have often been neglected in the high school, college,
and even university curricula. When teachers unfamiliar with its rich historiography do consider
technology, they all too often treat it as inert or determinate, lending their authority to the fallacy
that it advances according to its own internal logic.
Most historians of technology now largely agree that technologies (and technological
systems) are socially constructed; those technologies succeed or fail (or emerge at all) partly
because of the political strategies employed by “actors”—individuals, groups, and organizations—
That have conflicting or complementary interests in particular outcomes. Most of them also
agree that success or failure is also contingent on inescapable physical realities, “that the human
fabric depends to a large degree on the behavior of atoms,” as the distinguished historian and
metallurgist Cyril Stanley Smith put it. But there is no doubt that technological designs are shaped
by ambient social and cultural factors—nor, indeed, that the shaping of technology is integral to
the shaping of society and culture.
 • Technology and the future of growth: Challenges of change
Economic growth has been lackluster for more than a decade now. This has occurred at a
time when economies have faced much unfolding change. What are the forces of change, how
are they affecting the growth dynamics, and what are the implications for policy? A recently
published book, “Growth in a Time of Change,” addresses these questions.
Three basic ingredients drive economic growth—productivity, capital, and labor. All three
are facing new challenges in a changing context. Foremost among the drivers of change has
been technology, spearheaded by digital transformation.

• Slowdown in productivity and investment:

Productivity is the main long-term propeller of economic growth. Technology-enabled
innovation is the major spur to productivity growth. Yet, paradoxically, productivity growth has
slowed as digital technologies have boomed. Among advanced economies over the past 15 years
or so, it has averaged less than half of the pace of the previous 15 years.
Firms at the technological frontier have reaped major productivity gains, but the impact on
productivity more widely across firms has been weak. The new technologies have tended to
produce winners-take-most outcomes. Dominant firms have acquired more market power, market
structures have become less competitive, and business dynamism has declined.
 • Rising inequality
Growth has also become less inclusive. Income inequality has been rising in most major
economies, and the increase has been particularly pronounced in some of them, such as the United
States. The new technologies favoring capital and higher-level skills have contributed to a decline
in labor’s share of income and to increased wage inequality. They have also been associated with
more concentrated industry structures and high economic rents enjoyed by dominant firms. Income
has shifted from labor to capital and the distribution of both labor and capital income has become
more unequal.
Rising inequality and mounting anxiety about jobs have contributed to increased social
tensions and political divisiveness. Populism has surged in many countries. Nationalist and
protectionist sentiment has been on the rise, with a backlash against international trade that,
alongside technological change, is seen to have increased inequality with job losses and wage
stagnation for low-skilled workers.

• Changing growth pathways

While income inequality has been rising within many countries, inequality between
countries has been falling as faster-growing emerging economies narrow the income gap with
advanced economies. Technology poses new challenges for this economic convergence.
Part #2: Early Civilizations and Technology:

Out of the cage

What grants the possibility for humans to stand outside of the cage? Or in other words,
what makes humans different from the rest of animals? Some people would say, "The biggest
difference between humans and animals is that humans are driven by reason and logic. They can
engage in intellectual activities. or "The essential difference between animals and humans is the
ability to self-reflect. All of these features point to one conclusion. It is the ability of abstract
thinking or imagination to formulate today's human society.
With the power of imagination, humans created all kinds of gods and religions, produced
philosophy, and invented laws and currency. No animal can imagine the number in a human bank
account that can exchange food, the words engraved on clay tablets, the Ur-Nammu Law code,
can regulate human activity, or the conflicts between imaginary religions induced wars related to
millions of people's lives. However, as a part of living beings in this world, humans' physical body
constrains their unlimited imagination.
To achieve what they want beyond their bodies, humans developed technology. The
maximum weight for an ordinary man to carry is about 20 kilograms. A horse can take 70 to 100-
kilogram stuff.
 At the time humans succeeded in domesticating horses, our ability to carry things improved
4 to 5 times. One horsepower is the power for a horse to move at 1 inch per minute with 33,000
pounds. After Watt improved the steam engine, a steam engine boiler can continually provide 70
horsepower, which means 70 horses pull simultaneously.
Humans develop technology. In return, technology also shaped human civilization.

Caesar and Napoleon were two great generals. It is hard to tell who had a better ability
from a personal perspective. The thing we knew was that they lived in highly different periods. In
the Napoleon age, people could build tons of Caesar's luxuries with steam engines.
They could create mass death after the invention of guns and cannons. However, it doesn't
mean Napoleon's ability was improved compared with Caser's, but Napoleon had to follow the
rules at that period. The war game and social structure were changed by technology. Napoleon
could not do anything but fit into it. Man's power is pointless facing the development of technology
and society.
As a result, in the interaction between technology and civilization, our past becomes
history, and our future becomes unpredictable.
 • Intellectual People and Businessman

Around 570 years ago, the printing machine was invented in Europe. This printing
technology paved the way for the later Renaissance, which induced a significant change in
European society. However, this technology itself was not the trigger for the Renaissance. As
mentioned, it was the interaction between technology and civilization that created history.
• Great Inventor, Failed Businessman
If it were not for the printing machine, a small figure like Johannes Gutenberg would not
be recorded by historians. In 1439, Gutenberg found a couple of partners to start the business of
polishing mirrors. At that age, people believed that mirrors could capture the remains' holy-light,
and Aachen was preparing to host an exhibition of holy articles. It seemed to be an excellent
opportunity for Gutenberg, who liked everyone, had a dream of becoming rich. However, his bad
luck stopped his way to flourish.
A flood went through Aachen, and a plague attacked Aachen after. The government had to
delay the exhibition. As a result, Gutenberg’s partners asked him for compensation, and Gutenberg
promised them a secret technology return. Of course, for now, it is not a secret anymore.
In 1448, Gutenberg moved back to Mainz and borrowed 800 guilders from a local financier to
build his dreamed printing empire.

.
The Gutenberg Bible was the most famous work out of his print factory, and it was also the
most famous Bible in the world. The typography for this version of the Bible was exquisite and
beautifully printed. In 1445,
ENEA Silvio Piccolomini, who became the later Pope Pius II, wrote a letter to the cardinal
Juan de Carvajal after reading the Gutenberg Bible. He mentioned the Gutenberg Bible had such
neat lettering that the cardinal could read the Bible without his glasses.
However, probably due to the massive expense for printing the Gutenberg Bible and also
the limited market for such a delicate version of the Bible, by 1456, Gutenberg's debts had already
reached 2000 guilders, and he could not still pay the local financier. According to the court records,
that financier eventually took Gutenberg's printing business, including that mysterious Gutenberg
Bible.
Until his 65 years, Archbishop von Nassau acknowledged Gutenberg's work and gave him the
title Hofman. At the time Gutenberg invented printing technology, the concept of intellectual
property did not exist yet. Most of the inventors at that age faced the same fate. The best inventors
but failed businessmen.
 • The agricultural revolution

Questions to consider:

1. What were the technological changes necessary to sustain the new sedentary, agricultural
mode of life?
2. What were the cultural changes necessary?
3. What are some of the advantages of economic specialization? Why did it begin to occur
shortly after agriculture emerged as a way of life?

Surprisingly, this dramatically new way of life was not very dependent on new technology.
On the contrary, in the earliest phase of development, pioneer farmers used techniques and
tools which had long been familiar to hunter-gatherers: the stone axe, hoe, and sickle (left) for
preparation of the fields and harvesting the grain. The primitive milling device for grinding
seeds between two stones (the "quern," below) to process the grain into edible form had been
in use for thousands of years by peoples who collected seeds but did not plant them.

Profound cultural rather than technological changes were necessary at first to permit
adaptation to the new mode of life. But once the shift had occurred, ever more changes, both
cultural and technological, became possible.
 Preparing the Seed-Bed

To agriculturalists, survival is dependent upon getting the seeds--such as the wheat grains
shown above--to sprout and grow in the soil. Originally fields were cleared of weeds and prepared
for planting by hand at great effort, using primitive hoes or digging sticks.

The invention of the scratch plow in Mesopotamia about 6,000 years ago was a great labor-
saving device for humans. It also marked a revolutionary stage in human development--the
beginning of systematic substitution of other forms of energy, in this case animal power, for human
muscles.

The techniques for gathering or harvesting cereal crops, shown above left in a tomb
painting of New Kingdom Egypt and below right in photograph of a modern Egyptian farmer,
remind us how precious a commodity grain was to early civilizations. Grain was dearly bought
with human sweat and diligence and strict social organization. Most cultures quite naturally came
to associate the main crops that sustained their existence with the substance of life itself, either
worshipping those plants or seeing them as symbols of the power of life.
 The precariousness of hard-won wealth in grain is difficult for many modern people to
understand. We are separated from the material base of our culture by the complex nature of our
way of life and so cannot see it easily. But for the ancients (as for most developing nations today),
both the source of the community's livelihood and the slim margin between life and death were
quite visible.

There is only a short period of time each year in harvest season in which to reap the grain;
wet weather at the wrong time can spoil the crop; social disorder at planting or harvest time may
mean famine. In addition, once harvested, the grain must be stored and protected against dampness,
against vermin such as rats and mice, insects, mold and fungi. And if that were not problem
enough, stored grain easily becomes stolen grain, so it must always be protected against thieves
and enemy raiders. In this way, wealth brought with it "security problems" which had not existed
before.

Processing Cereal Grains

This photo of harvest time in a village in India shows some of the processes necessary to prepare
cereal grains like wheat for use. The same techniques have been employed since ancient times.
 At right, a kind of sled is being pulled by oxen over the harvested grain to separate the
hard, compact seeds from the unusable plant material of the hulls and stalks of the wheat.
Sometimes this threshing of the grain is achieved by flailing piles of grain with a club or by
treading on it. In the background at left, a man is winnowing the threshed grain by tossing it into
the air with a shovel: gravity returns the heavier grains to the pile at his feet while a breeze separates
the light chaff and blows it away.

To live by exploiting grain crops, humans must process the grain before it can be eaten.
Human teeth, jaws, and digestive tract are simply not adapted for this kind of diet. The typically
human solution to this problem is, however, not to evolve biologically, but to find cultural or
technical solutions to problems: in this case, to develop the knowledge and techniques for
processing grain.

One early and universal technique of transforming grain into food is to mill the seeds
slightly between two stones and then to boil the grain in water, making a kind of gruel. If ground
into coarse meal, boiling in water will produce something like the oatmeal we still eat at breakfast.
 If ground fine and mixed with water into a paste and then baked, the grain is transformed
into bread. The yeast cultures which leaven some forms of bread are naturally occurring, but were
regarded as magical prior to the relatively recent discovery of micro-organisms. If stored grain
gets wet and begins to sprout, the stored carbohydrates in the seed begin converting into sugar.
While the grain is spoiled for bread-making, it can still be consumed if treated in another process
called fermentation. The sprouted grain is first baked, ground into a paste (called malt), and then
added to water. With the right yeast and little luck, the result is beer, another of the food inventions
of early agriculturalists.

• Pottery
Another advantage of sedentary life is the ability to use heavy and breakable--but none the
less very useful--household objects made of baked clay. Hunter- gatherers have no use for pottery
because they have to carry their possessions with them when they move. Agriculturalists, in
contrast, can accumulate such objects--and put them to multiple uses. This discovery was made
many times by human communities all over the globe, and seems to have occurred almost as soon
as they settled down in one place.
 In the photo above, an Egyptian woman fashions a bowl out of rings of clay-- probably the
oldest way of making pottery. At right, an Egyptian craftsman fashions a large container using the
next level of technological development--a potter's wheel, which he moves with his foot.
Technology as basic as the potter's wheel allowed early humans to enjoy the first fruits of mass
production.

The wheel may have first been developed--invented--for these purposes rather than for use
in vehicles. In any case, the settled mode of life led to many new discoveries out of which elaborate
technologies eventually developed.

Left we can see how technology developed incrementally: the familiar baking-oven has
been enlarged and modified into a high-temperature kiln for firing pottery. Agricultural societies
world-wide have discovered that "baking" clay in extremely hot fires for a long period creates
hard, durable objects such as the plates, jugs, and pots above. These examples are from 'Ubaid'
culture in Mesopotamia, one of the earliest pottery-making societies. Another step in a sequence
of technological development was the modification of the pottery kiln into a furnace capable of
melting metal ores (below).
Note that the earliest forms of furnaces for smelting ores at left above even retain the form of the
mud oven.
Over time, smelting ores became a highly refined technology and furnaces evolved into new forms.

• Technological Specialization
Over time, the settled way of life gives birth to many crafts and skills and special forms of
knowledge. The economic functions that individuals once were required to master in order to
survive are carried on at a higher level of skill by groups of specialists, who exchange their labor
or their products for grain or other commodities and eventually for money. The specializations are
almost endless--and, in fact, they continue to proliferate in our own times. The earliest were:
baking, brewing, weaving, dyeing, carpentry, pottery-making, stone and metal-working, etc. Needs
arise for merchants and soldiers and artists. Priests or shamans and healers had probably existed
in the earlier hunter-gatherer societies, but knowledge of writing gave rise to a host of new
specializations: estate or temple managers, literate bureaucrats, calendar-keepers, professional
medical practitioners and teachers.
As technological specializations accumulated, the sum total of knowledge in the
community soon exceeded the capacity of any individual mind. Specialized forms of knowledge
were no longer sharable throughout the community, but instead became the "property" of special
groups. The social egalitarianism of hunter-gatherer bands was very difficult to maintain in these
new circumstances.
 • Inventions like the wheel, writing, and irrigation:
1- Agriculture and Irrigation

Ancient Mesopotamian farmers cultivated wheat, barley, cucumbers, and other different foods
and vegetables. They used stone hoes to plow the ground before the invention of the plow. The
Tigris and the Euphrates rivers that surrounded Mesopotamia made irrigation and farming a lot
easier and more convenient. The Mesopotamians learned to control the flow of water from the
river and used it to irrigate crops. During the main growing season, the flow of water was properly
regulated. Each farmer was allowed a certain amount of water which was diverted from a canal
into an irrigation ditch.
 Conclusion:

Most of the inventions and discoveries of the ancient Mesopotamians became more
advanced in later civilizations. However, Mesopotamian inventions led to very basic things
that were needed for humans to settle in a group such as writing, agriculture, and urban
civilization.

2- The First Form of Writing: Cuneiform

The Sumerians developed the first form of writing called “cuneiform” to maintain business
records. It was mostly used in trade, where merchants recorded information such as the amount of
grain traded. The Mesopotamians also used writing to record daily events like astronomy.

uniform evolved as a simple pictograph. For instance, the pictograph for a horse might be
a small image of a horse. The writer had to drag the tip of a stylus across wet clay to create a shape.
It was hard to remember every character and it would take 12 years for a person to learn to write
in cuneiform.
The symbols were reduced to 600 words by 2900 BC and scribes (people who were hired to
write) eventually changed the writing from a drawn image to a stamp or imprint using a reed stylus
with a wedge-shaped tip. Cuneiform script was used by the Assyrians, Elamites, Hittites,
Babylonians, and Akkadians for about 3,000 years.
 3- Urban Civilization:

Often known as the cradle of civilization, Mesopotamian developed the concept of

urbanization. For the first time in a history, humans started to settle in a specific place. The
invention of agriculture made it possible to feed more people and animals living in a single
location. People learned to trade, and the concept of taxes was developed.

Mesopotamia emerged as one of the first cities of the world to be built with sun-dried
bricks. The urbanization in Mesopotamia started in the Uruk period (4300–3100 BC) and the
largest settlement in the history of mankind.

4- The Map

The oldest map was discovered in Babylonia around 2300 BC. Ancient cartography used
in Babylonia were simple sketches on clay tablets. One clay map discovered in Mesopotamia
illustrates the Akkadian region of Mesopotamia (present-day northern Iraq). It covers a small area
and was mostly used as a city map for military campaigns, hunting, and trading.
 Even though the map was first invented in Mesopotamia, Greek and Roman cartography
became more advanced and the concept of a spherical earth developed by the Greek
philosophers in 350 BC allowed geographers to develop the map further.

5- The Wheel

The first wheel wasn’t used for transportation. The wheel was first invented as a potter’s
wheel and was believed to have existed around 3500 BC. Even though the wheel is believed to
have first existed in ancient Mesopotamia, the oldest wheel named the Ljubljana Marshes
Wheel was discovered in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, in 2002 and dates back 5,150 years.
The wheel was used as a luxurious form of transportation for the wealthy, but was also used for
irrigation, pottery making, and milling. The invention of the chariot and other important
innovations in history were based on the invention of the wheel.
Par #3: The Industrial Revolution

• A Brief History of the 4 Industrial Revolutions that Shaped the World:

Throughout history, people have always been dependent on technology. Of course, the
technology of each era might not have the same shape and size as today, but for their time, it was
certainly something for people to look at.
People would always use the technology they had available to help make their lives easier
and at the same time try to perfect it and bring it to the next level. This is how the concept of the
industrial revolution began. Right now, we are going through the fourth industrial revolution, aka
Industry 4.0, where we are witnessing the rise of tech & web design companies.
Here is a little information on the three previous industrial revolutions leading to today!

• The First Industrial Revolution of 1765

The first industrial revolution followed the proto-industrialization period. It started at
the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th. The biggest changes came in the
industries in the form of mechanization. Mechanization was why agriculture started to be
replaced by the industry as the backbone of the societal economy.
 At the time, people witnessed massive extraction of coal along with the significant
invention of the steam engine that created a new type of energy that later on helped speed up the
manufacturing of railroads, thus accelerating the economy.

• The Second Industrial Revolution of 1870

Following the first Industrial Revolution, we see the world go through the second almost a
century later. It started at the end of the 19th century, with massive technological advancements in
industries that helped the emergence of a new source of energy—electricity, gas, and oil.
This revolution resulted in the creation of the internal combustion engine that started to
reach its full potential. Other important points of the second industrial revolution were the
development of steel demand, chemical synthesis and methods of communication such as the
telegraph and the telephone.
Finally, the inventions of the automobile and the plane at the beginning of the 20th century are
the reason why, to this day, the Second Industrial Revolution is considered the most important one!

• The Third Industrial Revolution 1969

Another century passes, and we bear witness to the Third Industrial Revolution. In the second
half of the 20th century, we see the emergence of yet another source of untapped, at the time,
energy. Nuclear energy!
 The third revolution brought forth the rise of electronics, telecommunications and, of
course, computers. The third industrial revolution opened the doors to space expeditions, research,
and biotechnology through the new technologies.
In the world of the industries, two major inventions, Programmable Logic Controllers
(PLCs) and Robots, helped give rise to an era of high-level automation.

• Industry 4.0
For many people, Industry 4.0 is the fourth Industrial Revolution, although a large portion
of people still disagree. If we were to view Industry 4.0 as a revolution, we would have to admit
that it is a revolution happening now. We are experiencing it every day, and its magnitude is yet
unknown.
Industry 4.0 started at the dawn of the third millennium with the one thing everyone uses
every day—the Internet. We can see the transition from the first industrial revolution rooted in
technological phenomena to Industry 4.0 that develops virtual reality worlds, allowing us to bend
the laws of physics.
The 4 Industrial Revolutions shape the world. Worldwide economies are based on them.
Programs and projects are being implemented worldwide, focusing on helping people take
advantage of the marvels of the fourth revolution during their everyday lives. From digital
flipbooks to augmented reality gaming, the future is bright!
 • Characteristics of the Industrial Revolution

The main features involved in the Industrial Revolution were technological,

socioeconomic, and cultural. The technological changes included the following: the use of new
basic materials, chiefly iron and steel, the use of new energy sources, including both fuels and
motive power, such as coal, the steam engine, electricity, petroleum, and the internal-combustion
engine, the invention of new machines, such as the spinning jenny and the power loom that
permitted increased production with a smaller expenditure of human energy, a new organization
of work known as the factory system, which entailed increased division of labour and
specialization of function, important developments in transportation and communication,
including the steam locomotive, steamship, automobile, airplane, telegraph, and radio, and the
increasing application of science to industry. These technological changes made possible a
tremendously increased use of natural resources and the mass production of manufactured goods.

There were also many new developments in nonindustrial spheres, including the following:
agricultural improvements that made possible the provision of food for a larger nonagricultural
population, economic changes that resulted in a wider distribution of wealth, the decline of land as
a source of wealth in the face of rising industrial production, and increased international trade.
 Political changes reflecting the shift in economic power, as well as new state policies
corresponding to the needs of an industrialized society, sweeping social changes, including the
growth of cities, the development of working-class movements, and the emergence of new patterns
of authority, and cultural transformations of a broad order.

Workers acquired new and distinctive skills, and their relation to their tasks shifted; instead
of being craftsmen working with hand tools, they became machine operators, subject
to factory discipline. Finally, there was a psychological change: confidence in the ability to use
resources and to master nature was heightened.

• The first Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution a map depicting the spread of the Industrial Revolution through Europe in the 19th
century.

In the period 1760 to 1830 the Industrial Revolution was largely confined to Britain. Aware
of their head start, the British forbade the export of machinery, skilled workers,
and manufacturing techniques. The British monopoly could not last forever, especially since some
Britons saw profitable industrial opportunities abroad,

while continental European businessmen sought to lure British know-how to their

countries. Two Englishmen, William and John Cockerill, brought the Industrial Revolution
to Belgium by developing machine shops at Liège (c. 1807), and Belgium became the first country
in continental Europe to be transformed economically.
 Like its British progenitor, the Belgian Industrial Revolution centered in iron, coal,
and textiles. France was more slowly and less thoroughly industrialized than either Britain or
Belgium. While Britain was establishing its industrial leadership, France was immersed in
its Revolution, and the uncertain political situation discouraged large investments in
industrial innovations. By 1848 France had become an industrial power, but, despite great growth
under the Second Empire, it remained behind Britain.

The eastern European countries were behind early in the 20th century. It was not until the
five-year plans that the Soviet Union became a major industrial power, telescoping into a few
decades the industrialization that had taken a century and a half in Britain. The mid-20th
century witnessed the spread of the Industrial Revolution into hitherto non-industrialized areas
such as China and India.

The technological and economic aspects of the Industrial Revolution brought about
significant sociocultural changes. In its initial stages it seemed to deepen labourers’ poverty and
misery. Their employment and subsistence became dependent on costly means of production that
few people could afford to own. Job security was lacking: workers were frequently displaced by
technological improvements and a large labour pool.
 Lack of worker protections and regulations meant long work hours for miserable wages, living
in unsanitary tenements, and exploitation and abuse in the workplace. But even as problems arose,
so too did new ideas that aimed to address them. These ideas pushed innovations and regulations
that provided people with more material conveniences while also enabling them to produce more,
travel faster, and communicate more rapidly.

• The second Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution: factory workers Women working machines at the American Woolen Company, Boston, c.
1912.

Despite considerable overlapping with the “old,” there was mounting evidence for a “new”
Industrial Revolution in the late 19th and 20th centuries. In terms of basic materials,
modern industry began to exploit many natural and synthetic resources not hitherto utilized:
lighter metals, rare earths, new alloys, and synthetic products such as plastics, as well as
new energy sources. Combined with these were developments in machines, tools,
and computers that gave rise to the automatic factory. Although some segments of industry were
almost completely mechanized in the early to mid-19th century, automatic operation, as distinct
from the assembly line, first achieved major significance in the second half of the 20th century.

Ownership of the means of production also underwent changes. The oligarchical ownership
of the means of production that characterized the Industrial Revolution in the early to mid-19th
century gave way to a wider distribution of ownership through purchase of common stocks by
individuals and by institutions such as insurance companies. In the first half of the 20th century,
many countries of Europe socialized basic sectors of their economies. There was also during that
period a change in political theories: instead of

the laissez-faire ideas that dominated the economic and social thought of the classical
Industrial Revolution, governments generally moved into the social and economic realm to meet
the needs of their more complex industrial societies. That trend was reversed in the United
States and the United Kingdom beginning in the 1980s.

• Types of social movements

There is no single, standard typology of social movements. As various scholars focus on

different aspects of movements, different schemes of classification emerge. Hence any social
movement may be described in terms of several dimensions.

Many attempts at categorization direct attention to the objective of the movement.

The social institution in or through which social change is to be brought about provides one
basis for categorizing social movements as political, religious, economic, educational, and the
like. It may be argued that all movements tend to be either political or religious in character,
depending upon whether their strategy aims at changing political structures or the moral values
of individuals.

A commonly used but highly subjective distinction is that between “reform” and
“revolutionary” movements. Such a distinction implies that a reform movement advocates a
change that will preserve the existing values but will provide improved means
of implementing them. The revolutionary movement, on the other hand, is regarded as
advocating replacement of existing values. Almost invariably,
 however, the members of a so-called revolutionary movement insist that it is they who
cherish the true values of the society and that it is the opponents who define the movement as
revolutionary and subversive of basic, traditional values.

Some attempts to characterize movements involve the direction and the rate of change
advocated. Adjectives such as radical, reactionary, moderate, liberal, and conservative are often
used for such purposes. In this context the designations “revolutionary” and “reform” are often
employed in a somewhat different sense than that described above, with the implication that a
revolutionary movement advocates rapid, precipitous change while a reform movement works for
slow, evolutionary change.

The American sociologist Lewis M. Killian advanced still another typology based on the
direction of the change advocated or opposed. A reactionary movement advocates the restoration
of a previous state of social affairs, while a progressive movement argues for a new social
arrangement. A conservative movement opposes the changes proposed by other movements, or
those seeming to develop through cultural drift, and advocates preservation of existing values and
norms.
 • The dynamics of social movements
As an enduring, sustained collectivity a social movement undergoes significant changes
during its existence. This characteristic has led some scholars to formulate a theory of a “life cycle”
or “natural history” common to all social movements.
Other scholars question the value of the life-cycle approach to social movements, arguing
that empirical studies of numerous movements fail to support the notion of invariant stages of
development. The American sociologist Neil Smelser suggested as an alternative a value-added
theory, which postulates that while a number of determinants are necessary for the occurrence of
a social movement, they need not occur in any particular order.
Some may be present for some time without effect only to be activated later by the addition
of another determinant. At most it can be said that the idea of the life cycle permits the discovery
of conditions that must be present if any movement is to proceed from one stage to another. It may
also help identify the conditions that cause a movement to change direction. Still, it can be said
that a social movement has a career; for as it endures it always undergoes changes in many of
its characteristics, though the sequence of these changes may vary from movement to movement.
Part #4: The Digital Age:
The Information Age, a historic period in the 21st century characterized by the rapid shift
from traditional industry that the Industrial Revolution brought through industrialization, to an
economy based on information technology.

• Internet:
a system architecture that has revolutionized mass communication, mass media, and
commerce by allowing various computer networks around the world to interconnect. Sometimes
referred to as a “network of networks,” the Internet emerged in the United States in the 1970s
but did not become visible to the general public until the early 1990s.
By 2020, approximately 4.5 billion people, or more than half of the world’s population,
were estimated to have access to the Internet. And that number is growing, largely due to the
prevalence of “smart” technology and the "Internet of Things," where computer-like devices
connect with the Internet or interact via wireless networks. These “things” include smartphones,
appliances, thermostats, lighting systems, irrigation systems, security cameras. vehicles, even
cities.
The Internet provides a capability so powerful and general that it can be used for almost
any purpose that depends on information, and it is accessible by every individual who connects
to one of its constituent networks.
It supports access to digital information by many applications, including the World Wide Web. The
Internet has proved to be a spawning ground for a large and growing number of “e-businesses”
(including subsidiaries of traditional “brick-and-mortar” companies) that carry out most of their
sales and services over the Internet.
• Origin and development
Early networks

The first computer networks were dedicated special-purpose systems such as SABRE (an
airline reservation system) and AUTODIN I (a defense command-and-control system), both
designed and implemented in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
By the early 1960s computer manufacturers had begun to use semiconductor technology
in commercial products, and both conventional batch-processing and time-sharing systems were
in place in many large, technologically advanced companies. Time-sharing systems allowed a
computer’s resources to be shared in rapid succession with multiple users, cycling through the
queue of users so quickly that the computer appeared dedicated to each user’s tasks despite the
existence of many others accessing the system “simultaneously.”
This led to the notion of sharing computer resources (called host computers or
simply hosts) over an entire network. Host-to-host interactions were envisioned, along with access
to specialized resources (such as supercomputers and mass storage systems) and interactive access
by remote users to the computational powers of time-sharing systems located elsewhere.
 These ideas were first realized in ARPANET, which established the first host-to-host
network connection on October 29, 1969. It was created by the Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. ARPANET was one of the first general-
purpose computer networks.

It connected time-sharing computers at government-supported research sites, principally

universities in the United States, and it soon became a critical piece of infrastructure for
the computer science research community in the United States. Tools and applications—such as
the simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP, commonly referred to as e-mail), for sending short
messages, and the file transfer protocol (FTP), for longer transmissions—quickly emerged. In
order to achieve cost-effective interactive communications between computers, which typically
communicate in short bursts of data, ARPANET employed the new technology of packet
switching.

Packet switching takes large messages (or chunks of computer data) and breaks them into
smaller, manageable pieces (known as packets) that can travel independently over any available
circuit to the target destination, where the pieces are reassembled. Thus, unlike traditional voice
communications, packet switching does not require a single dedicated circuit between each pair of
users. Commercial packet networks were introduced in the 1970s, but these were designed
principally to provide efficient access to remote computers by dedicated terminals.
 • Foundation of the Internet

The Internet resulted from the effort to connect various research networks in the United
States and Europe. First, DARPA established a program to investigate the interconnection of
“heterogeneous networks.” This program, called Inter-netting, was based on the newly
introduced concept of open architecture networking, in which networks with defined standard
interfaces would be interconnected by “gateways.” A working demonstration of the concept was
planned. In order for the concept to work, a new protocol had to be designed and developed;
indeed, a system architecture was also required.

In 1974 Vinton Cerf, then at Stanford University in California, and this author, then at
DARPA, collaborated on a paper that first described such a protocol and system architecture—
namely, the transmission control protocol (TCP), which enabled different types of machines on
networks all over the world to route and assemble data packets.

TCP, which originally included the Internet protocol (IP), a global addressing mechanism
that allowed routers to get data packets to their ultimate destination, formed the TCP/IP standard,
which was adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1980. By the early 1980s the “open
architecture” of the TCP/IP approach was adopted and endorsed by many other researchers and
eventually by technologists and businessmen around the world.
 By the 1980s other U.S. governmental bodies were heavily involved with networking,
including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy, and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). While DARPA had played a seminal role in
creating a small-scale version of the Internet among its researchers,

NSF worked with DARPA to expand access to the entire scientific and
academic community and to make TCP/IP the standard in all federally supported research
networks. In 1985–86 NSF funded the first five supercomputing centers—at Princeton University,
the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, San Diego, the University of Illinois,
and Cornell University. In the 1980s NSF also funded the development and operation of
the NSFNET, a national “backbone” network to connect these centers. By the late 1980s the
network was operating at millions of bits per second.

NSF also funded various nonprofit local and regional networks to connect other users to
the NSFNET. A few commercial networks also began in the late 1980s; these were soon joined by
others, and the Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX) was formed to allow transit traffic between
commercial networks that otherwise would not have been allowed on the NSFNET backbone.
 In 1995, after extensive review of the situation, NSF decided that support of the
NSFNET infrastructure was no longer required, since many commercial providers were now
willing and able to meet the needs of the research community, and its support was withdrawn.
Meanwhile, NSF had fostered a competitive collection of commercial Internet backbones
connected to one another through so-called network access points (NAPs).

From the Internet’s origin in the early 1970s, control of it steadily devolved from
government stewardship to private-sector participation and finally to private custody with
government oversight and forbearance. Today a loosely structured group of several thousand
interested individuals known as the Internet Engineering Task Force participates in
a grassroots development process for Internet standards. Internet standards are maintained by the
nonprofit Internet Society, an international body with headquarters in Reston, Virginia. The
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), another nonprofit, private
organization, oversees various aspects of policy regarding Internet domain names and numbers.

• Views of social media and its impacts on society:

When asked whether social media is a good or bad thing for democracy in their country, a
median of 57% across 19 countries say that it is a good thing.
 In almost every country, close to half or more say this, with the sentiment most common
in Singapore, where roughly three-quarters believe social media is a good thing for democracy in
their country. However, in the Netherlands and France, about four-in-ten agree. And in the U.S.,
only around a third think social media is positive for democracy – the smallest share among all 19
countries surveyed.

In eight countries, those who believe that the political system in their country allows them
to have an influence on politics are also more likely to say that social media is a good thing for
democracy. This gap is most evident in Belgium, where 62% of those who feel their political
system allows them to have a say in politics also say that social media is a good thing for
democracy in their country, compared with 44% among those who say that their political system
does not allow them much influence on politics.

Those who view the spread of false information online as a major threat to their country
are less likely to say that social media is a good thing for democracy, compared with those who
view the spread of misinformation online as either a minor threat or not a threat at all.
 This is most clearly observed in the Netherlands, where only four-in-ten (39%) among
those who see the spread of false information online as a major threat say that social media has
been a good thing for democracy in their country, as opposed to the nearly six-in-ten (57%) among
those who do not consider the spread of misinformation online to be a threat who say the same.
This pattern is evident in eight other countries as well.

Views also vary by age. Older adults in 12 countries are less likely to say that social media
is a good thing for democracy in their country when compared to their younger counterparts. In
Japan, France, Israel, Hungary, the UK and Australia, the gap between the youngest and oldest age
groups is at least 20 percentage points and ranges as high as 41 points in Poland, where nearly
nine-in-ten (87%) younger adults say that social media has been a good thing for democracy in the
country and only 46% of adults over 50 say the same.

• The perceived impacts of the internet and social media on society

The publics surveyed believe the internet and social media are affecting societies. Across the six
issues tested,
 few tend to say they see no changes due to increased connectivity – instead seeing things
changing both positively and negatively – and often both at the same time.

A median of 84% say technological connectivity has made people easier to manipulate
with false information and rumors – the most among the six issues tested. Despite this, medians
of 73% describe people being more informed about both current events in other countries and
about events in their own country. Indeed, in most countries, those who think social media has
made it easier to manipulate people with misinformation and rumors are also more likely to think
that social media has made people more informed.

When it comes to politics, the internet and social media are generally seen as disruptive, with a
median of 65% saying that people are now more divided in their political opinions. Some of this may be
due to the sense – shared by a median of 44% across the 19 countries – that access to the internet and
social media has led people to be less civil in the way they talk about politics. Despite this, slightly more
people (a median of 45%) still say connectivity has made people more accepting of people from different
ethnic groups, religions and races than say it has made people less accepting (22%) or had no effect
(29%).
• There is widespread concern over misinformation – and a sense that
people are more susceptible to manipulation

Previously reported results indicate that a median of 70% across the 19 countries
surveyed believe that the spread of false information online is a major threat to their
country. In places like Canada, Germany and Malaysia, more people name this as a threat
than say the same of any of the other issues asked about.
This sense of threat is related to the widespread belief that people today are now
easier to manipulate with false information and rumors thanks to the internet and social
media. Around half or more in every country surveyed shares this view. And in places like
the Netherlands, Australia and the UK, around nine-in-ten see people as more manipulable.
In many places, younger people – who tend to be more likely to use social media
(for more on usage, are also more likely to say it makes people easier to manipulate with
false information and rumors. For example, in South Korea, 90% of those under age 30 say
social media makes people easier to manipulate, compared with 65% of those 50 and older.
(Interestingly, U.S.-focused research has found older adults are more likely to share
misinformation than younger ones.)
 • The gisg economy and digital transformation in workplaces:
1- The gig economy uses digital platforms to connect freelancers with customers to provide
short-term services or asset-sharing.
Examples include ride-hailing apps, food delivery apps, and holiday rental apps.
2- It’s a growing segment, bringing economic benefits of productivity and employment.
3- But it also raises questions about levels of consumer and worker protection.
4- The challenge is to balance innovation with a fair deal for workers.

In 2024, the so-called gig economy had a market size of $556.7 billion. By 2032, that's
expected to more than triple to $1,847 billion

But what is it? And why is it growing?

For millions of people, working nine-to-five for a single employer or being on the payroll is
no longer a reality. Instead, they balance various income streams and work independently, job-
by-job.

• What is the gig economy?

If you’ve ever used an app to call a freelance taxi driver, book a holiday rental, order food
or buy a homemade craft then you’ve probably participated in this segment of the economy.

The “gig economy involves the exchange of labour for money between individuals or
companies via digital platforms that actively facilitate matching between providers and customers,
on a short-term and payment-by-task basis,” according to the UK government.
 • Ethical concerns: data privacy, misinformation, and AI.

Artificial intelligence is progressing at an astonishing pace, raising profound ethical

concerns regarding its use, ownership, accountability, and long-term implications for humanity.
As technologists, ethicists, and policymakers look at the future of AI, ongoing debates about the
control, power dynamics, and potential for AI to surpass human capabilities highlight the need to
address these ethical challenges in the present. With the White House recently investing $140
million in funding and providing additional policy guidance, significant steps are being taken to
understand and mitigate these challenges to harness AI’s immense potential.

Here’s a look at some of the most pressing ethical issues surrounding AI today.

• Bias and Discrimination

AI systems are trained on massive amounts of data, and embedded in that data are societal
biases. Consequently, these biases can become ingrained in AI algorithms, perpetuating and
amplifying unfair or discriminatory outcomes in crucial areas such as hiring, lending, criminal
justice, and resource allocation. For example, if a company uses an AI system to screen job
applicants by analyzing their resumes, that AI system was likely trained on historical data of
successful hires within the company. However, if the historical data is biased, such as containing
gender or racial biases,
 The AI system may learn and perpetuate those biases, thus discriminating against
candidates who don’t match the historical hirings of the company. Several U.S. agencies recently
issued warnings about how they intend to push back against bias in AI models and hold
organizations accountable for perpetuating discrimination through their platforms.

• Transparency and Accountability

AI systems often operate in a “black box,” where these systems offer limited
interpretability of how they work and how they arrived at certain decisions. In critical domains
like health care or autonomous vehicles, transparency is vital to ascertain how decisions are
made and who bears responsibility for them. Clarifying accountability is particularly important
when AI systems make errors or cause harm, ensuring appropriate corrective actions can be
taken. To combat the black box challenges, researchers are working to better develop
explainable AI, which helps characterize the model’s fairness, accuracy, and potential bias.

• Creativity and Ownership

When a painter completes a painting, they own it. But when a human creator generates a
piece of digital art by entering a text prompt into an AI system that was programmed by a separate
individual or organization, it’s not so clear. Who owns the AI-generated art? Who can
commercialize it? Who is at risk for infringement?
 This emerging issue is still evolving as AI advances faster than regulators can keep up. As
human creators generate digital art through AI systems developed by others, it remains critical that
lawmakers clarify ownership rights and provide guidelines to navigate potential infringements.

• Social Manipulation and Misinformation

Fake news, misinformation, and disinformation are commonplace in politics, competitive

business, and many other fields. AI algorithms can be exploited to spread this misinformation,
manipulate public opinion, and amplify social divisions. For example, technologies like deepfakes,
which are capable of generating realistic yet fabricated audiovisual content, pose significant risks
to election interference and political stability. Vigilance and countermeasures are required to
address this challenge effectively.

• Privacy, Security, and Surveillance

The effectiveness of AI often hinges on the availability of large volumes of personal data.
As AI usage expands, concerns arise regarding how this information is collected, stored, and
utilized. For example, China is using tools like facial recognition technology to support their
extensive surveillance network, which critics argue is leading to discrimination and repression of
certain ethnic groups. In AI, preserving individuals' privacy and human rights becomes paramount,
necessitating robust safeguards against data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive
information, and protections from extensive surveillance.
 • Job Displacement

The advancement of AI automation has the potential to replace human jobs, resulting in
widespread unemployment and exacerbating economic inequalities. Conversely, some argue that
while AI will replace knowledge workers – like robots are replacing manual laborers – AI has the
potential to create far more jobs than it destroys. Addressing the impacts of job displacement
requires proactive measures such as retraining programs and policies that facilitate a just transition
for affected workers, as well as far-reaching social and economic support systems.

• Autonomous Weapons

Ethical concerns arise with the development of AI-powered autonomous weapons.

Questions of accountability, the potential for misuse, and the loss of human control over life-and-
death decisions necessitate international agreements and regulations to govern the use of such
weapons. Ensuring responsible deployment becomes essential to prevent catastrophic
consequences.

Addressing the ethical issues surrounding AI requires collaboration among technologists,

policymakers, ethicists, and society at large. Establishing robust regulations, ensuring transparency
in AI systems, promoting diversity and inclusivity in development, and fostering ongoing
discussions are integral to responsible AI deployment. By proactively engaging with these
concerns, we can harness the incredible potential of AI while upholding ethical principles to shape
a future where socially responsible AI is the norm.

• Study Artificial Intelligence and Earn a Capitol Tech Degree

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address emerging issues like these at the intersection of AI and ethics. We offer a
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Intelligence.
 Part #5. Technology and Environment

• Introduction

Technology has become a dormant part of everyone’s life from a three-year-old child
to an eighty-year-old man. There is no time or place in our day where technology does not play
a role. The sedentary lifestyle lead by the world today has not only greatly harmed them but
also the environment in which we live in. The known current status of the environment
surrounding us has directly connected many scholars and environmentalists into the
understanding that, people’s negative usage of technology has caused irreparable damage to
the environment.

• Technology – A curse to the environment

Technology misuse and its wrong implementation leads to the occurrence of environmental
pollution. There has been a significant rise in the production of machines and automobiles as there
has been a rise in demand which facilitates increased consumption thereby triggering increased
supply of the products that have a major hand in industrialization with respect to improved
technology.
Constant developments in technology led to the Industrial Revolution which resulted in a
better quality of life and hence, in order to satisfy the human through the mode of technological
development and industrialization has led to an adverse effect on the environment since it caused
an atrocious level of pollution due to the increased desirability of technology by humans.
 Despite the advent of technology revolutionizing all aspects of a human’s life, it has
nevertheless left the environment at the bearing end of the brunt of it. It is imperative to study the
negative impacts of technology and the causatives that have proved to be the result of
environmental dilapidation on a further detailed note.

The major constituent of degradation of the environment is the sign of an increase in global
warming. It has been noted by the scientists that from the beginning of the century the temperature
of the mean surface level of the Earth has been at an all-time high at an increase of 0.8 degree
Celsius. It was reported by professor Brian Hoskins that the CO2 level have been the highest in
about 4.5 million years with the primary constituent for the same being fossil fuels burning and
deforestation being another cause for an increase for global warming.

Nitrogen oxides and other forms of gaseous emissions from industries and emissions from
vehicles are major causes that lead to poor water quality. The reason for the toxicity rises in water
bodies is because nitrogen deposits act like fertilizer in water that boosts the formation of algae
which in turn is detrimental to the quality of water.
 • Natural and cultural dichotomy

This entire concept is driven by the idea of supposing cultural products such as technology
in question being lesser than nature. To further elaborate, it is a common belief that culture is
opposed to nature and hinges on the implication that technology is thus reduced and its value is
challenged. It is believed that the environment is valued most in its natural pristine self and the
addition of technology is inevitably going to lower the essence of nature.
Any form of nature presented through the medium of technology or any natural beauty
created artificially by technology is bound to be lower than nature in its truest form. So, since a
technologically induced environment is deemed inferior to real nature it is suggested that
technology cannot save nature and can only artificially create another dimension of the same.

• Technology- Potential to save the environment

The arguments that emphasize the dichotomy between cultural and natural may not be
challenged but questioned with respect to environment restoration since the argument can be valid
in a condition where humans are assumed to be separate from nature.
 This assumption would perhaps be an incorrect take on the subject since humans are by
products of nature and with the suggested argument the advancement of technology should not be
opposed to nature since humans have themselves created technology which would make it wrong
to identify it as unnatural and therefore, technologically restored environment should not be
viewed lower than the traditional sense of nature.
Although, for the sake of this paper, since there are presentably two contrasting opinions
for the same, it is fair to say that technology isn’t negative or positive but neutral. Scientists have
proposed technology as a medium through which the environment can be sincerely helped if
directed positively. The techniques used for birth control is considered to be a positive outcome of
technology since over population is one of the most pressing issues globally.
Another technological concept of geoengineering has attempted to remove CO2 from the
atmosphere and neutralize the harmful effects of toxic gases by helping the earth to absorb less
radiation. The implementation of bioremediation is a discovery that uses microorganisms to
remove pollutants in the sense to decrease the toxicity of metals in soil or water.
 • The Impact of Technology on the Environment and How Environmental
Technology Could Save Our Planet

This article takes a look at the paradoxical ideology that while the impact of technology on
the environment has been highly negative, the concept of Environmental Technology could save
our planet from the harm that has been done. This idea is supported by WWF 1, who have stated
that although technology is a solution enabler it is also part of the problem.
The term ‘technology’ refers to the application of scientific knowledge for practical
purposes and the machinery and devices developed as a result. We are currently living in a period
of rapid change, where technological developments are revolutionising the way we live, at the
same time as leading us further into the depths of catastrophe in the form of climate change and
resource scarcity.
This article will begin by discussing the negative impact of technology on the environment
due to the causation of some of the world’s most severe environmental concerns, followed by the
potential that it has to save the planet from those same problems. Finally, it will explore the
particular environmental technology of the gas sensor and discuss how it plays a part in the
mitigation of negative environmental consequences.
 • What is the Impact of Technology on the Environment?
The industrial revolution has brought about new technologies with immense power. This
was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the period
from about 1760 to 1840. This has been succeeded by continued industrialization and further
technological advancements in developed countries around the world, and the impact of this
technology on the environment has included the misuse and damage of our natural earth.

These technologies have damaged our world in two main ways; pollution and the depletion
of natural resources.

• Air and water pollution

Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive quantities of gases such as carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and methane are introduced into the earth’s
atmosphere. The main sources all relate to technologies which emerged following the industrial
revolution such as the burning of fossil fuels, factories, power stations, mass agriculture and
vehicles.

The consequences of air pollution include negative health impacts for humans and animals
and global warming, whereby the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the air trap thermal
energy in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the global temperature to rise.
 Water pollution on the other hand is the contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers,
oceans, and groundwater, usually due to human activities. Some of the most common water
pollutants are domestic waste, industrial effluents and insecticides and pesticides. A specific
example is the release of inadequately treated wastewater into natural water bodies, which can lead
to degradation of aquatic ecosystems. Other detrimental effects include diseases such as typhoid
and cholera, eutrophication and the destruction of ecosystems which negatively affects the food
chain.

• Depletion of natural resources

Resource depletion is another negative impact of technology on the environment. It refers
to the consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished. Natural resources consist of
those that are in existence without humans having created them and they can be either renewable
or non-renewable. There are several types of resource depletion, with the most severe being aquifer
depletion, deforestation, mining for fossil fuels and minerals, contamination of resources, soil
erosion and overconsumption of resources. These mainly occur as a result of agriculture, mining,
water usage and consumption of fossil fuels, all of which have been enabled by advancements in
technology.
 Due to the increasing global population, levels of natural resource degradation are also
increasing. This has resulted in the estimation of the world’s eco-footprint to be one and a half
times the ability of the earth to sustainably provide each individual with enough resources that
meet their consumption levels.

Since the industrial revolution, large-scale mineral and oil exploration has been increasing,
causing more and more natural oil and mineral depletion. Combined with advancements in
technology, development and research, the exploitation of minerals has become easier and humans
are therefore digging deeper to access more which has led to many resources entering into a
production decline.

Moreover, the consequence of deforestation has never been more severe, with the World
Bank reporting that the net loss of global forest between 1990 and 2015 was 1.3 million km2. This
is primarily for agricultural reasons but also logging for fuel and making space for residential areas,
encouraged by increasing population pressure. Not only does this result in a loss of trees which
are important as they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but thousands of plants and
animals lose their natural habitats and have become extinct.
 • What is Environmental Technology?
Environmental Technology is also known as ‘green’ or ‘clean’ technology and refers to
the development of new technologies which aim to conserve, monitor or reduce the negative
impact of technology on the environment and the consumption of resources. Despite the negative
impact of technology on environment, a recent rise in global concern for climate change has led to
the development of new environmental technology aiming to help solve some of the biggest
environmental concerns that we face as a society through a shift towards a more sustainable, low-
carbon economy.
The Paris agreement, signed in 2016, has obliged almost every country in the world to
undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change by keeping the rise in the global average
temperature at less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

• Environmental Technology Development – Examples of Environmental

Technology
This section will focus on the positive impact of technology on the environment as a result
of the development of environmental technology such as renewable energy, ‘smart technology’,
electric vehicles and carbon dioxide removal.

• Renewable energy
Renewable energy, also known as ‘clean energy’, is energy that is collected from renewable
resources which are naturally replenished such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and
geothermal heat.
 Modern environmental technology has enabled us to capture this naturally occurring
energy and convert it into electricity or useful heat through devices such as solar panels, wind
and water turbines, which reflects a highly positive impact of technology on the environment.
Having overtaken coal in 2015 to become our second largest generator of electricity,
renewable sources currently produce more than 20% of the UK’s electricity, and EU targets means
that this is likely to increase to 30% by 2020. While many renewable energy projects are large-
scale, renewable technologies are also suited to remote areas and developing countries, where
energy is often crucial in human development.

The cost of renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines are
falling and government investment is on the rise. This has contributed towards the amount of
rooftop solar installations in Australia growing from approximately 4,600 households to over 1.6
million between 2007 and 2017.

• Smart Technology
Smart home technology uses devices such as linking sensors and other appliances
connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) that can be remotely monitored and programmed in order
to be as energy efficient as possible and to respond to the needs of the users.
 The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of internet-connected objects able to collect and
exchange data using embedded sensor technologies. This data allows devices in the network to
autonomously ‘make decisions’ based on real-time information. For example, intelligent lighting
systems only illuminate areas that require it and a smart thermostat keeps homes at certain
temperatures during certain times of day, therefore reducing wastage.
This environmental technology has been enabled by increased connectivity to the internet
as a result of the increase in availability of WiFi, Bluetooth and smart sensors in buildings and
cities. Experts are predicting that cities of the future will be places where every car, phone, air
conditioner, light and more are interconnected, bringing about the concept of energy efficient
‘smart cities.

The technology of the internet further demonstrates a positive impact of technology on the
environment due to the fact that social media can raise awareness of global issue and worldwide
virtual laboratories can be created. Experts from different fields can remotely share their research,
experience and ideas in order to come up with improved solutions. In addition, travel is reduced
as meetings/communication between friends and families can be done virtually, which reduces
pollution from transport emissions.
 • Electric vehicles
The environmental technology of the electric vehicle is propelled by one or more electric
motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Since 2008, there has been an increase in
the manufacturing of electric vehicles due to the desire to reduce environmental concerns such as
air pollution and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Electric vehicles demonstrate a positive impact of technology on the environment because

they do not produce carbon emissions, which contribute towards the ‘greenhouse effect’ and leads
to global warming. Furthermore, they do not contribute to air pollution, meaning they are cleaner
and less harmful to human health, animals, plants, and water.

There have recently been several environmental technology government incentives

encouraging plug-in vehicles, tax credits and subsidies to promote the introduction and adoption
of electric vehicles. Electric vehicles could potentially be the way forward for a greener society
because companies such as Bloomberg have predicted that they could become cheaper than petrol
cars by 2024 and according to Nissan, there are now in fact more electric vehicle charging stations
in the UK than fuel stations3.
Part #6. The Future of Technology and Civilization

• Introduction:

Trying to predict the future can be risky. Get it wrong, then your predictions come across
as silly and far-fetched. Some good examples of this include meals in pill form, flying cars
(we’re getting close though), and teleportation.

Get it right, though, and you could be seen as an innovator ahead of your time. A good
example is Arthur C. Clarke, who, in his 1968 novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, accurately predicted
the concept of the computer tablet with the fictional News Pad device.

With that being said, even if not all predictions are correct, there’s still value in fantasizing
about the future. In fact, research has shown that thinking about the future helps us lead more
generous and fulfilled lives, as it gives people something to look forward to and a sense of meaning.

This logic also applies to technology. It’s important to think about where technology is
today, how it will change in the future, what it will replace, and the kind of role it will play in
helping us live our lives. Why? Because it enables us to focus our efforts on making technological
advancements that will vastly increase human capability and help shape a better tomorrow.
 • What Will the Next 50 Years Look Like?

#1 Self-driving Cars:

Self-driving cars have the potential to take us where we need to go without us ever having
to set foot on the pedal. The advent of autonomous vehicles is no longer a new concept, but we’re
not quite there yet due to various limitations in technological advancements.

The gap between manual and automatic driving is closing. You can buy cars
that automatically brake when they predict a collision, have built-in cameras that monitor the
driver for signs of fatigue, drowsiness or distractions, and keep you in the center of a highway
lane. Specific examples for the highest level of automation available to consumers are systems
such as GM’s Super Cruise, Ford Motor, Co.’s Blue Cruise and Tesla’s with automated operating
systems under certain conditions.

With big players – Tesla, Waymo, Ford, General Motors, and more – investing in the
autonomous-related technology, the rise in competition in the future is inevitable and pushes the
growth potential of automotive industries to the maximum level.

How long until autonomous cars become standard to redefine transportation systems? It’s
hard to say, but most experts think full automation is possible within the next ten years.
 Of course, this depends on advancements in technology, government regulations, safety
and ethical concerns, and public perception. It is worth noting that the transition to autonomous
vehicles is a long journey, with varying levels of automation being introduced incrementally to
lead to the final result.

#2 Greater Involvement from Robots

These days, robots can only perform a certain number of tasks. They don’t really look or talk
convincingly enough to pass off as human. And they tend to fall over a lot.

However, as digital life lays a foundation for limitless possibilities, things could be different in the
future. According to Blake Hannaford, a professor of Robots, Controls, and Biosystems at the University
of Washington, robots could ‘free up people’s brains’ to perform other, more complex tasks.

If true, you can expect to see more jobs become automated (where employees help the robot
perform a specific task or work together with one) or simply disappear. This could mean up to 120 million
workers will need retraining in order to be employable again. On the plus side, we could use robots to
perform tasks that are too dangerous for us. For instance, instead of putting the lives of rescue workers at
risk,
 They can instead dispatch all-terrain robots to collect and return people back to safety. In a more
distant future, some predictions even suggest that the U.S. Congress will be supported by a dynamic
network model accounting for the concerns of citizens yet bound by established laws and resource
constraints.

While a world full of robots capable of completely replacing humans may seem like a distant
future when many unsolved issues such as ethical considerations, societal acceptance, and regulatory
frameworks still exist, the evolution of technology like hybrid human networked intelligence has the
potential to push the robotic industry to its boundaries. By combining human intelligence and artificial
intelligence, humans create a synergistic system that leverages the strengths of both humans and machines.

#3 Personalized Technological Experiences

Companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook already collect your private data to
personalize the shopping experience.

Thanks to advancements in predictive AI, technology will get better at knowing what you
want. By automatically analyzing vast user datasets, including your viewing and purchase history,
providers can predict your unique habits and then anticipate your next move by sending you
product recommendations, further enhancing engagement and satisfaction.
 Immersive virtual and augmented reality environments will also play a significant role in
offering customers personalized experiences. Imagine browsing Ikea and then seeing what that
new couch will look like in your living room before you buy it. With the advent of VR web
browsing, companies will soon be able to blur the lines between physical and digital realms and
provide a more genuine, authentic, and engaging experience in digital life.

#4 Beyond 5G
5G is just around the corner. However, researchers are already exploring the possibilities
of 6G and beyond.

While 5G aims to deliver increased speed, low latency, and more seamless connectivity
between devices – i.e., self-driving cars and drones –, experts are already quick to point out its
limitations.

For starters, 5G frequency waves can only travel a short distance and cannot penetrate
buildings, trees, power lines, or other structures. This severely limits the potential reach of the 5G
network. Secondly, 5G drains the batteries on phones and other devices faster than 4G.

According to experts, the next generation, 6G with expanded Internet access, will likely be
powerful enough to give rise to emerging technologies like tactile internet, holographic
communications, and machine-type communications.
#5 Body Implants
Wearable devices like smartwatches, wristbands, and earbuds are all highly practical and, in some
cases, fashionable. In the near-future, you can expect to see a transition to more ‘penetrative’ technology,
such as microchipping, augmentations, and various other implants.

Sound far-fetched? You can already get a microchip in your arm to perform cashless payments in
stores and at ATMs. Famous model Viktoria Modesta underwent leg amputation at the age of 20 to have
her damaged leg replaced with an artificial one. She says the leg not only frees her of pain and discomfort
and allows her to live a normal life, but she also uses the prosthetic leg as a memorable fashion statement.

With examples like this, we can expect to see wider adoption of prosthetics and brain-computer
interfaces in the future and a wider variety of designs, colors, and concepts to better suit one’s taste, style,
and accessibility needs. It could open up a whole new untapped market in the beauty and sports industry
and beyond.

• Our human civilization was created by posthumans

1. Either we have virtually no chance of ever creating many other human civilizations, or we
should bet our human civilization was created by posthumans.
 2. It is not true that we have virtually no chance of ever creating many other human
civilizations
3. Therefore, we should bet that our human civilization was created by posthumans (i.e., bet
that God exists)

In this sense "God" is simply someone from a posthuman civilization who is way more
advanced than we are, not the God of classical theism that is timeless, spaceless etc.

Here is the support:

If a trivial fraction of human civilizations goes on to create many other human civilizations,
then by the end of time there would be more human civilizations created by posthumans than not.

So, either any given human civilization (i.e. our own) has virtually no chance of ever
creating many other human civilizations, or by the end of time there will be more human
civilizations created by posthumans than not. One of these two options must be true.

Trusting that our civilization will continue to exist for billions of years (if not indefinitely),
it seems rather likely that one day we will create many other human civilizations. Therefore,
according to a weak principle of indifference, we should bet we are one of the more human
civilizations created by posthumans, in other words bet a creator (God) exists.
 • Human-Centric Leadership In The Age Of AI: Balancing Technology
And People

The era of artificial intelligence has ushered in data-driven decision-making and

productivity, making the adoption of AI a competitive necessity for fostering innovation and
growth. In my previous article, I discussed the road map for visionary AI leadership, highlighting
the transformative impact of this technology on business landscapes.

To succeed in this new landscape, understanding the pivotal traits of AI leaders is essential.
These traits include unlocking new value through AI efficiencies, embedding ethical
considerations, embracing self-aware leadership, championing responsible adoption and
harnessing simulation and strategy.

This leads to the age-old debate: Should companies invest in people or technology? The
Hollywood strikes in 2023 underscore the complexity of the people vs. technology argument. As
AI threatens the creative industry, novice screenwriters fear replacement, while seasoned actors
are apprehensive about losing control of their likeness and artistry.

• Factors To Consider Before Investing In Technology

While there's no one-size-fits-all answer to AI adoption, this decision can play a pivotal
role in shaping a company's trajectory. Based on my experience leading various businesses across
growth phases, I know that it's crucial to approach this problem thoughtfully. When considering
your human capital and technological advancements.
• Identify which avenue aligns with these five core business objectives.

1. Augmenting expertise:

Building a successful enterprise doesn't necessarily make you an expert in every

facet of your operation. Investing in specialized software or skilled professionals can
bolster your weaknesses, allowing you to concentrate on your strengths. The synergy
between your expertise and your technical knowledge can drive business success.

2. Streamlining processes:

Business growth requires seamless operations. Technology can automate critical

processes, but augmenting personnel may be more effective. Based on data from
Accenture, leaders who highlighted AI on their earnings calls were 40% more likely to see
their firms' share prices increase.

3. Enhancing efficiency:

A well-oiled business hinges on operational efficiency. Technology can trim

inefficiencies, but consider if tech solutions could synergize with your talented team. For
instance, investing in a customer relationship management tool might be more impactful
than hiring a new sales representative.

4. Optimizing costs:

Strategic investments can curtail expenses. Focus on high-cost areas for leveraging
technology like fleet management systems to optimize operations. Technology
investments should be assets, not liabilities.

5. Elevating customer service:

Exceptional customer service is your business's bedrock. Investing in technology or

people who interface with customers directly can enhance their experience. Striking a
balance ensures that customer satisfaction isn't compromised.
 • Examples Of Finding Balance

Many successful companies have found a balance between investing in people and
technology:

I think Starbucks is a prime example of a company that values the human touch in customer
interactions. Despite having a robust mobile ordering app and digital payment options, Starbucks
also focuses on creating a welcoming environment where baristas engage with customers
personally. This blend of technology and human interaction enhances the customer experience.

Tesla's approach to manufacturing also showcases the synergy between technology and
people. The company utilizes advanced automation in its production processes, but it also
recognizes the value of skilled human workers. For instance, Tesla's Gigafactory in Reno, Nevada,
features a combination of robotics and human workers to ensure efficient production while
maintaining quality standards.

These examples illustrate that a successful business strategy involves leveraging

technology for efficiency and innovation while nurturing a skilled and motivated workforce.

• AI Leadership Applications

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing industry leadership practices, offering innovative

ways to enhance employee engagement, talent management and company culture. By leveraging
AI tools, leaders can navigate the dynamic challenges of modern workplaces while prioritizing
human interactions and organizational success.
Part #7 How to build the resilience muscle

Since its launch in 2022, the Resilience Consortium has worked to promote resilience
economies for sustainable and inclusive growth, contextualizing the value at stake, identifying the
main resilience themes, and developing frameworks to serve as a kick-starter for public and private
sector organizations’ journeys.
This year’s third white paper titled Building a Resilient Tomorrow: Concrete Actions for
Global Leaders, showcases nine resilience pioneers that have put resilience into practice across
three themes: climate, energy and food; supply chain; and organizational readiness.
Resilience pioneers on climate, energy and food are Siemens with its self-sustainable,
renewable microgrid technology for isolated communities; the World Food Programmed with the
Sahel Integrated Resilience Programmed to support farmers’ resilience; the US Federal Emergency
Management Agency with its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities programmed to
mitigate natural disaster risks; and Iberdrola through its ambitious climate action plan.
Examples of strengthening supply chain resilience include the Finnish National Emergency
Supply Agency with its Resilient Retail Network project to ensure consistent supply of essential
groceries during emergencies; UNICEF’s Supply Chain Maturity Model to evaluate and uplift
national supply chains; and Farmer line, which supports African farmers through digital tools and
data.
 • 3 pillars of action to build resilience
Resilience is becoming non-negotiable. While significant efforts have been undertaken in
recent years to strengthen resilience, these have often been conducted in isolation and in response
to urgent crises, falling short of a holistic, long-term approach. Now is the time for action: we must
move from “talking the talk” to “walking the walk”.

Public and private sector leaders need to act across three pillars to
promote resilience:
1- Build the resilience muscle with new resilience leadership and organizational capabilities.
As a matter of fact, only 16% of businesses believe their organization is prepared to
anticipate external shocks and disruptions. Therefore, a resilience mindset should include
defense and offence strategies to increase flexibility and adaptability to disruptions and
changes, highlighting the high-growth market opportunity.
2- Understand, measure and monitor organizations along their entire resilience journey.
Organizations need to be assessed against a resilience framework and new methodologies
can help to move from a point-in-time and deterministic perspective towards scenario-
based thinking.
3- Develop public-private partnerships. Neither private nor public institutions have the
standalone capacity to fund the large capital allocation needed to achieve sustainable and
inclusive growth. For example, merely $29 billion was mobilized in 2020 for climate
adaptation in developing countries, while yearly needs are estimated at $340 billion by
2030.
 • Emerging technologies: AI, quantum computing, and space exploration
1- Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Space are 3 Tech areas
to Watch in 2024

Every new year creates a new opportunity for optimism and predictions. In the past couple
of years, emerging technology has permeated almost all areas of our lives. There is much to
explore! In this article, I focus on three evolving technology areas that are already impacting our
future but are only at the early stages of true potential: artificial intelligence, quantum computing,
and space systems. In addition to my own thoughts and perspectives, I reached out to several well-
known subject matter experts on those very topic areas to share their valued insights.

• Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is on the Cusp of Transforming Civilization

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a highly intriguing and hotly contested subset of emerging
technology. Science fiction no longer exists in the realm of AI. Businesses are currently working
on technologies that will enable artificial intelligence software to be installed on millions of
computers worldwide.

Many business challenges can be resolved with the use of artificial intelligence, machine
learning, and natural language processing. Artificial intelligence (AI) doesn't need to be specially
programmed to comprehend, diagnose, and resolve client issues.
 Prioritizing and acting on data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can help make
decisions more efficiently. This is especially true in larger networks with numerous users and
variables. AI-enabled computers are primarily intended for tasks like speech recognition, learning
planning, and problem-solving.
In cybersecurity, technology tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning will
be more easily used to increase the efficacy of threat analysis and mitigation across the enterprise
Data synthesis is unquestionably advantageous for cybersecurity in terms of threat mitigation.
To increase the security of remote employee offices and address the labor shortage, more
automation and visibility solutions will be implemented. Machine learning algorithms and
artificial intelligence are augmenting the capabilities of automation systems.

Self-encrypting and self-healing drives are examples of automated network security

solutions that safeguard data and applications. Horizon scanning and network monitoring that can
provide real-time reports on deviations and abnormalities are also made possible by cognitive
automation.

Although AI and ML can be useful instruments for cyber-defense, they can potentially have
unintended consequences. Threat actors may also take advantage of them, even if their use can
improve cyber defense capabilities and quickly detect threat abnormalities. Governments that are
hostile and malicious hackers are already using AI and MI as tools to find and exploit threat
detection model weaknesses.
 • AI Predictions:

Matthew Rosenquist, Chief Information Security Officer at

Eclipz.io
“The insane adoption of generative AI tools by consumers, such as Chat GPT and
Mid journey, is revolutionizing how people create, learn, and innovate. The interest is
fueling an equally impressive investment, with the result being the rapid innovation of
very powerful and intelligent automated tools. Large numbers of businesses are
integrating these tools at breakneck speed for enhanced capabilities. Cyber threats are
also leveraging these tools and targeting these rushed implementations to improve and
expand their attacks. In response, cybersecurity firms are also seeking to keep pace with
the new vulnerabilities and exploits that Generative AI adoption is creating. 2024 will be
when all this initially crashes together and we witness who will get the initial upper hand
– attackers or defenders.”

Dr. David Bray, Loomis Co-Chair and Distinguished Fellow, Stimson Center

“My AI prediction for 2024 is this will be the year when a sufficiently large enough
group of people realize the need to pivot away from depending solely on deep learning as
the basis for Generative AI, and newer techniques like scale-free Bayesian inferences
combined with active inference and other approaches that simultaneously require less
data to train a model and provide humans with greater confidence with regards to the
constrained bounds of a model will rise to the forefront of what the future has in store.”
 “AI is a powerful tool that can augment human capabilities and solve complex
problems. However, it is essential to distinguish AI from wisdom. Wisdom is a uniquely
human quality that encompasses experience and judgment. AI lacks consciousness, moral
values, emotional intelligence and the capacity to handle ambiguity. Therefore, it cannot
replace the role of a human in decision-making, particularly in situations requiring ethical
judgment and compassion. As we continue to integrate AI into our lives, in 2024 and
beyond we must maintain a vigilant commitment to ethical oversight, ensuring that AI
systems operate within the bounds of human consciousness.”

Chuck Brooks, Brooks Consulting International, Georgetown University:

“I think that in 2024 and onward there will be Malthusian scientific and
technological advancements made possible via artificial intelligence. These developments
will certainly have a significant effect on our way of life, economics, and security. Due to
the potential speed of AI's analytical capabilities, operational models in cybersecurity will
change. Approaches to risk management will need to preserve business continuity and
cyber-resilience. Integrating AI will be a cybersecurity imperative to manage new and
increasingly complex threats.”
 • Quantum Computing

There will be a paradigm shift in quantum research, learning, and

prediction in society that expands in 2024.

A new data era known as quantum computing is beginning to emerge as we move

past classical computing. Quantum computing is expected to change the field of data
analytics and artificial intelligence, propelling humanity forward faster than ever before.
The speed and power of quantum computing will enable us to address some of the most
difficult problems facing humanity. Every month, quantum computing becomes closer
and it is being used in practical ways.

Computers that can process enormous volumes of data and perform calculations
at breakneck rates will be possible because of quantum computing. Libraries will be
available for download in a matter of seconds. Scientists are working on creating quantum
computers, which would allow for completely new forms of cryptography and analytics
and calculate at incredibly fast speeds.

• Quantum Computing Predictions:

Robert Liscouski, CEO Quantum Computing Inc

“I believe we will see practical applications of quantum computing in 2024. I am confident
that the state of the technology is at a point today where end users; business users, medical
researchers, cybersecurity professionals, will change the conversation from “what can quantum
computing do” to “look what I can achieve with quantum computing”.
Brian Lenahan, Founder & Chair, Quantum Strategy Institute

“In 2017, McKinsey asked experts how far in the future generative AI would achieve
human level performance. Most said 2030 to 2060. In 2023, most of the surveyed capabilities are
here today. Quantum experts use 2030 as a magic date for the technology's holy grail, Fault
Tolerant Quantum Computing. Quantum breakthroughs are coming fast and furious bringing that
date ever closer.”

Dr. Merrick S. Watchorn, DMIST, Program Chair, Quantum Security Alliance

In a world increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure, the present approach to supply

chain security and management poses significant national security risks, particularly as we strive
to secure emerging quantum information ecosystems. This precarious reality necessitates a
fundamental shift in our thinking approach, prioritizing cross-industry collaboration, specifically
amongst the scientific community, academia, and the cybersecurity arena.”

Chuck Brooks, Brooks Consulting International, Georgetown University

“Quantum computing is arriving sooner than we planned. In 2024, we must prepare for the
exponential advantages and threats of quantum technology due to its potentially disruptive nature.
More investment for R&D from the public and private sectors will be required as a result. For our
emerging quantum future, quantum education and workforce development should also be planned
for and put into action.”
 • Space

A Developing Frontier of Innovation

Our civilization's ability to communicate is becoming more and more reliant on satellites.
Countries depend more on space as a mission-critical and developing frontier for information
sharing and surveillance. These days, a lot of networks are switching from terrestrial (land-based)
communications to cloud-based communications, utilizing satellites to transfer data across long
international distances.

Satellite systems entail cyber risk. By keeping an eye on adversarial threats and geopolitical
moves, they also play a crucial role in national security. Cyberattacks could target satellites in an
attempt to sabotage communications or information streams that are essential for security and
trade. In fact, at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an alarming event occurred
when an attack occurred that caused disruption to the Ukrainian satellite communications provider
ViaSat.

Due to our increasing reliance on space, and particularly satellites, for communications,
security, intelligence, and business, satellite and space security is becoming increasingly important
in 2024.

• Space Systems Predictions:

Samuel S. Visner, Chair, Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center/Tech Fellow, The
Aerospace Corporation

“Even as the market for space systems evolve, our dependence on space systems for
national and economic security, and for all our critical infrastructures will increase dramatically, a
fact not lost on our adversaries, including Russia, which fired its opening "shots" in its invasion of
Ukraine by an attack on commercial space systems.
We will need to demonstrate and strengthen our leadership in space system technologies, even in
new mission areas ranging from space manufacturing to advanced remote sensing, from global 5G
networks with direct device-to-satellite connectivity to space mining and renewed exploration.
We'll need, too, to demonstrate our commitment and capacity to protect these systems and
determination to deter attacks against them.”