Among scientists and the general public alike, it is no secret that technological innovation is currently advancing at a truly astonishing rate: At present, we already take for granted certain forms of technology that would have seemed like the stuff of science fiction only 25 years ago.
But with enormous advances in technological innovation will come enormous challenges. Here are just a few technological hurdles that we will have to address in the near future, and why such issues may signal big changes in the fundamental structure of our current society.
Personal Data Protection
At a time when more and more corporations are storing customer data in perpetuity, society will need to increasingly rely on strong security platforms to keep personal information safe. Fortunately, public awareness of issues related to information security is currently high, but as identity thieves learn to thwart new security protocols at private companies and government agencies, individuals in the future will need to grapple with an increasing number of data breaches.
Separating Real Information From Fake Information
In a bid to demonstrate the dangers of propaganda, a design team in Britain recently created a “deep fake” video that shows fierce political rivals Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn endorsing one another for the position of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. To an uninformed audience, the video would appear indistinguishable from a real campaign advertisement. Indeed, as technology permits us to create fake video evidence that appears identical to real footage, the general public will have to be increasingly on guard against deceptive information.
Automation of Jobs
At many Amazon warehouses, a key trope of science fiction stories has already become a reality: With robots working alongside humans on several distribution lines, automation of warehouse jobs is already becoming an issue in the labor market. How that kind of automation is likely to play out over the next decade is anyone’s guess, but many industries appear likely to embrace robotic workers as an alternative to traditional employees. In fields like computer science, trucking, and warehousing, in fact, many jobs could soon be on the line as companies seek to cut costs and revamp their workforce. Indeed, automation could have a massive effect on the job market much sooner than we think.
Photo by Ramón Salinero on Unsplash.