Welcome back to the final chapter of our introduction to emerging technologies. It’s been quite a journey, hasn’t it?
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this course.
In Part 1, you learned the difference between innovation and invention. Then we explored some frameworks to help you make sense of emerging technology.
First, you learned how to map your value chain, using Wardley maps to reveal where changing your technology choices can help you better realize the value in your business.
You also explored the theory of fragmentation and saw how emerging technologies combine with more mature tech to unlock unexpected value - and you saw the impact of that, socially and culturally.
Finally, we concluded Part 1 by seeing how to evaluate the TRL (technical readiness level), learning the difference between a significant trend and what is just “trendy.”
For Part 2, we put those frameworks to work, analyzing some areas of emerging technology.
We first looked at how data is processed and understood through AI and RPA (robotics process automation), then turned our attention to how data is transmitted using 5G, IoT, the cloud, TinyML, and Edge AI. To round off Part 2, we looked at how individuals interact using Web3, which took us into the world of blockchain, NFTs, and the Metaverse.
Then in Part 3, you learned how to develop (and test) hypotheses for using emerging technologies. That has meant looking into the worlds of synthetic biology and quantum computing before diving into creating your own ideas for using emerging technologies.
We also investigated some practical and ethical challenges of emerging tech. Then you saw how bad actors could use innovation for personal gain at the expense of others. Even the best technology can be subverted!
Output What You’ve Learned
At the start of this course, we promised that you would learn how to make informed decisions about whether and how best to use emerging technology in your career or organization. You’ve come to the end of the course, but your journey with emerging tech has just begun. You’ve got the frameworks to judge the value of a particular innovation, so it’s time to build on that foundation and put your learning into practice.
Be curious: go out into the world and find places where people are talking about the future of technology. Find communities and conversations you can join. Find podcasts and news sources that highlight what is emerging today. Then, using the frameworks, draw some conclusions of your own. Form - and share - your point of view.
One of the fun groups I belong to is the Innovation Roundtable, hosted on a community platform called Guild. It’s free to join and a place that welcomes newcomers and their contributions - come and join us there!
We mentioned the Future Sight podcast earlier in the course - but there are many others, such as the Valtech Cafe, TED Talks Technology, and the a16z podcast, which are good places to start.
Putting this into practice will help cement your learning and build your confidence, knowledge, and ability to judge the world around you and how technology affects it.
Stay the Course
As well as being curious, be skeptical. We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Remember Ray Amara’s wise words: “We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run, and underestimate the effect in the long run.”
Balancing curiosity and skepticism will help you form your point of view and will help you be authentic.
Above all, be ready to accept that you will get it wrong sometimes. That’s OK! There’s a famous story about how Decca Records decided not to sign a four-piece band from Liverpool at the start of the 1960s. Who knows what might have happened to the Beatles if they had signed to Decca, but the label continued to trade successfully for many years.
Similarly, the history of technology is full of people who got it wrong. Prediction is dangerous, so never be discouraged if a conclusion is later disproved. Inevitably, you will sometimes, and it’s all part of the learning process.
Let’s Recap! The Last Word
One last word before we wrap up this course.
As you saw in the last chapter, technology is a way to describe the tools that affect the human world. The technology itself is neither good nor bad. It’s the way it is used that is open to ethical analysis.
Early in 2023, when co-presenting a podcast with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, the ChatGPT chatbot was asked what impact AI would have on jobs. Its response was interesting and instructive:
“AI is actually augmenting human creativity and productivity. Instead of replacing human workers, AI is being used to assist and enhance their abilities. By taking on repetitive and mundane tasks, AI allows humans to focus on more complex and creative endeavors. AI can also generate new ideas and insights that humans may not have been able to come up with on their own.”
That fits pretty well with the definition of technology we looked at earlier in the course, don’t you think?
So - over to you. You’ve learned how to form an informed opinion about technology at whatever stage of its emergence. You have put yourself in a position to judge whether and how to use it. You’ve set yourself up to navigate the future. What will you do with that power?
I wish you every success in your journey.
