It's easy to forget just how much technology has changed our world and our lives. A little more than a decade ago, a small business owner relied on foot traffic from local customers rather than web visits from international shoppers to grow. Drivers mapped out unfamiliar routes and took wrong turns instead of using precise, voice-activated directions to travel. Cancer patients faced an uncertain diagnosis before algorithms mapped their disease's pathology to determine a clearer prognosis and a better treatment. Innovation has transformed life for people around the globe, from creating new economic opportunities to making everyday tasks easier to discovering new breakthroughs that lead to healthier and longer lives.
However, these advancements have not come without sometimes unintended, and often disruptive, consequences. The ticker of negative headlines can make it easy to lose sight of technology's benefits and lead many to question its role in our lives. That sentiment flows from a legitimate set of concerns, including how companies handle people's personal information and how automation and artificial intelligence will affect jobs and economic opportunities. These concerns and others like them deserve a sincere response.
Read Full Article »