Recently, there has been an increase in the call for a solution to the ‘technology menace’ as it is termed. This menace is seen in the increased addiction of internet users to social media and other internet products; and the exploitation of internet users by internet companies.
In my personal experience (from which my opinion is taken), the internet and social media are like a two-faced coin; one side good and the other bad.
All innovation of mankind has been to solve imminent problems, either to protect him from his enemies, or help him carry out activities faster and better to sustain health and life. Once made, these inventions are soon abused and used against our existence and survival.
Here are two examples.
- Cocaine and Morphine are medical substances used as anesthesia; to carry out painful surgical operation on patients and used to release the sense of pain in severe injuries. This product was originally for health purposes, but governments are currently spending millions in fighting drug abuse and addiction.
- The splitting of atoms, which releases high amount of heat energy, was a design to boost power generation to drive homes and industrial processes. This soon became a weapon of mass destruction, currently putting our planet at the brink of a nuclear war that can see an entire race extinct.
These, while being true, cannot overrule the business boosting and record breaking easy with which we now carry out tasks and live our lives.
The internet and computers are daily changing our lives and improving efficiency, almost taking over our lives. Here are some sectors where technology is taking over how we live and do business.
- Communication: Emails and social media platforms have changed communication, both individually and business-wise. Our age is called the IT (information technology) age because of the ease of flow of information, the world has become smaller by this and businesses have broken boundaries with high efficiency of operation.
- Finance: Financial transactions and business deals are now completed in matters of seconds. Never have global transactions been this fast, secure and efficient. The dream of a global currency is becoming a reality with cryptocurrency.
- Medicine and Health: Our generation have the lowest infant mortality rate, life-threatening surgical operations are now carried out successfully using the power of technology and the internet. The idea of constantly visiting a doctor for medical checks is almost becoming obsolete with the invention of wearable.
- Energy and Power: Nuclear reactors, solar panels, are excellent examples of how technology has boosted energy availability and power generation.
- Oil and Gas: Even in the exploration of oil and gas, there are a lot of ground breaking technologies that are changing how things are done in oil exploration; increasing the efficiency of the exploration process (which before involved a lot of rigorous processes that leave the environment polluted). One example of such innovation is FieldAp, an app that helps to digitize field operation and also for collaboration with its huge suite of software and frameworks.
- Manufacturing: Robots are increasing the efficiency of manufacturing processes. In recent years output has increased by up to 20% from the last decade due to enhanced tech driven processes, Most prominent is the use of robots in manufacturing.
There are still a lot of tricks up the sleeves of technology, to reduce burn out in the workplace, increase the efficiency of our processes and consequently increase our output, it is important to note where technology can help us and positively exploit the opportunity as they are spotted.