Think, Human
Technology is changing society in a variety of ways, many of which affect you and me. Acknowledging these societal shifts and what caused them will guide us to advocate for our self-worth, allowing us to benefit now and what is yet to come.
The Realization
What do people do nowadays, especially in a pandemic? For me, other than studying and working out, I go buy groceries for the family, heading to the self-checkout area to avoid people and lines. Sometimes, I buy takeout through apps rather than cooking at home. During breaks, I scroll through social media or read about the latest gadgets and tech news on my phone.
Mundane as it seems, my life is similar to many others who are eager for this pandemic to end and want to move on from all the uncertainty. As I finish my senior year in college, I keep on thinking about what waits for me. Grad school and a career in global affairs, I tell myself. Better opportunities. Work and work and more work, but it’ll all pay off. Right?
As a technology enthusiast, I believe tech should be used for the betterment of our lives. I also envision a time where future advancements lead to even more progress. Perhaps, as Sarwant Singh describes, we will reach a point where we become part of our tech as it becomes a part of us. Though I imagine such realities, we currently face an inflection point that we must recognize. The self-checkout areas were once cashiers or store clerks helping customers with their groceries. Digitized delivery systems are on the rise, while face-to-face interactions are on a decline. In the name of efficiency and convenience, the world of services gradually shifted to one of automation. From Amazon to McDonald’s self-service kiosks, we rely more on less-personal engagements and computers.
The pandemic just accelerates this transition. As Alana Semuels states, “The U.S. shed around 40 million jobs at the peak of the pandemic, and while some have come back, some will never return. One group of economists estimates that 42% of the jobs lost are gone forever.”
The current advancements in technology have reshaped workplaces in different industries, resulting in layoffs and fewer workers. With more sophisticated and powerful artificial intelligence (AI), tech can have a greater reach toward more sectors, including places where I intend to work, and possibly, where you want to work as well.
Seeing technology replacing people’s livelihoods, I think to myself: Who’s next? Will I succeed, or will tech succeed me? Would my employer rather choose me or a machine? I ask these questions to myself sometimes at night while browsing through my phone. It’s rather gloomy, but it’s true. I find technology an important part of my life, but I am conflicted by it.
Many have felt this uncertainty and the impacts caused by tech. What’s causing all of this? Though I was aware of these changes, I only recently discovered that there was an overarching term for what I observed. Known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this technological movement comes to change our perceptions, challenging our notions of work and safety. During a time where technology continues to encroach our lives, we face a crisis of finding purpose and self-worth. Without addressing what we see now, we jeopardize what makes us, us.
How can we tackle this monstrous situation? My take: think human. That means that, above all else, technology should work for us.
How did we get here?
Throughout history, societies changed with the introduction of new technologies and other innovations. The First Industrial Revolution that began in the 1700s allowed us to power the world with steam and water. Instead of toiling on the farm, people can move to more specialized work operating machinery in factories. The Second occurred in the 1800s and lit our world with electricity, allowing industries to power more aspects of work in more efficient ways. And from the mid-1900s to today, the Third brought about the age of computing, introducing us to digital content and products such as our smartphones. Each industrial revolution served as a foundation for its successor, continuing to build upon it and advance onward.
Coined by Klaus Schwab, the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings us closer to the rest of the world like never before, making resources and information more accessible to people. Today, we live in a digitized era, one that fuses all aspects of life and society ever more closely. As Schwab says, “There are three reasons why today’s transformations represent not merely a prolongation of the Third Industrial Revolution but rather the arrival of a Fourth and distinct one: velocity, scope, and systems impact.” That is to say that technology’s pace is accelerating at higher speeds, becoming implemented across more areas, as well as morphing society as a whole.
What does this mean for us?
The technologies that organizations create inadvertently displace human labor to machines and software. This, in turn, shapes and redefines various roles and tasks that we currently have, limiting opportunities for many. In his article, Alejandro de la Garza discusses the ways where technology has crept further into white-collar paying jobs, showing that some software programs have already outperformed various specialists and office workers.
If society should evolve as technology evolves, why should we find it especially troubling nowadays? The answer is this: we’re struggling to keep up with these changes. Maximizing efficiency at our expense also threatens what we find important with work: dignity and purpose. Without those two notions, we feel meaningless and lose the desire to motivate ourselves. We want to feel secure, but technology undermines that by taking our jobs. As Devon McGinnis points out, 59% of hiring managers see AI further shaping how companies employ additional hires. If considered closely, much of our work can be repetitive and analytical. AI can do that as well. With all the data it computes, AI can excel in what we do. It does not need to rest, and it improves faster overtime. When threatened, we act in defense, protecting what is important to us. Uncertainty and having fewer resources make us compete with one another. Do we feel safe at the moment, or are we nervous about our current situations?
As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads across communities, the unemployment rate skyrocketed, adding to this uneasiness. Many places implemented new types of technology to adapt to the circumstances, and as Wesley Connor reports, some industries found their implementation of new tech to be useful and efficient for their businesses. With current safety precautions and the lack of in-person activities, people have limited opportunities to work. Places are offering more hands-free services and programs for employees and customers. The pandemic accelerated the changes brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with many industries trying to retrain or reskill their employees, but they only can do so to an extent.
The pandemic will eventually end, but will these changes continue after the pandemic or will we revert back to life before the virus? These technologies will remain useful after the pandemic and they’re more likely to stay in place.
Though white-collar workspaces face transformations due to newer technologies, other workforces face harsher outcomes. With prospects not looking as certain, technology exacerbates imperative issues such as inequality. As Lauren Aratani states, “While an increase in automation can be good for educated workers and help to stimulate the economy, studies have also shown that new technology tends to leave low-wage workers behind.” Income differences continue to widen, and those in poverty, especially communities of color, continue to be poor. This perpetuating problem has to end. If used properly, technology can resolve the issue, but as of now, it just prolongs it. With such frightening outcomes, what now? What can we do to prevent such conclusions?
What should we do?
There’re many problems that we need to address, and technology will continue to go along its current path unless we do something about it. We change as the times change, and though there are things that we can address swiftly, most changes take gradual steps.
In the long term, we need to urge public and private institutions to prioritize people, focusing on what we need to feel secure. Wim Naudé and Paula Nagler argue that these current problems primarily stem from weak governments and the decline of entrepreneurship. Without a strong, adaptive government, technologies will continue to evolve without our discretion. Advocating for a newer approach to regulating technology can help address current problems and provide solutions. By doing so, we are making sure we benefit from technology as well as gaining better transparency and collaboration with others.
Most importantly, we need to remember to think beyond ourselves, remembering that we ought to help each other. It’s a broader issue that we all have to confront. As Lawrence Wintermeyer puts it, “Technology should not be viewed as something that is going to enslave us, nor will it save us, it is here to enable us.” We use technology as tools to build on what makes all of us prosper. Unite rather than divide.
Thinking Human
The Fourth Industrial Revolution pertains to a wide range of societal changes. Most importantly, these changes are making us challenge our preconceived notions of work, security, and purpose. Observing the everyday differences is just part of the larger issue that affects us. If not addressed properly, technology will threaten who we are, and we need to preserve what we still have left. We need to evolve, adapting to the changing times.
What we need to do is to advocate for ourselves, individually and collectively. We cannot let these changes divide us and put us at a disadvantage in the balance between humans and technology. Empathizing and collaborating with one another will allow us to remain determined and embrace progress.
