In the cyclical ebb and flow of global politics the foreign policies of the world’s superpowers will periodically look inwards, often to the exclusion of the less able, less well-resourced and often persecuted. We see examples of this in today’s society and so the need to remain conscious and alive to this tendency, to challenge protectionism and to advocate for geo-political collaboration will be important for us all. Then again, it’s all important. Society is currently staring down the barrel of a climate catastrophe. We don’t crave convenience, we expect it; we demand it. Whilst we spend trillions on investigating alternative forms of energy, we spend less time readying ourselves for the behavioural changes that we must embrace.
Post-pandemic, no one can ignore the effect of technology. IT, social media, artificial intelligence (ChatGPT is but the tip of the iceberg!), virtual reality, augmented reality and data have fundamentally changed how we live, learn and interact with each other, how and where we work, with whom and what we work on. We now live ultra-connected lives, connections that can pulse at any time of the day. Our connections today put us in contact with individuals or groups, family, friends or people we work with, and all in a matter of seconds, 365 days a year.
The world is different. It just is.
If the internet has debased the value of knowledge, then AI is reshaping the world of work and the employment opportunities available to future generations. Tasks that are fundamentally process-driven, systematic and with predictable outcomes will be done by artificial intelligence. Accountants, legal clerks, financial traders beware! AI and machine learning have therefore significantly ramped up competition for employment but so too has the ultra-connectivity I mentioned earlier. The global pandemic has shone the brightest of lights on what could be seen as both opportunity and threat. As a result of greater access to knowledge through the internet more people have access to basic education, meaning more people are capable of doing basic tasks (if AI and ML aren’t doing them already!) regardless of location. The next generation will not be competing for jobs on a local or regional playing field but in the global arena. An appreciation of difference and diversity will be critical.
