TECHNOLOGY

WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY?

Technologies are the methods developed by mankind to make or do things. They can range from methods as basic as language or as simple as stone tools to the complex genetic engineering and information technology that has emerged since the 1980s. The history of technology parallels the history of humanity. Enquiring minds develop scientific concepts and theories, which are applied to the production of products or the delivery of services. So technologies are the result of applied science.

The term technology comes from the Greek word ‘techne’, meaning art and craft, and the word ‘logos’, meaning word and speech.

WHY ARE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES OCCURRING SO FAST?

In 1965, Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel, noticed that the density of integrated circuit boards had been doubling about every two years (and the cost had been halving), and predicted that this would continue into the future.

Moore’s Law has now been applied generally to technological advances for over 60 years, and seems likely to continue. In the early decades, the accelerating advances were relatively slow – but now, supported by world-wide communication over the internet, advances are occurring almost daily.

Remember that, applying Moore’s Law, a technology that took ten years to develop will likely double in speed, while halving in costs, within the next five years, and be 4 times faster at ¼ the costs in less than 8 years.

Of course, the adoption rate will be much slower. But that too is speeding up with new automated technologies being added immediately to earlier automated versions without the delaying impact of us human beings.

WHAT TECHNOLOGIES ARE BEING TRACKED BY THIS WEBSITE?

While many significant advances are occurring in a wide range of other technologies (such as material sciences, nanotechnology, biotechnology, quantum computing, internet of things, augmented and virtual reality), six have a direct and, in many cases, an immediate impact on jobs and careers:

1. Additive Manufacturing (often referred to as 3D-Printing)
2. Artificial Intelligence (see discussion below)
3. Blockchain
4. Drones
5. Hyperloop
6. Robotics

In time, we will track other technologies which will be having a major impact on employment. If you consider that we are missing a technology, please do contact us to discuss it.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics are closely linked, with robots being the physical application of AI techniques. AI impacts almost every job in every industry; so, in this technology section of the website, separate pages are assigned to those industries that are most impacted currently:

1. Agriculture
2. Autonomous Vehicles (Transport)
3. Medicine
4. Retail