Close Menu
  • Main Home
  • About
    • Founder & CEO
    • The Challenge
    • Testimonials
    • In the Media
    • Contact
  • Services
    • Speaking
    • Speaking Topics
      • TOP GLOBAL ECONOMY GRAY RHINOS
      • CLIMATE RISK GRAY RHINOS: STRATEGIC RESPONSES
      • GENDER AND RISK
      • THE RISK YOUR “FREE-FROM” FOOD BRAND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE
    • Workshop and Interactive Training Topics
      • RISK SKILLS IN THE FUTURE OF WORK
      • RISK FINGERPRINT FORENSICS
      • GRAY RHINO PROOFING YOUR FUTURE
    • Executive Masterclass – Risk Management
    • DCRO Risk Governance Institute
    • Strategic Advisory
    • NEW Microlearning Course: What’s Your Gray Rhino? [Personal version]
  • THE GRAY RHINO
    • Corporate Book Clubs
    • International Editions
      • Italian -Il Rinoceronte Grigio
      • Brazilian Portuguese -O Rinoceronte Cinza
      • Norwegian: GRÅ NESHORN
      • 灰犀牛 (Chinese Traditional Characters)
      • 灰犀牛 (Chinese Simplified Characters)
      • Korean: 회색 코뿔소가 온다
      • Hungarian: A szürke rinocérosz
    • Readers Guide
      • Media
  • YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK
  • Gray Rhino Blog
    • The Horn
    • My Gray Rhino
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Quiz: How Rhino Ready Are You?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • The Gray Rhino Wrangler on Substack
  • Gray Rhino Risks and Responses to Watch in 2024
  • Don’t Risk Ignoring Relationships
  • In the Media 2023
  • Conversation with Peter Atwater of THE CONFIDENCE MAP
  • GUEST POST: FTX Fiasco Caused by SBF’s Double-or-Nothing Philosophy
  • In Conversation with Hao Hong
  • GUEST POST: The Generative AI Risk That Doesn’t Get Enough Attention
Facebook LinkedIn RSS
Gray Rhino & Company
Leaderboard Ad
  • Main Home
  • About
    • Founder & CEO
    • The Challenge
    • Testimonials
    • In the Media
    • Contact
  • Services
    • Speaking
    • Speaking Topics
      • TOP GLOBAL ECONOMY GRAY RHINOS
      • CLIMATE RISK GRAY RHINOS: STRATEGIC RESPONSES
      • GENDER AND RISK
      • THE RISK YOUR “FREE-FROM” FOOD BRAND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE
    • Workshop and Interactive Training Topics
      • RISK SKILLS IN THE FUTURE OF WORK
      • RISK FINGERPRINT FORENSICS
      • GRAY RHINO PROOFING YOUR FUTURE
    • Executive Masterclass – Risk Management
    • DCRO Risk Governance Institute
    • Strategic Advisory
    • NEW Microlearning Course: What’s Your Gray Rhino? [Personal version]
  • THE GRAY RHINO
    • Corporate Book Clubs
    • International Editions
      • Italian -Il Rinoceronte Grigio
      • Brazilian Portuguese -O Rinoceronte Cinza
      • Norwegian: GRÅ NESHORN
      • 灰犀牛 (Chinese Traditional Characters)
      • 灰犀牛 (Chinese Simplified Characters)
      • Korean: 회색 코뿔소가 온다
      • Hungarian: A szürke rinocérosz
    • Readers Guide
      • Media
  • YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK
  • Gray Rhino Blog
    • The Horn
    • My Gray Rhino
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Quiz: How Rhino Ready Are You?
Gray Rhino & Company
You are at:Home»Media»In the Media»World Economic Forum Agenda: The 4th Industrial Revolution, Personalized

World Economic Forum Agenda: The 4th Industrial Revolution, Personalized

0
By Michele Wucker on August 3, 2018 In the Media

To encourage people to examine the impact of technology on our lives, the artist Lauren McCarthy decided to try to become a human version of amazon.com’s smart home intelligence device Alexa.

McCarthy installed a network of remote-controlled smart devices, from cameras and microphones to light switches and appliances, and invited volunteers to stay in her home. Then she tried to anticipate and respond to their needs – like making a bowl of popcorn when she guessed they were hungry—instead of just responding to commands like Alexa does.

Get-Lauren touches on common anxieties, starting with the questions of what humans can offer that machines cannot, and what control each of us has over our future and even who we are.

“By allowing these devices in, we outsource the formation of our identity to a virtual assistant whose values are programmed by a small, homogenous group of developers,” McCarthy wrote.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has ushered in new technologies that are changing where and how many of us work, what we buy and how we buy it, what we learn and what we delegate to our devices, and how we connect with each other.

It’s easy for even tech-savvy individuals to feel that we are helpless in face of these tectonic shifts. What can a single person do? What power does anyone have amid massive social and economic changes? What is within our control and how do we adapt to what is out of our hands?

Simply asking those questions is a good start toward managing technology instead of letting it control us. Seeking to understand the changes underway helps us to feel that we are doing something instead of facing complete uncertainty. Assessing how we use technology in the workplace, home, and community helps identify where we are doing well and where we need to do more. That, in turn, gives us the material to create a roadmap for adapting.

Embrace the future of work

All those stories of the “robots coming for your jobs” reflect public anxiety over how automation and artificial intelligence will affect the workplace.

On the good side, new platforms have made it easier for independent workers to connect with clients, diversify their income sources, and keep more of the income they generate instead of sharing it with a corporation with overhead and shareholders to pay.

At the same time, studies from the Oxford Martin School, McKinsey & Company, and others suggest that technology will affect most of the labor force. More than half of of US workers are not confident that the kind of work they do will exist in 20 years, according to a recent survey. Considerably more freelancers – 49 percent versus 18 percent of employees — think AI has already affected their work.

McKinsey concludes that the tasks that are least susceptible to automation involve managing others, decision-making, planning, and creative tasks. Somewhat more vulnerable are stakeholder interactions and unpredictable physical work. Data collection and processing are highly susceptible to automation. Robots are most likely to take over predictable, repetitive tasks.

Considering these changes, take stock of your own skills. Which ones distinguish you and which ones need improving? Focus on the activities at which humans excel where machines cannot – creativity, teamwork, innovation, judgment, empathy – and fields that are least likely to be destroyed by new technologies.

How would your colleagues, friends, and family assess your people skills? Ask them and improve your weak spots. Take a course, find a coach or accountability group, and check in with the people around you to see if they notice changes.

If your job is among the most vulnerable, how can you add skills that fall in a safer category? Where can new technologies help you learn new skills and apply them for much less than it would have cost in the past? What skills are you helping the children around you to nurture?

Review your tech relationships

Along with your work-related assessments, do a personal tech audit. Familiarize yourself with technologies that can help you outside of the office. Ask what is most useful for you, and what is just hype designed to sell you gadgets. Make tech work for you, not the other way around.

What dull tasks can you delegate to technological tools? What things need the human touch? I hate scheduling, so love the idea of an AI personal assistant. But an AI scheduler can’t handle jamming too many appointments into a single day on a trip to a big, congested city, or manage conversations with VIPs.

What technologies do you use already? Robot vacuum cleaners; programmable alarms and coffee makers; automated online tools; wearable technology; smart thermostats; parking assist? Health technologies from telemedicine to record management systems to apps that remind you to take your pills, help you meditate, or monitor your heart rate? Do you rely on social media and networks for searching for jobs; or platforms for sharing rides, homes, or cars?

Now think about how you use each technology and how much it benefits you. Do you change your behavior based on the readings from your wrist tracker, or do you ignore it? Is the amount of time you spend on social media or playing games healthy or a giant time suck? Does it leave you feeling better about yourself? Have you made informed choices about privacy and adjusted your settings appropriately?

Use good tech hygiene. Take vacations from your devices instead of letting your smartphone be an electronic tether. Set boundaries for interactions; don’t tolerate online bullies or trolls. Adjust your privacy settings. Fight the negative physical effects of technology, like hunching over your phone or trouble sleeping because you looked at your device too close to bed time.

Create a roadmap

Neither the utopian or dystopian visions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is inevitable; the future depends on how each one of us responds.

Regular check-ins at home and work will help you to map a way forward that gives you more control and reduces anxiety.

Used right, technology can empower people by giving access to information and markets, and by increasing transparency and connectivity; creating new business platforms and models; and giving us more control over our environment and health.

Making sure that happens is one thing we cannot automate.

Have you read?

  • The two big uncertainties shaping our future
  • The moral dilemmas of the Fourth Industrial Revolution


This article was originally published on the World Economic Forum Agenda as part of a series exploring the most important, yet uncertain, drivers shaping the future. The series is curated by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with its Expert Network, of which Michele Wucker is a member.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Michele Wucker
Follow
Michele Wucker
Founder & CEO at Gray Rhino & Company
Michele Wucker is a policy and business strategist and author of four books including YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World and the global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore. Read more about her at https://www.thegrayrhino.com/about/michelewucker
Michele Wucker
Follow
Latest posts by Michele Wucker (see all)
  • The Gray Rhino Wrangler on Substack - January 1, 2025
  • Gray Rhino Risks and Responses to Watch in 2024 - January 10, 2024
  • In the Media 2023 - December 31, 2023
4IR Fourth Industrial Revolution future of work futurism Get Lauren Lauren McCarthy robots tech hygiene technology uncertainty World Economic Forum
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Michele Wucker
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn

Michele Wucker is a policy and business strategist and author of four books including YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World and the global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore. Read more about her at https://www.thegrayrhino.com/about/michelewucker

Related Posts

Gray Rhino Risks and Responses to Watch in 2024

In the Media 2023

Il rinoceronte grigio: Gray rhinos in the Italian Media

Comments are closed.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK
YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK Book Cover Click to order YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World (Pegasus Books, April 6, 2021)
Book A Keynote or Workshop
Speakers Connect Sidebar Ad Book Gray Rhino & Company Founder & CEO Michele Wucker to speak at your next event. For more information  click on the logo  to contact Speakersconnect.

DCROI Risk Governance Institute
DCROI logo Learn about DCROI's growing library of courses, networking, learning, and development opportunities focusing on the positive governance of risk-taking and the practical aspects of risk governance needed to pursue corporate goals and fulfill the purpose of our organizations.
BOOKSHOP.ORG STORE
Bookshop.org logo Shop at Bookshop.org and support independent booksellers. Browse our lists on business, decision making, current affairs, and more.
About
About

Gray Rhino® & Company provides a simple yet powerful framework, training and tools to help individuals, organizations, and communities to better counter and overcome obvious but too often neglected challenges in business, life, and the world.

Facebook LinkedIn
GRAY RHINO TRACKER Sign Up
Subscribe below for exclusive insights and updates in our monthly newsletter, The Gray Rhino® Tracker.
©2016-2023 Gray Rhino & Company 5940 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT