The Industries of the Future
by Alec J. Ross
In "The Industries of the Future," Alec J. Ross explores the transformative forces shaping the global economy, focusing on technology, data, and societal changes. One of the central themes is the empowerment of women as a hallmark of innovative cultures. Ross highlights the potential disruption posed by emerging technologies, particularly robotics and big data, which could challenge middle-class stability in developed economies while integrating frontier economies into the global market. The book emphasizes the cultural context of technology adoption, noting Japan's unique acceptance of robotics influenced by Shinto beliefs. Ross warns that as algorithms increasingly guide our choices, transparency fades, raising concerns about data ownership and manipulation. With data as the new currency, he stresses the importance of equitable access to opportunities created by new industries. Ross advocates for proactive leadership that resists control and fosters empowerment, urging societies to adapt to rapid changes. He underscores the need for investment in emerging sectors while providing social safety nets for those displaced by technological advancements. The narrative draws parallels between historical shifts in commodities and the current transition towards data and genetic industries, suggesting that those who adapt will thrive in the future economy. Overall, Ross calls for a collective effort to harness the potential of the future while ensuring inclusivity and resilience in the face of change.
13 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from The Industries of the Future:
there is no greater indicator of an innovative culture than the empowerment of women.
the next wave will challenge middle classes across the globe, threatening to return many to poverty. The previous wave saw entire countries and societies lifted up economically. The next wave will take frontier economies and bring them into the economic mainstream while challenging the middle classes in the most developed economies.
Not only does Japan have an economic need and the technological know-how for robots, but it also has a cultural predisposition. The ancient Shinto religion, practiced by 80 percent of Japanese, includes a belief in animism, which holds that both objects and human beings have spirits. As a result, Japanese culture tends to be more accepting of robot companions as actual companions than is Western culture, which views robots as soulless machines. In a culture where the inanimate can be considered to be just as alive as the animate, robots
Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.
Big data is transitioning from a tool primarily for targeted advertising to an instrument with profound applications for diverse corporate sectors and for addressing chronic social problems.
venture capital funding in robotics is growing at a steep rate. It more than doubled in just three years, from $160 million in 2011 to $341 million in 2014.
The near future will see robot suits that allow paraplegics to walk, designer drugs that melt away certain forms of cancer, and computer code being used as both an international currency and a weapon to destroy physical infrastructure halfway around the world.
Serendipity fades with everything we hand over to algorithms. Most of these algorithms are noiseless. They gently guide us in our choices. But we don’t know why we are being guided in certain directions or how these algorithms work. And because they constitute the value of a company’s intellectual property, there is an incentive to keep them opaque to us.
My grandfather understood one of the curious conundrums of globalization: exposure creates not only opportunity but competition, and it can make us question and eventually lose our standing in the world.
That is why China is not just relying on forced urbanization to produce low-cost labor; it is also investing heavily in the industries of the future. There needs to be investment in growing fields like robotics but also a social framework that makes sure those who are losing their jobs are able to stay afloat long enough to pivot to the industries or positions that offer new possibilities.
Private companies now collect and sell as many as 75,000 individual data points about the average American consumer.
the market for consumer robots could hit $390 billion by 2017, and industrial robots should hit $40 billion in 2020. As
The African Robotics Network (AFRON) offers a good model. A community of individuals and institutions, AFRON hosts events and projects to boost robotics-related education, research, and industry on the continent. Through initiatives like its 10 Dollar Robot Challenge, AFRON encourages the development of extremely low-cost robotics education.
