- We are today in the middle of a technology revolution
more disruptive than any other in human history.
- Figuring out how to start a fire on demand
and the invention of the wheel
were indeed profound developments.
However, these developments took centuries,
if not millennia, to diffuse globally
and change how people lived and worked.
- Today's digital technologies are emerging
at a far greater speed and with greater year-to-year impact
than even other development of recent decades,
such as the PC, the Internet, and the mobile phone.
- Artificial intelligence is clearly
the most important emerging, digital technology today.
Focusing on its promise, Google CEO termed it
"more profound than electricity or fire."
Looking at the risks, however,
the late physicist Stephen Hawking worried
that AI could spell the end of the human race.
Microsoft's Bill Gates has put himself in the camp
of the alarmists.
- AI is not the only driver of today's digital disruption.
Others include Internet of things, robotics, and blockchain.
No industry, no company, and no individual can escape
the influence of these developments.
- Hi, I'm Anil Gupta, Michael Dingman Chair
and Professor of Strategy and Globalization
at the Smith School of Business,
the University of Maryland at College Park.
- And I'm Haiyan Wang,
Managing Partner of the China India Institute.
To set your organization apart,
it is imperative to understand the key features
of emerging digital technologies
and how some organizations are harnessing their power
to benefit society.
- This is a companion to our course on Digital Strategy.
Here, we will examine the practical application
of these technologies in various industries.
- We invite you to join us on this journey.