Early Luddites smashed textile machines to resist wage cuts and exploitation.

The term comes from Ned Ludd and symbolizes industrial resistance.

Today it evokes fears of AI-driven worker displacement.

Keynes warned of technological unemployment, with automation outpacing job creation.

AI adoption may trim hiring by about 1%.

Harari warns many could become economically redundant under AI.

Critics say tech elites prioritize profit, while modern Luddites seek equitable development, not rejection.

Resistance arises from social, psychological, and practical factors like loss of control and fear.

Workers fear digital surveillance, privacy invasion, less live communication, and laziness.

People resist when benefits are unproven or risks loom.

High upfront costs and shifting markets deter adoption.

Low awareness, education, and regulation erode trust; rapid rollouts destabilize, so gradual adoption is preferred.

AI can boost productivity yet replace humans, requiring oversight to prevent harm.

Rising isolation and less real communication breed ambivalence toward technology.

Tech progress can de-skill workers, demanding training investment.

New jobs emerge from lifestyle shifts, but only about 5% are in high‑tech fields like IT or telecom.

Start with open communication on benefits and limits; create safe spaces, track progress, and celebrate small wins.

Involve your supervisor and frontline users early to surface requirements and build buy‑in.

Phase adoption to reduce disruption and show value, and use trials with clear evaluation criteria to manage risk. [18].

Emphasize that technology complements rather than replaces people, and tie proposals to business goals and ROI. [20].

Provide tailored training to demystify tools and build confidence, and appoint digital champions to mentor and shape culture. [15].

Present concrete data protection and ethical privacy guidelines, and address fairness and bias through diverse involvement in design and deployment.

Early Luddites smashed textile machines to resist wage cuts and exploitation.

Title:

Content: Brian Merchant, author: “Luddites are more dangerous to the rich than Robin Hood”

The Luddites have been a great historical resource. Any showy enemy of anything that looked like technological progress has been called a Luddite. Today with generative artificial intelligence and its critics, the word has been revived. The author and journalist Brian Merchant (Iowa City, USA, 1983) saw it coming and has written a book that reviews the Luddite revolt in England at the beginning of the 19th century and its similarities with current technologies: Blood in the Machine (Blood in the Machine, currently without a planned edition in Spanish) thus explores the origins of the current revolt against big technology.

Although the book has appeared in the midst of the AI hype, Merchant began his research a decade ago: “Uber was growing and it was beginning to be seen that it was having a hard impact on taxi drivers, I heard the term Luddite from the pro-Uber sector and wrote an article titled You don't understand anything about Luddites”. Now in his book he remembers that the Luddite revolt was a labor struggle, not anti-technology, at a time when unions were prohibited. In a conversation with EL PAÍS from his residence in Los Angeles, Merchant clarifies the historical impact of the Luddites and the possible similar struggles that are being played today in Silicon Valley.

1. The Luddites were not against progress

The labor revolt over the loss of rights was more important than the destruction of textile machines: “The biggest mistake about the Luddites is to say that they were against technology and progress,” says Merchant. “They were against certain technologies because they recognized the way in which they were going to be used in their context against them as workers. It was a labor movement, against poverty, not anti-technology. The British Government began to mold them in this way almost immediately, it was keen to mock the Luddites and present the argument that they were against progress. It is very similar to how today people in positions of power in technology companies accuse those who complain about poor working conditions. It's the same story for 200 years.”

The book quotes a phrase from historian Eric Hobsbawm that explains this stage: “It was collective bargaining through riots.” According to Merchant, this tactic in a workers' struggle was very powerful for two reasons: “First, it was symbolic because everyone understood that what they were destroying was not just a machine. It was also the specific machine used to transfer wealth from the workers to the employer. Second, it was useful because they destroyed the equipment that businessmen needed.”

2. Why Robin Hood is better accepted than Ned Ludd

Ned Ludd was a legendary character. No one knows for sure if he existed. It was the legend of a teenager who would have broken the first machines at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. In 1811, rebellious workers used his legendary name to sign letters and further scare: “Ludd probably never existed. But the incarnation of it would become a mascot, an organizational tool, a wink: a powerful 19th-century meme,” Merchant writes.

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Ludd lived near Nottingham (United Kingdom), like another legendary figure who has been better treated by history. There must be a reason, says Merchant: “The Luddites organized a popular and powerful rebellion. People wrote popular songs about them. They were like Robin Hood. But it is interesting that Robin Hood has endured as a positive light, while the Luddites have not. He suggests that the myth of Ned Ludd is in some ways more dangerous to the elites and the wealthy than that of Robin Hood, which is a little more nebulous and open. The Luddites say: go ahead and break the machines of your oppression. Robin Hood says: steal from the rich and give to the poor. “I think that’s a little more tolerable.”

3. How are they similar to today's problems?

The background of the book is that the history of the Luddites is similar to what happens today in Silicon Valley, where a small group of corporations dominate new technologies. “The way technologies are developed has basically not changed. You have a handful of people with access to enough capital or political influence to be able to build a factory and use automation technologies. “Back then, the most aggressive owners didn’t ask anyone how to find a way to make this a win-win.”

Merchant has received criticism for equating the great businessmen of 19th century England with 21st century America. But there are details that he does not see that far away: “The technology development process is in some ways even more undemocratic today than then. There is this immense pool of capital available to Silicon Valley innovators through venture capital. Uber wasn't profitable for 10 years, but they had access to that capital. Did anyone really like that? Did it work for workers and delivery people? Nothing mattered, they just had more money and moved on.”

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The term comes from Ned Ludd and symbolizes industrial resistance.

Title:

Content: The new is the old well forgotten.
Where in the Network there was a fashionable insult to the opponents of AI
In the Internet discourse, deep in the study of sarcastic comments of anonymous persons, you can find the term "Luddite".
This label is often referred to as people who dare to express the slightest inclination to inhibit the constant development of artificial intelligence (AI).
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Interestingly, such prominent figures as Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates have been awarded the Luddite Award, which is recognition of their cautionary position regarding the potential dangers associated with artificial intelligence.
During the ceremony, Robert D. Atkinson, the organizer of the award, noted: “Unfortunately, luminaries such as Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have contributed to the feverish refraction of hands about the impending apocalypse of artificial intelligence, ” writes IFLScience.
In Focus.Technology appeared its own Telegram-channel.
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Atkinson also explained: "Do we consider any of them personally Luddites?
No, of course not.
They are pioneers of science and technology.
But they and others have done a disservice to the public — and undoubtedly have helped and comforted the increasingly common neo-Luddist impulse in modern society — by demonizing AI in the popular imagination.
But how did the term come about?
Its roots can be traced back to the early 1800s in England.
Before the industrial revolution, skilled craftsmen who knew a lot about textile production made clothes using their own machines and specialized tools.
However, a situation arose when new technologies and methods of mass production appeared, as a result of which artisans were unable to compete.
The result was a movement whose purpose was the destruction of the textile industry and the destruction of new machines.
Although there is some truth to this story, it does not reflect the whole essence of the Luddite movement.
Their actions were not driven solely by a reaction to new technologies; rather, they were a response to the profound transformations taking place in their professional activities.
While it is true that they often attacked a knitting machine known as a stocking frame, as well as other mechanized fixtures, their main concern was the labor practices associated with these machines.
Kevin Binfield, editor of the Luddite and Compassionate Works, explained their motives: "They simply wanted machines to produce high-quality goods, and that these machines employed workers who had been trained and received fair wages.
It was their only concern. ”
The nickname "Luddites" comes from the nickname "Ned Ludd", an apocryphal figure who allegedly sabotaged a textile factory in 1779, although historical evidence suggests that this man was most likely a fictional one.
In a 2007 paper, researcher David Linton explained: “Some say that a young man, possibly with cognitive impairment, named Ned Ludd once misunderstood an order and accidentally broke his frame machine.
Others argue that this was done deliberately, in a fit of anger.
Whatever the motive, it seems to have become a joke phrase that whenever the machine breaks, for whatever reason, you can say something like, "Ludd must have been here."
From this construction, it is a short step to the ironic application of the name Ludd to vandalism for political purposes. "
Between 1811 and 1816, the Luddite movement held sporadic and somewhat unorganized protests, characterized by the destruction of cars and the burning of factories.
In response, the mill owners resorted to extreme measures, using deadly force against the Luddites.
In April 1812, there was a grim turning point in Huddersfield, where at least four people died at the hands of the mill owners.
In retaliation, the Luddites killed the owner of the mill, William Horsfall, who boldly declared his intention to "smear himself with Luddite blood to the saddles."
Horsfall was shot while sitting on his horse.
Faced with these uprisings, the government immediately sent thousands of soldiers to quell the protests.
Moreover, they adopted a law according to which the breakdown of cars was subject to the death penalty or sending to colonies.
Subsequently, the movement dissipated, but the stable expression "Luddite" could not accurately convey the ideals and goals of the Luddites.
Previously, Focus wrote about the first IPSO in the history of mankind.
It turns out that it was invented in Babylon and it concerns the Flood.

Today it evokes fears of AI-driven worker displacement.

Keynes warned of technological unemployment, with automation outpacing job creation.

Title:

Content: You will not miss us!
8,008 followers
Why robots will take your job, and what to do - panic or rejoice
Why robots will take away your profession.
Increasingly, you can hear about the challenges posed by automation and cybernization to existing professions today.
And we are talking not only about unmanned vehicles and chatbots replacing call center operators, but also about programs that can calculate bank loans and insurance rates, depriving analysts and, moreover, neural networks that claim to compete with highly qualified and creative employees.
Exemption from routine or danger of unemployment?
A cause for concern or long-awaited freedom?
History of the problem
Mechanisms of ancient times.
Competition has always existed – professions disappeared and arose, people fought for jobs with each other and with technology, philosophers and economists built forecasts and tried to predict the prospects and are still doing it.
For example, you can assess how much automation threatens your profession and how quickly robots will replace you by using Will Robots Take My Job.
Aristotle was the first to think about the possibility of transferring “work ” to machines.
In the first book of his Politics, he suggested that they could evolve to such an extent that the need for human labor would disappear.
For him, quite in line with the views of work at the time, as something distracting from participation in public life and personal development, this was an extremely optimistic forecast.
“Work ” in ancient Greece was considered to be the lot of the lower classes, and the mechanisms would only liberate slaves, considered nothing but“ machines of flesh and blood. ”
The reorientation of the economy to the export of wool led to the introduction of a policy of “enclosures ”.
The real competition of a sufficiently large mass of people technology for the first time was only more than a millennium and a half later in England.
At first, the reorientation of the economy to wool exports led to the introduction of a policy of “fencing ”, in which landlords expelled farmers from the fields in order to free the territory for sheep grazing, which led to the first massive surge of“ unemployment ” – albeit not in the current sense.
The then arising vagrancy and poverty contemporary of these events, the Chancellor of England and philosopher Thomas More described the famous "sheep ate people."
However, after a few decades it became clear that no – not eaten.
The former peasants were absorbed by the growing cities, where they found a new job in textile manufactures, processing the same wool obtained from shearing sheep.
This was the first example of how, by taking away one thing, “technology ” is able to offer something different.
But we must admit: the process of urbanization was painful, the work that replaced the cultivation of land turned out to be hard and dirty, the gap with the traditional way of life was very traumatic, and the population of England as a result of hunger and the fight against vagrancy, which was conducted, including the use of gallows, decreased, according to some estimates by 30% (to understand the scale - the Soviet Union during the Second World War lost "only" 15% of the population).
Workers in a textile factory, late 18th century.
The next episode of the confrontation between people and technology occurred a century later in the same field of light industry - the invention in 1785 by Edmund Cartwright of a mechanical loom increased labor productivity forty times.
Jobs that had just been lost were once again lost.
But again temporarily – after spinning machines, others appeared and all of them demanded new resources, and their extraction – new types of labor.
Manufactures were replaced by factories, and muscle strength by the power of steam obtained from coal.
Machine Destroyers
The Luddite movement.
This time, the changes that occurred were met with bayonets - there was a movement of Luddites.
Sabotage of work and direct action: attacks on factories and the destruction of machines caused a harsh reaction of the state, which sent troops to suppress the “army of Ned Ludd ”.
It is characteristic that no one at the top bothered to convey to the workers the idea that there will still be work for them, even if not the one to which they had time to get used.
The fact is that the “top ” themselves at that time did not think too much about how all this was arranged, and people were perceived as expendable material, while the inertia of consciousness of ordinary workers who had just recovered from the transition from the agrarian to the urban way of life was also very high.
The First Industrial Revolution at the beginning of the 18th century.
The theoretical basis for the interaction of technological innovations and the masses of labor began to be summed up only by economists and philosophers of the middle of the XIX century.
They were the first to suggest that the disappearance of certain types of work in the process of technological development entails the emergence of new ones, and “work ” as a whole is not something final, which may be“ not enough ”.
The First Industrial Revolution was in full swing and the optimism of its apologists only grew stronger over time.
By the end of the century, it seemed that progress would eliminate not only social problems and contradictions, but could also rid humanity of wars.
However, while some spoke of the "Luddite delusion", others spoke of the "enslavement of the masses" and the need to hand over to the "factory workers", predicting that as long as the instruments of production are in the hands of the big proprietors, their employees will remain disenfranchised, and the lack of social security will cause explosions of unemployment at any moment.
Second wave
The Second Industrial Revolution.
The word “unemployment ” came into being at that time.
The fact is that a peasant working in the fields or a craftsman who provides for the needs of himself and the small surrounding community could not face something like this - he himself formed his employment.
When the scheme of selling labor on a strict schedule became mass within the framework of fulfilling a strictly regulated set of duties, the challenge arose to lose such an opportunity.
The Second Industrial Revolution was on the way.
The basics of streaming production were laid at the end of the 19th century, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the combination of Ford ’ s marketing strategy (he invented that the car was not an attribute of the elites, but a mass need) and the conveyor he introduced led to new changes that went beyond factories and factories.
On January 18, 1886, the first car invented by Karl Benz was released.
It was the emergence of technology on the streets of cities that brought a new wave of competition.
Look at the photos of the streets of the beginning of the last century: here they are dammed with carts, among which a lonely clumsy car is trying to maneuver, but ten years later, the only horse frightened by the roar of engines and sobbing of klaxons is clutching to the sidewalks.
Here it will be important to note how unpredictable this jump became: “At the beginning of the 20th century, the French Academy warned about an environmental disaster, which inevitably should lead to the accumulation of horse manure associated with the development of horse-drawn transport in Paris, ” recalls, reasoning about the prediction of the future Stanislav Lem.
However, note: in those regions where human labor is cheaper, technology can not replace it, as we are shown, for example, rickshaws, until recently used their own muscle power and only with a sharp drop in the cost of small vehicles motorized.
A more modern example is “computer rickshaws ” – hundreds of thousands of low-skilled Chinese, hacked captchas all day, because their work costs less than the introduction of scripts.
Technological unemployment
The line of the American unemployed during the Great Depression.
In the 1930s, Maynard Keynes, who gave the world the theory of the “social state ”, from the attempts of which many economies have not recovered so far, introduced the term“ technological unemployment ” into mass circulation.
Since then, the debate about whether the introduction of new technological solutions and opportunities can create a long-term job crisis or whether everything is limited to repurposing, when obsolete professions are replaced by new ones, and it is enough for people to change or improve their skills.
Until the end of the last decade, most experts were inclined to believe that “technological unemployment ” is always a temporary phenomenon, leading to the renewal and improvement of the professionalism of workers.
Mechanical labor was replaced by physical labor, the operator - a profession more status and highly paid than the worker, the reduction of costs leads to the release of time - these are the main theses sounded then.
Pessimistic views remained largely the domain of marginals, such as Theodore Kaczynski, famous for his terrorist struggle against progress under the name of Unabomber and primitive philosophers.
Pessimism
The first full-fledged computer in the USSR BESM-1.
Cautious voices expressing doubts about the correctness of this approach sounded even then.
And if in one of his speeches in 1962, President Kennedy said that “if people are able to invent new machines that take away their jobs, even more so are able to invent new jobs, ” then two years later, a letter from scientists and activists concerned with the problem of technological unemployment, sent to his successor, Lyndon Johnson, stated that“ a revolution in cybernetics will create a separate nation of poor, unskilled unemployed. ”.
Theorists disputed the impossibility of long-term unemployment, as did Martin Ford in the book “Light in the Tunnel: Automation, Acceleration of Technology and the Economy of the Future ” or Marshall Brains in“ Robotic Nation ”.
Gasne-Peter Martin and Harald Schumann, in their Global Trap, describe a society in which the labor of twenty percent of the population is enough for the world economy to continue to develop.
There are those who see it as a threat and a danger, like Paul Krugmann in his article “Sympathy for the Luddites ” or Frey and Osborne in“ The Future of Work. ”
In addition, in practice, it turned out that technology is not so freeing up time – for example, representatives of professions requiring high qualifications, at least in the United States today work more than 30 years ago, and technologies that provide remote access to working tools allow them not to break away from professional tasks and in their “free time ”.
It is also important that new jobs, as it was noticed at the beginning of the XXI century, are created not so much by technology as by the change in the way of life that they entail.
So in the mid-2010s, nine out of ten working people are employed in professions that did not exist a century earlier, but only 5% of the jobs that appeared from 1993 to 2013 are in high-tech areas, such as IT or telecom.
However, the question is whether this does not mean that indirectly they still arise due to technologies that provide an opportunity for development for the service sector.
Is it bad?
A shot from the film "I, Robot" (2004).
Harvard economics professor Lawrence Summers, who previously served as U.S. Treasury Secretary, said in 2014 that he no longer believes that automation will always create new jobs and that it is not some hypothetical possibility in the future; it is something that is emerging now.
In his opinion, the changes will be very global and will lead to mass unemployment not only among low-skilled employees, but also for “blue ” and“ white ” collar workers, because “there are many reasons to think that the software revolution will be even more significant than the agrarian one. ”
The robot prepares food.
However, this is what allows us to look to the future with optimism.
Summers ’ s thought of the meaning of the digital revolution echoes the position of futurologist Alvin Toffler.
As early as 1970, in his book Future Shock, he wrote that by comparing the Digital Revolution with the Industrial Revolution, we downplay its significance and it would be more correct to draw a parallel with the exit of mankind from caves and the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and cattle breeding.
Potentially, this means that humanity is on the verge of an unprecedented, unknown written history civilizational leap of colossal proportions.
And, due to the fact that the speed of changes in the world has increased many times and now, the fact that in the case of the end of the Stone Age, took millennia, is being carried out in front of one, a maximum of a couple or three generations, this breakthrough, of course, will be painful.
However, having reviewed the usual way of life, the attitude to it and their values, will not humanity be able to break through to the conditions of life, previously even unimaginable.
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991).
We are easily accustomed to such changes in “work ” as freelancing and remote work, quite calmly came to a repeated change of professions, instead of a continuous, decades-long“ career ” and even were able to include them in your life, saying that this is the way to find yourself.
So is it not time to begin to accustom ourselves to the idea that, as economic historian Robert Skidelsky said, “Sooner or later we will run out of work ”?
After all, freelancing and remote employment are about freedom, about leaving the “office slavery ” and searching for the way of life that is convenient for us.
Yes, to get used to the idea that the traditional “work ” is over and now we will have to independently invent what to occupy ourselves will not be easy.
It will require responsibility, but it is freedom.
Isn ’ t it time for us, joyfully exclaiming “Glory to the robots! ”, to go in search of our place in the new world?
Why robots will take away your profession.
The fact that it is not only about robots, but also about the “work ” itself and the possibility of life without it, about the risks associated with negative scenarios of confrontation between people and machines and the possibilities of overcoming them, we will talk in the next parts of the cycle.
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AI adoption may trim hiring by about 1%.

Title:

Content: Many sci-fi movies have painted artificial intelligence (AI) to be an omen of humanity’s demise. The first cinematic appearance of AI was in a 1927 silent German film, “Metropolis.” Throughout the entire film, a humanlike robot had the sole intention of wreaking havoc throughout the city. Despite this initial negative depiction of AI, technology has been racing toward the development of advanced artificial intelligence. According to Forbes, “AI-focused companies raised $12 billion in 2017 alone.” In August of 2021, Elon Musk revealed that he has an aspiration to create a humanoid robot called the Tesla Bot to eliminate mundane tasks and to make the bots accessible to the public by next year. He went as far to say that the Tesla Bot could displace the labor force, rendering physical work a matter of choice. Twitter ran wild after hearing about Musk’s announcement, with many people drawing comparisons to “I, Robot,” “The Terminator” and other apocalyptic movies.

Humans have a tendency to be wary and fearful of new technology, as seen in the 19th-century Luddite movement when artisans destroyed textile machines to protect their own jobs. The fear of AI seems to be widespread, as people are unsure of what AI is capable of and the repercussions of implementing it. The reality is that AI is already implemented in multiple parts of our daily life — the introduction of the Tesla Bot is just a newer way. The threat of AI might not be the climactic, action-packed threat that we see in films. Instead, it could be a dependence on AI that threatens to lull us into complacency.

Elon Musk acknowledges that the creation of the Tesla Bot will have far-reaching impacts on the economy — an implication that is attached with all emerging AI technology. Currently, most AI can only complete the tasks they are programmed for, and since this doesn’t require true reasoning, they have earned the name of Narrow AI. The dream of AI is to transcend the limitations of Narrow AI and reach a state of autonomy where it can continuously adapt on its own with all the abilities of a human brain. This uncontrollable and irreversible state would be revered as AI “singularity.” Daron Acemoglu, an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found that “firms that increase their AI adoption by 1 percent reduce their hiring by approximately 1 percent.” As industries try to find more ways to implement AI technology, there will be more and more displacement of workers. Amazon’s implementation of AI into grocery stores demonstrates their ability to completely eradicate cashiers while creating a more efficient way to go grocery shopping.

Acemoglu writes, “Some economists think fears of automation and AI displacing workers are overblown. They argue that as work becomes more AI-automated, the resulting productivity gains will spearhead labor demand in other parts of the economy … even in the same firms doing AI-driven automation.” The problem is the creation of AI itself — the automation economy drives labor demands down without any hope of reviving it. Even further, software developers GitHub and OpenAI have recently unveiled an AI pair programmer named Copilot to help provide coding suggestions based on what the programmer prompts the system. Even though the software is “still a work in progress” according to TechTalks, it will continue to become more reliable and efficient as more people use the technology. The unveiling of this particular AI shows that even the jobs of programming AI are not secure. AI is able to infiltrate every industry, and if AI is able to achieve singularity, even careers such as being an author or an artist are at risk of being replaced.

Attempting to prevent the rapid implementation of AI is almost impossible at this point. Many countries in the world are racing against each other in an attempt for AI dominance, trying to cultivate an environment for these companies to grow and flourish. The reason countries are invested in the evolution of AI is because it is revered as a strategic technology that could help countries get a tactical advantage over other countries and help strengthen governance. China is a great example of this, as it invested heavily into the AI industry while simultaneously implementing it into their infrastructure. Following the release of China’s three-step program to become a world leader in AI by 2030, they have planned to create a “$2.1 billion AI-focused technology research park,” according to Forbes. We can already see China implementing AI into the military and smart cities — during the Hong Kong protests, for example, the government implemented AI surveillance to identify citizens and subsequently curb protests.

Due to the importance of AI to government entities and many other industries, AI has cemented itself as an important factor to the success of new emerging firms. Trying to eradicate AI currently would actually impede the advancement of society as a whole. Though AI does pose a lot of threats such as the displacement of workers, built-in programmer biases and implications of AI in our political and economic system, the ability of an AI outweighs the risks. Its pure speed in utilizing huge reserves of information and executing action could change the way we live. It is dependent on developers and users as a whole to protect in the manner of how AI is utilized, perhaps through legislation or creating open source AI that is accessible to everyone. Then we could all access even a simple version of an AI that would also help our personal life.

One of the methods Elon Musk proposed in combating the displacement of workers would be to introduce a universal basic income. With the introduction of a universal basic income, we could lessen the strife of structural unemployment and shift toward a different type of societal model — one that bases itself less on a capitalistic work life and more of an emphasis on the humanities and the arts. Perhaps by allowing people to have more free time and less worries about their financial security, we could spur a new renaissance. We could fear AI and allow it to control our lives, or we could act before it becomes too powerful, using AI to benefit us as a society.

Akshay Ma Kumar is a senior majoring in economics.

Harari warns many could become economically redundant under AI.

Title:

Content: WEF Adviser Yuval Harari: ‘We Just Don’t Need the Vast Majority of the Population’ in Today’s World

Breitbart – by Robert Kraychik

Yuval Noah Harari, historian, futurist, and World Economic Forum (WEF) adviser, said, “We just don’t need the vast majority of the population” in the early 21st century given modern technologies’ rendering human labor economically and militarily “redundant.”

Harari’s remarks were made in an interview with Chris Anderson, the head of TED, published on Tuesday. He assessed widespread contemporary disillusionment among “common people” as being rooted in a fear of being “left behind” in a future run by “smart people.” Such fears are justified, he added, given his projection that emerging technologies will displace economic needs to many categories of existing work:

A lot of people sense that they are being left behind and left out of the story, even if their material conditions are still relatively good. In the 20th century, what was common to all the stories — the liberal, the fascist, the communist — is that the big heroes of the story were the common people, not necessarily all people, but if you lived, say, in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, life was very grim, but when you looked at the propaganda posters on the walls that depicted the glorious future, you were there. You looked at the posters which showed steel workers and farmers in heroic poses, and it was obvious that this is the future.

Now, when people look at the posters on the walls, or listen to TED talks, they hear a lot of these these big ideas and big words about machine learning and genetic engineering and blockchain and globalization, and they are not there. They are no longer part of the story of the future, and I think that — again, this is a hypothesis — if I try to understand and to connect to the deep resentment of people, in many places around the world, part of what might be going there is people realize — and they’re correct in thinking that — that, ‘The future doesn’t need me. You have all these smart people in California and in New York and in Beijing, and they are planning this amazing future with artificial intelligence and bio-engineering and in global connectivity and whatnot, and they don’t need me. Maybe if they are nice, they will throw some crumbs my way like universal basic income,’ but it’s much worse psychologically to feel that you are useless than to feel that you are exploited.

Harari contrasted the 20th century with the 21st while forecasting what he said is the current century’s and future economies progressively diminishing need for human beings. He said:

If you go back to the middle of the 20th century — and it doesn’t matter if you’re in the United States with Roosevelt, or if you’re in Germany with Hitler, or even in the USSR with Stalin — and you think about building the future, then your building materials are those millions of people who are working hard in the factories, in the farms, the soldiers. You need them. You don’t have any kind of future without them.

“Now, fast forward to the early 21st century when we just don’t need the vast majority of the population,” he concluded, “because because the future is about developing more and more sophisticated technology, like artificial intelligence [and] bioengineering, Most people don’t contribute anything to that, except perhaps for their data, and whatever people are still doing which is useful, these technologies increasingly will make redundant and will make it possible to replace the people.”

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2022/08/10/wef-adviser-yuval-harari-we-just-dont-need-the-vast-majority-of-the-population-in-todays-world/

Critics say tech elites prioritize profit, while modern Luddites seek equitable development, not rejection.

Title:

Content: Hey tech billionaires, if you want to talk about radical change, let’s abolish venture capitalism

 / Source: GuardianAus

The future that technology elites like to imagine looks remarkably similar to the one we’re in

‘Any meaningful, progressive – and dare I say, hopeful – view of the future of technology must be willing to engage with its politics, history and consequences.’‘Any meaningful, progressive – and dare I say, hopeful – view of the future of technology must be willing to engage with its politics, history and consequences.’Do you support sustainability, social responsibility, tech ethics, or trust and safety? Congratulations, you’re an enemy of progress.

Andreessen lambasts academia for being “disconnected from the real world, delusional, unelected, and unaccountable – playing God with everyone else’s lives, with total insulation from the consequences”. I have never read a more apt description of Big Tech.

So why should we give this manifesto any time of day? As the co-founder of one of the world’s biggest venture capital firms, Andreessen holds significant power. And he’s far from alone in his thinking – the manifesto offers a glimpse into the belief systems of many tech billionaires. Echoes can be heard of Mark Zuckerberg’s infamous former motto:Tech elites like to cast themselves as radical revolutionaries. But we find ourselves in a relentless cycle of sameness. headtopics.com

Concealed within the rhetoric of tech progress is preservation of the status quo. The future that tech elites imagine looks remarkably similar to the one we’re in: unchecked power, consolidated wealth, low regulation and minimal consequences when technology proves to be harmful. If we want to talk about

It serves tech billionaires well to make it seem as though social progress is intrinsically linked to tech development. They cast themselves as our; here to save humanity provided they retain the power, capital and market dominance to do so. Anyone who dares get in the way is dismissed as backwards or ignorant. This mischaracterisation goes at least as far back as the early 1800s and the Luddite uprising. headtopics.com

Then as now, when elites misrepresent techno-scepticism as dangerous or backwards, they are trying to direct attention away from rational concerns about manifestations of power and profit.The brand of optimism wielded by prominent tech industry figures weaponises hope for a better future. It asks us to shy away from the political realities of technology as it stands in favour of a libertarian fantasy (or nightmare).

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Resistance arises from social, psychological, and practical factors like loss of control and fear.

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The Right Way To Evaluate A Technology Solution For Your Organization

Founder and CEO at Ludi, Inc., a healthcare technology company making it easy for hospitals to pay physicians.

Selecting a new technology for your company can be daunting. Organizations usually begin this process with a desire to either streamline or solve specific pain points. Regardless of your specific needs, implementing new technology will involve change. For your organization as an entity, change can be great. Change can reduce inefficiencies and errors, as well as usher in new opportunities. But for the people who work for your organization, change can trigger anxiety and ultimately resistance to the new technology. Here are six things to keep in mind when evaluating new technology:

1. Identify your problem. It sounds simple, but many organizations jump straight to the solutions they find appealing. If you focus on the true problem you’re trying to solve, you will stay goal-oriented while searching for a vendor.

2. Keep an open mind. You may have seen a solution you find appealing, but remember that you don’t know what you don’t know. The technology partner you choose should be an expert in the field and may offer you products that you didn’t even know existed. Stay open to new ideas and solutions. One of the things I’ve noticed is prospective clients saying, “We can’t buy this product unless it handles this exact case we’re trying to solve for.” That’s not always the most effective approach because it doesn’t take all the variables into consideration. For example, my company works with hospitals to streamline complex physician payment structures. The hospital may have had the doctor recording their time one way because they were using a paper system and approvals needed to be checked in a certain manner for that doctor to get paid. Once you eliminate paper, though, in that particular scenario, everything is up for discussion – not just the way doctors record their time, but the entire physician payment process at the hospital. Rigidity will not benefit you when evaluating new technology.

3. Get your people on the same page. Meet with department heads to pull together all the pain points that need to be solved. You must be comprehensive during your internal review because needs come out differently across different departments. You may not be able to solve everyone’s problem with the new technology, but it’s important to align your team before you bring in a vendor. Then prioritize your needs. Once your departments agree on the priorities, be clear with your team on who is making the final decision. Departmental input is important, but knowing who the purchaser is within your organization is equally important. Remember: Don’t lose sight of why you're buying this technology. Keep the ultimate purpose in mind.

4. Consider internal change management. Change is difficult for many of us, so it’s important to stop and consider the people who will be affected by this change. Resistance to change can originate from any of the following: loss of control, insecurities about competence, feeling defensive about past work, concern about more work and general uncertainty. Be proactive in preparing your staff for a change, because all of these responses tend to have a ripple effect in corporate cultures.

5. Focus on the future. If you’ve ever bought a house, you know that there are things you didn’t know you needed until you lived with your investment for a few years. Technology is no different. You may have a list of goals for your business, but there is no telling what you’ll need 10 years from now. The best technology partner will be flexible enough to support your organization as it grows. How can you find a partner with this type of future-focused outlook? See point number two.

6. Listen and be patient. The people delivering technology solutions in the market are experts and can offer you insights into the industry. I suggest finding a solution that can handle 90% of what you need out of the box. Work with your solution provider and try their out-of-the-box solutions for 90 days before you decide what you need next. Make sure the product you choose is flexible enough to grow with your business, but resist over-customizing the product because that can back you into a corner.

Technology solutions truly can help you streamline and standardize your business. Time spent organizing what problem you are trying to solve will make the search much more efficient. While there may not be a solution out there that does everything you hope to accomplish, keep an open mind and you'll find a solution that's right for your specific needs.

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Workers fear digital surveillance, privacy invasion, less live communication, and laziness.

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Content: All news
Survey: the development of modern technologies is supported by 56% of residents of large cities
According to the results of a study by Eset, the evil new technologies are considered mostly by representatives of a young audience.
MOSCOW, August 20.
/ TASS /.
More than half of the surveyed Russians (56%) living in cities with a population of over one million support the development of modern technologies, according to a study by the international developer of antivirus software Eset, which was reviewed by TASS.
“The majority of the country ’ s residents (56%) fully support the development of modern technologies, as they believe that gadgets simplify life.
However, 41% of respondents are still more critical of progress and do not find all innovations useful.
It is interesting that the evil new technologies are considered for the most part by representatives of a young audience - from 18 to 24 years old.
Among men, skepticism about new technologies is more common than among women, "the study said.
The company added that for Russians the priority advantage of living in the world of technology has become a more comfortable life, as well as the ability to maintain contact with people from anywhere in the world and save their time.
While the disadvantages of digitalization, respondents called the lack of live communication, increasing laziness, vulnerability to total surveillance and lack of privacy.
Among the technologies of the future, the reality of which Russians believe, were called “smart homes ”, delivery by drones, the widespread spread of unmanned vehicles, the replacement of robots for people in the workplace and the availability of space tourism.
The online survey was conducted in August 2021 among 1.1 thousand users from cities with a population of over one million people in the Russian Federation.
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People resist when benefits are unproven or risks loom.

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Content: Sensitive Design: How to reduce the "resistance" of new technology products, so that consumers no longer worry about security and privacy?
Photo Credit: iStock
What we want you to know is
Reducing resistance is not about convincing consumers to accept your product, it ’ s about developing better products so that consumers don ’ t have to worry and there ’ s less resistance.
The ability to anticipate and resolve how much resistance may exist when designing a product will affect the speed of adoption and overall success of the product.
Written by Deborah Nass
Reduced resistance
Consumers often resist new technology products.
The unproven benefits of these products, the potential for unintended side effects, or the rapid obsolescence of these products have led consumers to worry about the risks associated with buying and using them.
Most resistance can be traced to various risks associated with purchasing or using a product, including: physical risk, that the product is harmful to our health, property or the environment; operational risk, that the product is not working or reliable; economic risk, that the product is not worthy, needs to be repaired or completely damaged; and the risk of time loss, which allows consumers to invest time and effort without satisfactory results.
Other less obvious risks include social risk, fear that others will not identify with the product and those who use it; and psychological risk, fear that the product will not conform to one ’ s own values or self-image.
Reducing resistance through product design requires a deep understanding of consumer values, belief structures, needs, risk perceptions, and their perceptions of potential shortcomings. Engaging consumers throughout the innovation process reveals the negative impact a product can have on consumers ’ lives, society, and the planet.
Reducing resistance is not about convincing consumers to accept your product, it ’ s about developing better products so that consumers don ’ t have to worry and there ’ s less resistance.
The ability to anticipate and resolve how much resistance may exist when designing a product will affect the speed of adoption and overall success of the product.
This part of the design strategy will help you identify these resistance, you will find that by combining and applying design strategies to reduce resistance, you will become stronger.
Understanding resistance can help you develop better products and thus reduce resistance.
Maintain personal safety
In 1865, Britain enacted the Red Flag Acts, which limited the speed of cars to no more than five kilometers per hour, and even required a person to walk in front of the car to warn pedestrians of approaching vehicles. The label of a killer machine.
The following strategies can reduce people ’ s fear of physical or psychological harm:
• Designed to include automatic safety measures
If the product is focused on safety features, it should protect the user. Some innovative products come with protective measures, such as automatic safety features such as the ABS system, which is now standard safety equipment in all vehicles.
The recent rise of high-speed electric bicycles (Speed Pedelecs) in Europe also requires automatic safety, a new type of electric bicycle that can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour.
The Dutch parliament is discussing a speed regulator combined with GPS that automatically limits the speed of electric bicycles in areas with large traffic flows.
Cycling company Gazelle teamed up with Delft University of Technology to develop a smart steering assist system to prevent falls while riding an electric bike.
As soon as the rider is detected to be at risk of falling, the smart motor of the handlebar adjusts its direction.
• Designed to contain alarms that are impossible to ignore
Human error is the main cause of traffic accidents, and while self-driving cars are expected to reduce accidents, the current technology is not perfect.
Tesla ’ s Autopilot mode constantly evaluates the car ’ s ability to handle the current situation. If you think the computer can ’ t be safely controlled, you will use a flash that you can ’ t ignore and a very loud beep to remind the driver to “take over immediately. ”
To ensure that the driver remains alert and awake, Subaru uses cameras and infrared sensors to monitor eye movements and alerts the vehicle whenever it detects that the driver is asleep or not looking at the road.
• Designed with attractive safety accessories
Many people are afraid to use products or services in their daily lives because of fear.
Some people worry about getting hurt by riding a bicycle, and riding an electric bicycle deepens this fear.
Although the speed is faster and allows us to get to our destination faster, it also increases the risk of injury.
Electric bicycle manufacturers can include helmets when selling cars to lessen people ’ s fear of accidents.
However, most people don ’ t like wearing a helmet and think that looks silly and destroys their hair.
Swedish company Hövding, developed airbags for cyclists to solve this problem.
Surround your neck with stylish airbags that are barely noticeable and open only in an emergency.
“The safest bicycle helmet in the world is not a helmet, ” says Hövding. They use sensors and algorithms to give users peace of mind when riding at high speeds without having to wear a helmet.
Hövding made the helmet invisible, and Livall was designed to be cool and cool.
Their helmets look high-tech and are perfect for tech homes.
The Livall Commuter is equipped with a number of smart safety features, including a remote control that controls the steering light of the helmet, plays music and answers phone calls, reads GPS directions to you, and provides a 270-degree visible taillight for night riding.
If the helmet ’ s three-axis gyroscope detects a fall, it notifies a pre-configured emergency contact. The Livall helmet features eliminate the reason for not riding and reduce the chance of an accident.
• Designed to include self-protection
While security measures can improve overall security and help address consumers ’ reluctance to use products, they often leave some people feeling overly complacent.
Some people think that with the automatic driving mode, you can not see the road at all, but the automatic driving technology is not perfect, and the driver must pay attention to the road.
In this regard, Tesla forces the driver to have at least one hand on the steering wheel in autopilot mode, the steering wheel sensor will detect whether the driver is applying slight pressure, and if no movement is detected for a period of time, the car will remind the driver to "tap the steering wheel", flashing lights and increasingly frequent beeps to attract attention until you do so.
Samsung ’ s In-Trac Reply app automatically answers messages received while driving.
The phone ’ s sensor automatically detects when the user is driving or riding a bicycle, turns it on automatically, and replies with an interesting default message, indicating that you can ’ t respond until you reach your destination.
• Designed to include restricted safety devices
Consumers resist certain products out of fear of harm to themselves or others. Quooker developed a three-in-one kitchen faucet that drains cold, hot and boiling water, and they understood that boiling water directly from the faucet could worry parents, so they addressed this issue in product design. Flowing out to avoid serious burns.
What ’ s more, Quooker noted that taps don ’ t turn over like hot water kettles, emphasizing that their products are safer than traditional water kettles.
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High upfront costs and shifting markets deter adoption.

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Content: 4 Crucial Signals: TECHIIA’s Yura Lazebnikov on How to Understand That Your Business Needs Changes

In his column for the American edition of Fast Company, businessman, investor and Managing Partner of the international holding TECHIIA Yura Lazebnikov tells how to understand that it is time to make changes, not mistakes.

Business success is definitely about changes and adaptation. This is what Richard Branson tells us. But he forgets to mention the fact that the need for change becomes obvious only when it is too late. More agile colleagues will not wait for you to catch up, solve operational problems, and master new technologies that everyone has already implemented.

So at what point should the changes be started in the company so you are not among those who catch up, or even worse — among those who exist only in memory and on the pages of history? Here is what Yura Lazebnikov, the Managing Partner of TECHIIA Holding, recommends paying attention to.

TECHIIA is an international technology holding founded by Yura Lazebnikov and Oleg Krot. The holding unites expertise in 10 business areas: development of IT products and services, creation, distribution, and sale of content, production, and sale of merch, provision of services based on unmanned technologies, production of innovative insulated glass units, etc. The company has representative offices in Cyprus, Ukraine, and the USA.

Signal 1 — New technologies emerge in your industry

Technological experiments and testing of various systems are very expensive. From a financial point of view, every tool is worth something. From the perspective of time — you need it to implement new technology at least partially, investigate its effectiveness, and decide whether to fully implement or test the next offer. From the perspective of human resources — you need to train the team. It is worth considering that business processes slow down during adaptation — this is a normal and natural phenomenon.

And yet, despite the cost of technological innovations, you should not ignore new solutions. It is better to start earlier to give yourself time to choose the implementation format that is proper for your company.

Expenditure and the prospect of losing momentum should not be an argument in favor of refusal. Otherwise, your business may find itself in the place of the mobile phone manufacturer Nokia. They were so focused on improving the devices that they didn’t notice the market demand for mobile software development. So many years have passed, and the company has not yet caught up with either Android or iOS.

Signal 2 — the market changes requests

Analyzing the market, communicating with customers, and predicting trends is the most important part of the manager’s work. Even if it takes up to 80% of the work time, it is justified. In words, everything is simple: find out what your potential customer wants and give it to them. Whether it is an electric car, vegan sausage, or real or virtual entertainment, if your business can’t adapt to people’s demands, it will probably cease to exist soon. After all, there is always someone else who can satisfy consumer needs.

The skill you need to train is to sense the change in demand. If not, your business will suffer the fate of the Hummer car project. In 1992, after the purchase of the first civilian serial car by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the demand for cars was simply crazy. But with the boost of green trends in society and the energy crisis, this demand began to fall. In 2009, the project was closed. In the summer, the media began to write about the revival of Hummer in an electric version. Trends are more important than traditions. At least for those who want to earn more.

Signal 3 — Your profits decline

An increase in profits shows that the business is growing properly. However, it happens that the profit decreases during the period of active growth of the company. Infrastructure development, and hiring new people to the team sometimes “squeeze” more money than you earn at the moment. That’s the price for being able to serve many large clients.

But what to do if there is no active growth, and profits are still getting smaller? Look for the “root of evil”. And you’d better start doing it yesterday. Because there is a chance to say goodbye to your business in whole or in part. As it happened with Compaq Computer, which lost the competition to Dell. Hewlett-Packard eventually absorbed Compaq.

Signal 4 — you believe your product to be the most comprehensive

The most comprehensive service or product is almost the same as a perpetual motion machine. Everyone talks about it, but no one has seen it in wide use. Yet everyone has seen competition: if you don’t offer a relevant service, someone else will. And earn instead of you.

If you believe that your product cannot be improved, trouble is at your door. And it knocks loudly. Stability is an extremely bad sign of a business project. It is a synonym for stagnation and stands one step away from degradation.

Business is a living organism, a child. It cannot be the same for a long time. It grows — and this is the only norm. As well as constantly adjusting the strategy. Anyone who doesn’t heed this advice will go down in history just like Blockbuster, the world’s largest distributor of games and videos, once did.

You can’t stand still. The only possible stability is constant growth.

Low awareness, education, and regulation erode trust; rapid rollouts destabilize, so gradual adoption is preferred.

Title:

Content: The Subtle Art of Slow: The CBDC Adoption Journey

Through the "slow and steady" adoption of CBDCs, central banks can ensure their place in the competitive arena of digital money, Digital Euro Association Chairman Jonas Gross and Executive Director Conrad Kraft write.

Nov 15, 2023 at 9:06 p.m. UTC

In the era of rapidly evolving monetary systems, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have emerged as a new frontier.

Already live in various developing and emerging market economies — namely Nigeria (e-Naira), Jamaica (Jam-Dex), the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (DCash) and the Bahamas (Sand dollar) — these national digital currencies seek to reshape our economic interactions.

However, reactions to these fledgling systems have been a mixed bag. While central banks hoped for quickly-embracing citizen response, the reality has been a slower uptake than expected.

This slower pace may be viewed as disappointing by some, but is it really as underwhelming as it appears? Or is it, perhaps, simply reflecting another aspect of how transformative technologies often find their footing amidst hesitance and a lack of understanding? Could it be that "slow and steady" isn't a setback but rather a necessary, anticipated part of the CBDC adoption process?

We will address these questions in this article with lessons from history on payment innovation as well as CBDCs launched in developing and emerging market economies.

Unlike the rapid viral adoption witnessed in social media platforms and conversational artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT, the cautious and gradual acceptance of CBDCs, can be seen as the standard trajectory historically observed in the introduction of novel monetary instruments, reflecting the prudence and meticulous validation typically exercised in the financial sector to safeguard stability and trust in monetary innovations.

CBDCs are navigating a path characterized by deliberation and measured, but consistent, growth. The philosophy of "slow and steady" isn't simply a lack of urgency by citizens to use CBDCs or a failure to kickstart into a sprint. Instead, it's also a thoughtful, measured approach that, albeit seemingly slower, is endorsed by its benefits. CBDCs aren't stepping into a void, but rather into a bustling, ever-crowded digital money landscape, making it all the more crucial to build a stable foundation amidst this clamor.

Adopting CBDCs at a slower pace contributes to sustainability, allowing for rigorous tests and updates to technology, fostering a comprehensive policy creation process and encouraging stepwise public awareness.

Through gradual CBDC adoption, central banks ensure they find their “sweet spot” in the furiously competitive arena of digital money.

Current state and the slow march of CBDCs

The slow and steady CBDC adoption can be seen in different jurisdictions worldwide. Numerous countries, including India and China, are running pilot programs to assess the viability of CBDCs. Launched CBDCs:

  • Bahamas: Launched Sand dollar in October 2020
  • Eastern Caribbean countries: Started introducing DCash in March 2021
  • Nigeria: Launched eNaira in 2021
  • Jamaica: Launched JAM-DEX in 2021

Each of these four countries has launched CBDCs with a focus on financial inclusion, yet the adoption rates remain relatively low. The following figure compares the four CBDCs.

  • Bahamas: Sand dollar is reported to have had an adoption rate of 7.9%. The adoption rate reflects the proportion of Sand dollars in circulation relative to the total number of Bahamian dollars circulating within the country as of 2022. Many Bahamians still prefer to use debit and credit cards instead.
  • Eastern Caribbean Currency Union: After the two-week outage in 2021, questions were raised about the long-term adoption of DCash.
  • Nigeria: The International Monetary Fund mentioned that eNaira's adoption was disappointingly low, with only 860,000 retail wallet downloads by mid-November 2021.
  • Jamaica: As of March 2022, there were 190,000 JAM-DEX users, with low adoption rates resulting in multiple incentives being rolled out to boost usage.

While banks and financial institutions worldwide experiment with CBDCs and launch pilot programs, it is clear that adoption remains steady, albeit slow. A key takeaway, however, is that there is a consistent and growing interest in CBDC globally, even as authorities proceed with caution.

Little by little becomes a lot: Navigating the slow adoption landscape

When assessing the adoption rate of CBDCs, it is useful to compare their trajectories to other transformative technologies or financial services that have, over time, become integral in our lives. Disruptive innovations such as credit cards, online banking and digital wallets and mobile payment systems like Google Pay or Apple Pay have all exhibited a gradual widening of their user base.

A comparison can be made to the introduction of other major technologies.

  1. Modern credit cards: Invented in the 1950s, credit cards didn't see widespread adoption until decades later, as infrastructure, regulations and trust in these financial tools matured over time. For example, it wasn't until the Fair Credit Reporting Act in 1970 and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 that clear rules for fair lending were established, eliminating rampant discrimination. Despite skepticism and high-levels of defaulting, long-term consumer trust in credit cards was gradually built through consistent regulatory oversight and value-added services, effectively paving the way for their widespread use today.
  2. Online banking: Internet banking was introduced in the late 1980s, but saw slow and steady adoption as concerns around online security, computer literacy and access to the internet were addressed. The journey began with United American Bank offering the first home banking service in 1980. Shortly after in 1981, New York City became a testing ground for remote services, with four major banks providing home-banking access. The U.K. followed suit in 1983 with Bank of Scotland launching the Homelink service. Stanford Federal Credit Union revolutionized the scene in 1994 by offering internet banking services to all of its customers. By 2006, approximately 80% of all U.S. banks provided internet banking services. In 2009, the world saw the establishment of its first all-digital bank, Ally Bank. As of 2022, 80% of banking customers globally use mobile banking technology regularly, signifying the constant evolution of online banking.
  3. E-wallets: Digital wallets and mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay experienced a similar journey, gradually making headway in the market as people became aware of their convenience, versatility and security. Adoption rates skyrocketed as more merchants began accepting mobile payments and e-wallets became more user-friendly.

Reasons for slow adoption and roll-out

  1. Consumer behavior: Adopting new technology takes time as people need to become familiar with and trust the technology, especially when dealing with finance matters.
  2. Infrastructure development: For CBDCs or other developments to succeed, a robust and scalable infrastructure must be in place to support them. Building this infrastructure is an incremental process.
  3. Policy and regulation: As novel technologies emerge, governments and regulatory authorities need time to formulate relevant policies, ensuring the protection of users and maintaining market stability. The establishment of such frameworks can take time and require constant revision as technology, usage and interactions with numerous components of the monetary ecosystem mature.
  4. Competition: Disruptive innovations often enter markets with already established solutions (e.g., cash, existing digital payment systems). It takes time to convince users that the new products or services are worth changing their habits for.

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet: Benefits of gradual adoption

There are substantial benefits to the steady adoption of technology. Patience does bear fruit, especially when it concerns something as potentially disruptive as CBDCs. Let's explore some benefits along with relevant examples:

  1. Gradual user acceptance and learning: Slow adoption enables people to become comfortable at their own pace. They can learn about the technology, understand its implications and adapt their behavior to use it effectively. This gradual approach fosters trust and acceptance, critical for financial technologies. For instance, consider how contactless payments initially struggled with user trust; over time, as people familiarized themselves with the technology, it has become a common method of transaction in many countries.
  2. Adequate time for testing and improvement: Slower adoption provides developers ample time to test their technology rigorously, identify flaws and make necessary improvements. Building reliable and secure technology is a process of continuous refinement. Microsoft's iterative update approach with Windows is a prime example — each version based on extensive user testing and feedback, allowing for improved security and functionality.
  3. Thoughtful regulation and policy making: Technology often advances much more rapidly than legal frameworks can adapt. Taking time for thoughtful regulation helps ensure CBDCs operate within a legal environment that anticipates potential issues, mitigating harm to users while facilitating innovation. Careful regulation creation also offers the protection individuals need in a quickly evolving digital world towards fostering trust in new monetary mediums.
  4. Economically stable introduction: Rapid adoption of a financially pivotal technology like CBDCs could in the most extreme case lead to economic instability. By allowing the introduction to occur slowly, economies can adapt smoothly, preventing shocks. The gradual rollout of Social Security in the U.S. during the 1930s provides an example of how major financial programs can be introduced carefully to prevent economic turbulence. This is also why (temporary) limits on CBDC holdings are a promising way to enable a smooth transition into a world with CBDC.

Slow and steady wins the race: The road to widespread CBDC adoption

While it would be convenient to have a precise time frame for CBDC adoption, it’s critical to understand that adoption isn't a one-size-fits-all process due to the varying economic contexts and technological infrastructures across countries. Instead, let's rely on indicators from the benefits discussed above.

CBDCs aren't stepping into a void, but rather into a bustling, ever-crowded digital money landscape, making it all the more crucial to build a stable foundation amidst this clamor.

If we consider the adoption timeline of technologies akin to CBDC, such as online banking or mobile wallets, we can estimate a 10-20 year timeline for CBDCs to reach maturity from inception, just as these services did. However, the landscape is different today — technology adoption rates have accelerated due to increased global connectivity and tech-savvy populations. Therefore, in an optimistic scenario, we might see widespread adoption in countries with robust digital infrastructures within the next 5-10 years.

It's critical to remember, though, that this timeframe should not be a rushed deadline but perceived as a balancing act of gradual public acceptance, regulatory readiness and technological robustness. Scaling CBDCs is less a sprint and more a patient journey to ensure stable, secure and efficient digital currencies for everyone.

Prudence over pace: How 'haste makes waste' in the realm of CBDC adoption

Let's take a moment to ponder the flip side of the coin. While the previous section highlighted the numerous benefits of a measured approach to adopting CBDCs, it's equally crucial to consider what could go awry with an approach that prioritises velocity over meticulous planning and strategic foresight.

Adoption stagnation

Adoption stagnation refers to a scenario where the uptake of CBDCs plateaus, failing to gain the intended traction among users. This could stem from various factors such as technological barriers, lack of public awareness or skepticism regarding the utility and safety of using CBDCs.

Stagnation in adoption not only hampers the potential benefits that CBDCs can bring to the financial ecosystem, such as enhanced payment efficiency and financial inclusion but also may deter further investments and innovations in the digital currency space.

It’s imperative that central banks and policymakers actively engage in creating an environment that fosters trust, education, and ease of use to avoid stagnation and ensure gradual growth in adoption.

Loss of relevance (rise in alternatives):

The loss of relevance in the context of CBDCs pertains to the overshadowing of these digital currencies by alternative digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies and other private digital currencies. As the digital asset landscape continues to evolve, a plethora of alternatives with potentially more attractive features, such as decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and tokenized deposits, are emerging.

These alternatives might offer enhanced privacy, investment opportunities or global reach, which could divert attention and utilization away from CBDCs. Central banks, therefore, face the challenge of ensuring that CBDCs remain relevant, innovative and competitive beyond the initial uptake by offering distinct advantages, robust security and integrating features that align with user needs and global trends all while adoption grows steadily.

Policy objective hindrance

The hindrance of policy objectives refers to the potential impediments in achieving the desired economic and financial goals set by policymakers and central banks due to ineffective CBDC design and implementation. CBDCs seek to foster financial inclusion, and enhance payment system resilience, amongst others. However, if CBDCs fail to function as intended, due to a focus on fast adoption, it could inadvertently obstruct the achievement of these policy objectives.

Steady as she goes: Facilitating the steady growth of CBDCs

Let’s pivot towards a few key factors that can guide this gradual transition. While there are myriad factors that contribute to the successful adoption of CBDCs, in this section, we'll touch upon selected pivotal aspects, providing a glimpse into the multifaceted world of digital currency implementation and the strategic considerations that can guide a stable and well-received rollout.

Together, these elements form a solid foundation upon which the gradual and stable growth of CBDCs can be facilitated and sustained.

Continuing efforts in education and awareness

As the introduction and adoption of CBDCs require substantial time and effort, promoting education and awareness should be fundamental. Educational endeavors would focus on different aspects of CBDCs, including their benefits, potential risks and usability. By highlighting the potential benefits that could be reached with a promising CBDC design, like offline, digital, private payments and wide acceptability, stakeholders can encourage adoption.

Meanwhile, providing transparency about potential drawbacks or vulnerabilities could also help prepare end-users and limit shocks and surprises.

Maintaining a focus on technological advancements and security

To ensure steady growth of CBDCs, it's crucial to focus on technological advancements and security. Constant development and improvement in technological infrastructure can accommodate increasing transaction volumes and global usage. Safeguarding transactions with robust security practices is imperative to protect against potential threats and to instill confidence among users.

Prioritizing safety precautions and continuous upgrades will be key in maintaining trust and meeting users' evolving needs. The trajectory of CBDC adoption, like other digital innovations, is set to be intrinsically tied to the evolution and advancement of technology as a key enabler and catalyst for widespread adoption.

Encouragement of regulatory development that supports CBDC growth

Regulatory support is another major factor in facilitating the growth of CBDCs. Establishing clear, harmonized regulations is needed to provide a stable and consistent environment for growth. Central banks and financial regulators should engage in policy-making efforts that adequately protect individuals and entities against financial risks, upholding transparency while promoting innovation and advancement in this domain.

Collaboration

In the intricate web of CBDC adoption, collaboration emerges as a cornerstone, bridging the gap between conceptualization and practical implementation. Engaging merchants, commercial banks, payment service providers (PSP) and other intermediaries in the CBDC development and adoption processes is not merely a strategy but a necessity, ensuring that the digital currency seamlessly integrates into the existing financial and commercial landscape.

  • Merchants: Their role is pivotal in ensuring that CBDCs are accepted widely across various sectors and industries, facilitating everyday transactions for consumers. Engaging with merchants helps in understanding their needs, challenges and expectations from a digital currency, ensuring that the CBDC framework is designed to address these aspects.
  • Commercial banks: These entities play a crucial role in the distribution and management of CBDCs, acting as an interface between the central bank and the public. Their involvement ensures that CBDCs are not just circulated but also managed effectively, adhering to the monetary policies and regulatory frameworks.
  • Payment service providers: Facilitate smooth, secure and efficient transactions involving CBDCs. Collaborating with payment service providers ensures that the CBDC transactions are integrated into the existing payment networks, providing users with a familiar and efficient transaction experience.

Through a symbiotic relationship among these entities, CBDCs can be seamlessly interlaced into the financial network of society, ensuring that the transition is not just technologically sound but also commercially viable and user-friendly.

Slow and steady wins the race

The process of CBDC adoption cannot and should not be rushed. As the saying goes, "slow and steady wins the race."

A gradual approach allows citizens, regulators and financial entities to understand, adapt and incorporate CBDCs effectively into the existing monetary architecture. By maintaining a consistent, manageable pace, security measures can be put in place, learning curves can be flattened and potential economic shocks mitigated.

Moreover, encouraging acceptance and support for a steady expansion pace of CBDC usage can help counter resistance that may stem from a lack of understanding or fear of the unknown. A community that accepts and comprehends the CBDC would be better equipped to integrate it into their everyday lives, making digital currencies a welcome reality, rather than an intangible concept.

As the global economy shifts towards digital innovation, recognizing the importance of a "slow and steady" approach will be crucial in ensuring the successful integration of CBDCs into our financial systems.

While we argue that “slow and steady” is a sound approach for successful CBDC implementation, we would also like to emphasize the need for robust value propositions. CBDCs must offer unique features that surpass the capabilities of existing monetary systems.

A CBDC that merely replicates current digital money, differing only in its central bank backing(largely imperceptible to citizens), won't attract widespread citizen use. While we support a gradual, methodical rollout, we maintain that without distinct advantages/incentives, this approach is unlikely to gain traction.

Remember, citizens are the primary users of CBDCs.

Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

Jonas Gross is chairman of the Digital Euro Association (DEA) and chief operating officer at etonec.

Conrad Kraft is an executive director at the Digital Euro Association, evaluator for the MIT Sloan Blockchain Technologies course and author of the CBDC Chronicles newsletter.

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AI can boost productivity yet replace humans, requiring oversight to prevent harm.

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Content: TechnologyNews
300 million jobs threatened by artificial intelligence
Analysis and Reflections
The world is witnessing an unprecedented shift in the work and employment environment.
News from Libya 24
With rapid advances in technology, the world is witnessing an unprecedented shift in the work and employment environment.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key driver of this change, with the ability to perform complex tasks that previously required human intervention.
This stunning progress raises many questions about the future of jobs, with some studies suggesting that artificial intelligence could threaten about 300 million jobs in the coming decades.
In this article, we will review the scientific and literary analysis of this phenomenon, focusing on the economic, social and psychological dimensions of this radical transformation.
Artificial intelligence.
Economic transformation and jobs at risk
Economically, the enormous impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market is undeniable.
This impact relies heavily on the technical ability of AI to perform tasks more efficiently and at a lower cost than humans.
In sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and retail, robots and artificial intelligence systems are beginning to replace workers in routine and repetitive tasks.
For example, AI systems can manage inventory, process orders, and even deliver logistics in a more efficient way.
This progress reduces production costs and increases profits for companies, but at the same time causes the loss of a large number of traditional jobs.
A study by Oxford University suggests that about 47% of jobs in the United States are threatened by automation over the next two decades.
This high percentage raises concerns about the fate of millions of workers who may find themselves unemployed in the near future.
Artificial intelligence.
Social and psychological dimensions of transformation
Besides the economic dimensions, there are social and psychological dimensions that must be taken into account.
Job loss is a threat to social stability, as many individuals and families depend on their jobs for their daily livelihood.
Keeping a large proportion of the workforce jobless can lead to increased rates of poverty and unemployment, putting additional strain on social welfare systems.
Psychologically, job loss can cause mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
Work is a big part of individuals ’ identity and sense of self-worth.
When people lose their jobs, they may feel empty and lose purpose, leading to a deterioration in their mental state and health.
In addition, older people may have difficulty adapting to technological changes and learning new skills, increasing their sense of helplessness and marginalization.
Challenges and opportunities in education and rehabilitation
To meet this huge challenge, governments and educational institutions must take decisive steps in education and rehabilitation.
Investing in continuing education and training is essential to enable workers to acquire the skills needed to adapt to the demands of a changing labor market.
Customized educational and training programs can develop technical and digital skills, allowing workers to move into new jobs that require advanced skills.
In addition, aseptic intelligence itself can play an important role in improving education and training.
Artificial intelligence technologies can be used to deliver customized learning experiences that meet the needs of individual learners, increasing the effectiveness of the educational process and enhancing the chances of success in acquiring new skills.
The future horizon.
Balance between technology and humanity
Despite the great challenges that AI poses, we must remember that it also represents tremendous opportunities for humanity.
Artificial intelligence can improve many aspects of our lives, from healthcare to transportation to scientific research.
To make the most of these opportunities, we must strike a balance between technological progress and human needs.
It is important to develop policies and laws that ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed fairly and equitably.
Governments must work to create an environment that encourages innovation, while at the same time providing the necessary support to workers affected by automation.
This can be achieved through financial support programs and vocational training, as well as strengthening social safety nets.
Ultimately, AI is both a challenge and a valuable opportunity.
While threatening to lose 300 million jobs, it could also open up new avenues for innovation and economic growth.
To achieve this, we must be prepared to face the economic, social and psychological challenges that this transformation poses.
By investing in education and training, and developing equitable government policies, we can ensure that the future is bright for all, where everyone benefits from the advancement of AI and no one is left behind.
At this crucial moment in human history, we must adopt a holistic approach that combines technological progress and human care, creating a world in which AI is a positive force that enhances the well-being of all.
By doing so, we can turn threats into opportunities, and cross into a better and brighter future.
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Rising isolation and less real communication breed ambivalence toward technology.

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Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
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General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
Larry Page's influence on the world and warnings of destruction
In a world dominated by technology and innovation, major companies in the technology sector are playing a crucial role in shaping the future of humanity.
One such giant is Larry Page, co-founder and former CEO of Google.
Google is one of the largest and most successful tech companies in the world, and Larry Page was behind turning it into a tech giant.
Larry Page is a symbol of innovation and the ability to change the world with technology.
Under his leadership, Google has evolved from a simple search engine into a company that offers comprehensive services and products including email, maps, operating system, cloud storage, and artificial intelligence.
Google has also expanded into other areas such as robotics, health and renewable energy, making Larry Page one of the world ’ s most important tech figures.
However, there are growing warnings of the potential negative effects of Larry Page and big tech companies ’ influence on the world.
Some point out that these companies have come to control users ’ personal data and use it to achieve their business goals, posing a threat to privacy and personal security.
Others point out that these companies control the market, obstruct fair competition and restrict innovation in the technology sector.
In addition, the potential social and economic impacts of the advancement of technology are of great concern.
For example, the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and self-employment could lead to job losses and a growing economic gap.
Increased reliance on technology can also affect the mental and social health of individuals, and may lead to increased isolation and loss of real communication between individuals.
In order to deal with these growing challenges, governments, international organizations, and technology companies must work together to develop laws and policies that regulate the use of technology and protect the rights of users and society.
Privacy, security and competition issues must be addressed in a comprehensive and fair manner, with a focus on public benefit and balancing technological development with public interests.
Moreover, big tech companies must take responsibility for their actions and promote transparency and accountability.
It must adopt initiatives that promote sustainability and balance profitability and social responsibility.
In the end, we must realize that technology has tremendous power to change the world either positively or negatively.
We must approach them with caution and awareness, working together to realize their benefits and overcome their challenges, while preserving ethical values and the rights of individuals and society.
Warnings of the destruction that Larry Page and big tech companies can cause to the world have become an important issue that the international community must confront and address, and maintaining the balance between technological progress and public interests is an important challenge that everyone must deal with in a new way.

Tech progress can de-skill workers, demanding training investment.

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Content: 【 Printing 】
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The impact of technological progress on labor and employment and countermeasures
Related LINKS http: / / www.CRNTT.com 2023-11-22 08: 22: 33
BEIJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- At present, the pace of technological change in China is accelerating, which not only has an impact on the quantitative demand of the labor force, but also puts forward new requirements on the quality of the labor force.
How to adapt to the rapid development of technology to the construction of the new impact of the new requirements of the construction of the workforce, and strive to achieve high quality and full employment in the process of solidly promoting the Chinese-style modernization, is an important task for the present and the future.
Li Changan, a professor at the National Institute of Foreign Economic and Trade University, and an expert at the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Theory and Labor Relations Think Tank, said that entering a new era, the traditional way of economic development driven by factors is changing to the way of economic development driven by technological progress, and the intensity of technological R & D investment is increasing.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that in 2022, the country invested a total of 30782.9 billion yuan in research and experimental development, an increase of 10.1% over the previous year.
China's research and experimental development funds increased from 1 trillion yuan to 2 trillion yuan in eight years, from 2 trillion yuan to 3 trillion yuan in only four years, continuing the momentum of rapid growth. With the continuous increase in investment in technological research and development, the driving force of technological progress on economic development is also gradually increasing.
According to estimates, the contribution rate of technological progress to China's economic growth has reached about 60%, becoming the first driving force of economic development.
Article analysis, the impact of technological progress on labor and employment is mainly manifested in the following aspects.
It has an impact on the number of jobs.
Technological progress has both a destructive effect on employment and a creative effect. Most of the academic community believe that in the long run, technological progress will have a positive impact on economic and social development and the improvement of the treatment of workers, and the creative effect is greater than the destructive effect; but in the short term, there may be a squeeze and replacement of the labor force by technology. Create the effect.
Second, it has an impact on employment.
On the one hand, technological progress will promote the structural transformation of employment.
From the perspective of industrial structure, the proportion of the third industry has gradually increased, and the number of service industry practitioners has continued to rise.
On the other hand, technological progress will promote the upgrading of the employment structure.
Under the downward pressure of the economy, the development of China's high-tech industries has become an important driving force for stabilizing the economy and protecting people's livelihood, and new industries and new business models have grown faster.
Wage is the most important price signal in the labor market, it is the "indicator" that guides labor flow, and the changes in wage growth also reflect the direction of changes in the industrial structure.
As wage levels rise, more and more talents are converging into the information technology and scientific research industries.
The third is to put forward higher requirements for the quality of the workforce.
In recent years, although the quality of China's labor force has greatly improved, but overall, there are still shortcomings compared with the requirements of high-quality development and industrial structure upgrading.
China's labor force is still dominated by those with secondary education, especially the overall quality of the large number of migrant workers is still low.
At the same time, in the manufacturing industry, the shortage of skilled personnel is more prominent, and the rate of recruitment of high-skilled personnel has been maintained at more than 2 for a long time.
The "recruitment difficulties" and "employment shortages" that have lasted for many years are to a large extent "recruitment difficulties" and "shortage of skilled workers".
In addition, technological progress triggered by the labor market "polarization phenomenon" is worthy of attention, flexible employment in the emergence of "de-skilling" tendency.
Fourth, technological progress has led to changes in labor relations.
Historically, technological progress in a short period of time is easy to trigger technological progress to labor and employment tension.
The development of modern technology not only may have an alternative effect on employment, but also changed the way to stabilize labor relations since the industrial revolution, and the scale of flexible labor is constantly expanding and reconstructing labor relations.
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New jobs emerge from lifestyle shifts, but only about 5% are in high‑tech fields like IT or telecom.

Start with open communication on benefits and limits; create safe spaces, track progress, and celebrate small wins.

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Empowering A New Class Of Agency Creatives

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Amber is the Co-Founder & CEO of Invisible North.

For leaders of creative agencies, the heartbeat of our success resides in our people and their ideas. Creating a balanced agency ecosystem demands that the team feels valued, supported and heard, equipped not only with the tools for their craft but also the empowerment to experiment, push boundaries and boldly innovate.

Today, a major shift is underway, marked by the integration of emerging technologies like AI and thus a fear of job security with automation. And with it, there is a persistent undercurrent—the sense among many creatives that their work is being undervalued.

As leaders steering through this transformative journey, we recognize that these new tools and processes, though intimidating, harbor the potential to spark increased creativity when truly understood and approached with intentionality. Over the years, I’ve uncovered a few tried-and-true methods to help empower teams to utilize these new tools, experiment and enhance their craft amid our evolving industry.

Create Safe Spaces

Agency leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the company narrative for their teams and uplifting them from within. It begins with fostering an environment for open communication in which team members are comfortable expressing their concerns, ideas and opinions, especially at a time when many have mixed feelings about bringing AI into the workplace.

To truly empower our communities, we must acknowledge these emotions and encourage a workplace where they can feel valued and motivated. In doing so, their best work can come to life.

We have a strong culture in our agency of show-and-tell, inspiration trips/research and challenges. If there are areas that team members want to learn about, we find time to dig into research, insights and workshops with best-in-class partners so that we can enhance collective brain trust and overcome the fear of unknown barriers to comfort and flow.

Champion Wins

In a creative field where individual expression and innovation are highly valued, it’s crucial for leaders to create an environment that fosters personal inspiration. Getting results from soup to nuts on a project is not an easy feat—so much goes into it across departments. Oftentimes, we move from one project to the next and forget to stop and celebrate the wins or embrace the learnings. By acknowledging the diverse efforts it took to bring the campaign to life, along with any new tools or methods used, you’re reinforcing the efforts needed to create success.

We use our monthly companywide newsletters, quarterly town halls and biannual all-team meetings to share individual, team and project accolades alongside other agency updates.

Embrace Change

The introduction of new technologies in any space often triggers a fear of the unknown. Teams should view these changes as catalysts rather than inhibitors. Through thoughtful integration strategies, leaders can help harness emerging technologies to enrich the creative process rather than impede it.

We’ve seen time and time again that when you curate a supportive environment to freely experiment, magic happens. It is imperative to encourage teams to explore with new tools and also hold space to share their discoveries. That’s where the real learning begins. It’s also essential to tackle any concerns or anxieties team members may have, leading with transparent communication throughout.

Foster Community

Emerging technologies will inevitably shape the way agencies and creatives approach their craft, ultimately opening new doors for how we tell stories, create experiences and personalize content. No matter the changes, the thing that must remain constant is continuing to prioritize the people who truly make the work special.

As the heartbeat of the creative process, we must protect our community above all else—recognizing their anxieties, celebrating their experimentations, championing their well-being and helping them navigate this new frontier. So, as we embrace a new year, let’s carry these principles forward into 2024—a commitment to cultivating a community that not only adapts to change but propels it. Let’s create a legacy of inspired, valued and empowered creative professionals.

Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

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Involve your supervisor and frontline users early to surface requirements and build buy‑in.

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5 Mistakes To Avoid When Replacing Your Communications Technology

After working on projects replacing hundreds of phone systems over my years as a consultant, I have noticed some common trends in the projects that are the most challenging.

Here are the top 5 most common mistakes we see when replacing a telephony system:

  1. Skipping the needs assessment. Often a move to a new telephony solution occurs when the existing system reaches end of life. In these cases, it’s easy to think that your goal in replacing your existing solution is to simply duplicate what you have. But you are missing a big opportunity for improvement.

Communication technology has changed considerably in the last few years. New solutions go beyond telephony to include collaboration tools and support multiple forms of communication. Users can move seamlessly between devices and incorporate SMS text messaging and IM in addition to voice. There are usually opportunities to improve outdated workflows caused by limitations of the old technology.

If you are looking at a replacement due to inadequacies of the existing technology, a thorough needs assessment is still a good idea. Most organizations have some percentage of power users who will benefit from higher-level “tools,” and the most successful implementations recognize these users and provide the tools to make them more effective. Standard users can benefit from enhancements such as voice mail messages in their email, and the ability to work remotely, if they don’t already have these capabilities.

It's useful to document your common user requirements in addition to the more complex special requirements. When you understand the workflows of your users and how they utilize the features in your current telephone system, it will help you select a better replacement technology.

  1. Not involving business users in the decision. When a system is selected only by the IT team, it often does not fully meet the needs of the wider group of end users. We once saw a solution selected based primarily on what would be best for enhancing the IT team’s resumes.

Including end users in your needs assessment will help to uncover both business and technical requirements. This has multiple benefits:

  1. Reveals productivity enhancements offered by mobility and collaboration capabilities not available in the current system.
  2. Uncovers communications issues. Often, we find that many user complaints can be resolved through changes in business processes.
  3. Improves system acceptance. When business users have had input into the process, they are less likely to resist adoption of the new system.

Involving business users in the selection process results in a better decision in the end, although a larger group can slow the process. Business users often help to clarify what is truly needed versus what is nice to have. They typically aren’t swayed by the coolest new toys, and offer insight into areas where true productivity gains can be achieved.

  1. No end-user communications plan. End users are much more likely to accept and adopt a new technology tool when they understand how it can benefit them. A good communication plan can go a long way in reducing resistance to the change. The best communications plans take a custom approach and target messages to specific groups of users, explaining the benefits of the new tool that are most relevant to each group.

You can download an eBook that explains the adoption and change management process in greater detail

  1. Skimping on user training. UCaaS providers typically don’t offer “classroom” training on live phones. They offer virtual classes with live instructors, recorded sessions, and train-the-trainer options. While these methods save a lot of labor for the vendors, they can be insufficient for the users. On the surface it seems OK. After all, how hard can it be to use a new phone?

But new telephony solutions bring many new capabilities that users may have never been exposed to previously. They may not know how to manage calls and features using a computer instead of the hard phone.

And there are cell phone apps, collaboration tools, and presence and status information. There may be multiple tools that offer the same capabilities. Your new tool may offer chat, or video conferencing. Which tool should they be using?

All of this complexity creates confusion for your users. If your new solution has any feature depth, then there will be complexity. In order to get full use of the new capabilities, users must be trained on them, and given guidelines on which tools are to be used.

  1. Underestimating the difficulty of porting numbers. This process can be quite dysfunctional, especially if you have been with your carrier for several years. Records can be inaccurate, and the entire process is based on this information. At times, this can be a headache (or worse). For a breakdown of common problems, check out this article

Often the process takes longer than expected, so build extra time into your process to allow for that.

For more tips and advice from people who have gone through this process, check out these sessions at Enterprise Connect:

Tuesday, March 26 | 2:00pm - 2:45pm

UCAAS CASE STUDIES: HOW YOUR PEERS MADE THE MIGRATION

Moderator: Melissa Swartz(Swartz Consulting)

Panelists: Steve Panton (Gannett Fleming), Brian Harrison (Broward College), Karen Gordon (King & Spalding)

Wednesday, March 27 | 2:00pm - 2:45pm

ENTERPRISE LEADERS SPEAK OUT: VOICE MIGRATION--CRITICAL ISSUES FOR A (STILL) CRITICAL CAPABILITY

Moderator: Melissa Swartz (Swartz Consulting)

Panelists: Scott Johnson (Cargill), Georges Habalian (HCA Healthcare), Eric Zweigbaum (Conair)

Phase adoption to reduce disruption and show value, and use trials with clear evaluation criteria to manage risk. [18].

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Content: Want a more flexible work schedule?
Here ’ s how to ask your boss.
ECONOMY
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- Many employees are in favor of flexible working after the coronavirus pandemic, while many companies are still undecided.
You may find that asking for a flexible schedule is easier now than it used to be, but that may be different when you bring it up with your boss.
Here are 5 steps on how to have a productive conversation with your boss:
1.
Identify what is important to your company and incorporate it into your application
Provide logical reasons that fit the person you are asking for and the organization and its values.
If you know that your company cares about productivity, it ’ s a good idea to show how productive you are at work, and how you can be more productive.
2.
Be clear in your request.
More flexibility for you might mean working remotely three days a week, but for your boss it could mean working from home once a week.
Therefore, proposing a trial period and conducting an evaluation after 3 months, can increase the likelihood of approval by the manager.
3.
Apply in person
Have this conversation face-to-face in person or with a video interview if possible.
Being able to see a person ’ s response and being able to respond and process things as they arise can help to communicate better.
4.
Address concerns that may arise
Be prepared to address any concerns that may make the manager hesitant about the required work schedule.
All a manager wants to know is that his employees can do their job successfully and achieve their goals as if they were working in the office.
5.
If the answer is "no"...
What are you doing?!
Getting a “no ” doesn ’ t necessarily mean you ’ ll never be able to work from home.
Try asking your boss a question like, “Do you think we can discuss this in the future? ”

Emphasize that technology complements rather than replaces people, and tie proposals to business goals and ROI. [20].

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Lessons Learned Selling Digital Transformation In A Risk-Averse Industry

Michael W. Levin, CEO and co-founder of Ideon.

In a 2018 McKinsey survey, 80% of respondents said their organizations had undertaken a digital transformation in the preceding five years.

And that was before the pandemic, which has, to say the least, accelerated such changes.

Of course it has. I’m preaching to the choir when I posit to this audience that digital change is necessary for the survival of almost any organization today, business or otherwise. That’s certainly the case for the industry in which my company operates—health insurance and employee benefits—and especially so for carriers, in part because of the rapid rise of InsurTech, which is helping to drive digital innovation throughout the industry.

And yet.

All too often, selling digital transformation within large organizations is an uphill battle. That’s especially the case at organizations in established industries—with ways of doing business that can sometimes date back decades—and is even more a truism if those organizations have a predisposition to manage risk. There are many reasons for this, of course, but three fears play a key role.

• Fear Of Change: It's human nature to favor the familiar over the unknown. We prefer what we know, even when shown a superior alternative. So it’s understandable that executives accustomed to analog processes may be wary of digital ones. There’s an entire field of study, behavioral economics, built around the status quo bias.

• Fear Of Loss: Digital transformation requires investment. And as a general rule, humans react twice as strongly to the loss of a given amount as they do to the gain of the same amount. So unless the ROI for a digital transformation project is clear and convincing, certain colleagues will tend to resist spending money.

• Fear Of Mortality: Not literally, of course. But bosses and employees alike often associate digital change with staff reductions. But even though such relationships are unclear, some executives resist change if they believe it will lead to a loss of headcount or otherwise erode positions of power.

The Way Forward

So how can an organization’s evangelizers persuade colleagues to embrace change? There’s no simple answer, but my experience over the years helping insurance organizations embrace data transparency and connected ecosystems suggests that four strategies—on their own or in combination—can help break through most institutional roadblocks:

1. Align proposed changes with business goals. Change for modernizing’s sake is one thing. Change that helps achieve already established goals is something else entirely. Good leaders are generally driven by big-picture aims. Tying digital transformation to company priorities allows evangelizers to harness existing momentum rather than requiring them to start from scratch.

2. Create your own stakeholders. Whatever their personality, human beings are much more likely to support an initiative if they feel invested in it. Quite frankly, we value something more when it's ours. And the best way to create investment in the idea of change is to involve colleagues early in the transformational journey. Ask the appropriate decision-makers or influencers for input about their problems and possible solutions. If the digital transformation you seek is the logical conclusion to that process, otherwise resistant colleagues will more likely support the idea because they had a hand in getting there.

3. Marshal your facts. Before investing resources in digital transformation, decision-makers want to know that it will pay off. Prepare information—statistics, research findings, anecdotes—on the ROI of digital transformation. Seventy-six percent of employees surveyed said having the digital tools they need makes them more productive. Additionally, Harvard Business School technologists report (paywall) that companies with the most effective digital transformations have higher net income than those with less-successful digital transformations. Data points like these can motivate leaders to prioritize tech imperatives.

4. Leverage FOMO. Regret aversion is a powerful thing. That is to say, many people are not as afraid of making a bad decision as they are afraid of feeling bad about a decision they made. It’s one reason people follow the crowd. We don’t necessarily believe that other people are smarter than we are. But many of us do believe (if only nonconsciously) that if we follow the lead of others we will have company if our decision turns out to be unwise. Regret aversion bias can be leveraged powerfully when selling digital transformation by framing a failure to adopt change as leaving an organization alone in the dark while the rest of the industry—or even its cutting-edge leaders—moves toward the light.

I know there is a reliable path to digital transformation because my firm has seen dozens of clients and partners complete such journeys. But accounting for the inevitable challenges, both structural and psychological, is key to achieving success.

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?

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Provide tailored training to demystify tools and build confidence, and appoint digital champions to mentor and shape culture. [15].

Title:

Content: From education to employment

Fostering a strong digital culture

Schools across the country have invested in tech and bought the solutions that will, in theory, end their digital woes. From Teams-based virtual classrooms to subject webpages for resource sharing, the tech is in place, but what happens next? Do staff understand how it is helping them? Do they understand the benefits to teaching and learning, planning, collaboration and streamlining workflows? Oftentimes the technology is implemented but creating the culture and skills necessary for the whole staff body to use it, needs to be driven further.

There are a few ways that schools can create that culture, but internal advocacy is one of the strongest and most effective. By establishing a ‘digital champion’, someone who is eager to explore and learn the technology and can knowledge-share with the team, schools can cultivate the skills-based digital culture they need to succeed.

Empowering school leaders and a small number of strong advocates is a key step on the road to digital maturity for any school. Here are the benefits of doing this, the pitfalls to look out for, and the steps schools can take to begin the next stage of their digital journey that comes after the technology is in place.

The value of internal digital champions

In any given school, there tends to be one or two individuals who are passionate about using digital solutions to enhance teaching and learning. These pockets of isolated individuals might use technology really well, understand it, and believe in its benefits. But that is usually where it ends. You rarely see that passion and knowledge spread any further and this puts attitudes and usage of digital solutions at risk of staying the same or stagnating.

The DfE’s recent report on digital maturity in schools found that although a strong leadership focus on technology, with a clear steer and direction from the senior leadership team on its  use was important, there were other significant factors for success. Strong staff buy-in, expertise of staff and availability of ‘technical experts’ (in other words, digital champions) also played a strong part in supporting schools to become digitally mature entities.

But teachers are busy people, to say the least. Some may have been teaching for years or even decades. If they have found a way of working that suits them, then they may question the need to change anything. So when the technology is introduced, whether it be virtual classrooms or enhanced email functionality, it might end up being ignored in favour of the path well-trodden.

Encouraging the tech-oriented members of staff to bring others up to speed with technology will expose them to the benefits of using it – after all, children are preparing now for careers that do not even exist. They are usually more adept at using new technology than their teachers, but they won’t get the exposure they need in order to be fully prepared for the jobs of the future unless their teachers can use it themselves.

So, without the individuals there to champion the use of technology and share knowledge, you won’t find an even spread of good practice across the education sector and the number of children (and staff) benefitting from it will remain low.

A vital voice for staff

Getting every stakeholder onboard can be half the battle when it comes to implementing technology in schools, and that doesn’t change once the solution is in place. Generally, when change is imposed from the top down, it becomes more likely for those affected by the change to resist or show reluctance to engage. That’s why having a digital champion is so important. This internal advocate can become the voice for staff while imparting their own knowledge of the technology available.

The DfE’s report also found that some of the less digitally mature schools thought that their staff lacked confidence to drive technology use forward in school. This tells us that increasing staff confidence in technology usage can lead to high levels of digital maturity.

What schools can do now

The first thing school leaders can do is, of course, identify the pockets of staff that have a willingness to learn and embrace new technologies and solutions. As well as the staff who have completed training and are proficient in using it on a regular basis, and the staff who believe that it enhances their teaching practices, are the ones to look for. These staff can then be used as beacons of practice, and the model could be that they then partner with a more reticent colleague. You can cultivate that passion by exposing them to extra training, perhaps run by the suppliers themselves. Some suppliers even run programmes specifically for this purpose.

The experienced digital champion, once established, will eventually be in a position where they can then go out to the other teachers in their year group, teachers in other year groups or key stages and share the knowledge they have gained. They get to organically grow the use of those products in their school. They have already seen how it can be used, and now they are ready to share that in order to cultivate a digitally focused culture amongst teaching staff at the school.

There are so many innovative digital solutions available for schools to implement. With them comes a huge opportunity to create a digitally mature staff body by spreading the knowledge and passion that you find. This is the time to take that opportunity, and use it.

By Mark Hodges, Education Sector Lead at Cantium Business Solutions

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6 Strategies To Alleviate Employees’ Fears Of AI In 2024

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The rise in AI has caused a mixture of excitement and fear as it becomes a standard part of our lives. Some say it’s a risk to civilization as we know it, while others insist it will transform the way we work, live and interact with one another. The part that is not debatable is that not only is AI not going away, it’s on the upswing. You can get that tattooed. So it’s important to develop a reasonable comfort around its use.

Is AI Coming For You Or To You?

One way to do that is to consider that AI is coming to you, not for you. The stigma and fear around the technology has caused some employees to shy away from a tool that can enhance productivity and certain mental health benefits like cognitive re-framing for anxiety. On the flip side, studies also show that workers who frequently use AI are at higher risk for burnout.

However, the opposite findings are reported in a new global survey from Sage. Out of over 1,000 HR leaders, 95% have experienced a workload increase over the last year, and 91% noted an increase in their responsibilities. Yet, instead of fearing AI usage, 77% of the respondents cite AI as having the potential to revolutionize their work processes by reducing time-consuming tasks and ultimately easing burnout.

Taylor Blake, senior vice president of new initiatives at Degreed, told me by email that there’s a lot of fear about AI, but avoiding the technology won’t make the risks go away. He explains that employees need to know what the AI tools are capable of, and they need to be experimenting. He also said that many companies want their employees to adopt this technology, adding that many workers are left wondering if AI will take their jobs in the next two years and what this means for their careers.

How Companies Can Help Assuage AI Fears

Mismanaged fear is responsible for most poor communication in organizations. It’s important that business leaders consider the psychological safety of their employees and how their mental health impacts the company’s bottom line.

The human mind is like Velcro for negativity and Teflon for positivity. Work-life’s inevitable uncertainties instantly arouse our fight-or-flight reaction. Our survival brain is constantly updating our world, making judgments about what's safe and what isn't. It will do almost anything for the sake of certainty because we’re hardwired to overestimate threats and underestimate your ability to handle them. Here is where business leaders can step in and offer a helping hand, according to the experts.

“Some companies are going all in on AI, wanting their employees to start adopting this technology, leaving employees wondering if AI will take their jobs in two years and what this means for their careers,” Blake says, adding that in this new reality, companies should be helping their employees navigate where they can best apply their skills and develop new ones simultaneously. “Many of us have the mindset that learning is something we do early in our careers, but we need to shift that to a mindset of being lifelong learners. Learning is the new competitive advantage in today’s AI-powered job market.”

According to Rick Hammell, founder and CEO of Helios, leaders play a crucial role in alleviating employees' fears of AI. He shared with me six strategies companies can implement to mitigate fear and misunderstanding

  1. Providing comprehensive education and training programs. By offering employees a deeper understanding of AI technologies, their benefits and limitations, Hammell suggests that leaders can demystify AI and address misconceptions that often fuel fear and uncertainty.
  2. Fostering open communication within the organization. Hammell believes that creating a culture where employees feel comfortable expressing their concerns about AI allows leaders to actively listen to these fears and address them with empathy and clarity.
  3. Emphasizing the concept of human-machine collaboration. Hammell advocates highlighting how AI can complement and enhance employees' skills and productivity rather than replace them. He insists that this will enable leaders to help employees see AI as a tool that can improve their work experiences.
  4. Establishing clear ethical guidelines and policies for the use of AI in the workplace. Hammell sees this as crucial in addressing common fears related to AI. He acknowledges that employees often worry about job loss, privacy concerns, skill obsolescence, bias and discrimination and a lack of control when it comes to AI. To assuage these fears, he advises that leaders reassure employees about job security by emphasizing that AI is meant to augment their work, not replace it entirely.
  5. Implementing robust data protection measures and transparent data handling practices can help address privacy concerns. Hammell recommends offering upskilling and reskilling programs to help employees adapt to the changing skill requirements in the age of AI to alleviate fears related to skill obsolescence.
  6. Promoting diversity and inclusion in AI development and deployment. Hammell argues that it is essential to address concerns about bias and discrimination. “By involving employees in the design and implementation of AI systems and providing opportunities for feedback, leaders can empower employees and help them feel more in control of AI processes,” he concludes.

A Final Wrap-Up

Companies are developing technology to help people feel more confident with the inevitable technology. A study by Genesys, for example, finds a consensus among most employees who say they don’t fear AI replacing their jobs. Only 10% of GenZ/millennials and seven percent of GenX/boomers worry about this in the long run. Instead, 23% of GenZ/millennials and 19% of GenX/boomers see its potential to make their jobs better. The study concluded that organizations should seize this opportunity to educate and train their employees on AI’s benefits.

Bill Salak, the CTO and COO of Brainly, is on a mission to ensure the country’s future workforce is well-educated and ready to wield AI properly. His company has validated its commitment to the future workforce with the launch of Test Prep, an AI-driven tool that builds good time management skills and bolsters their overall understanding of AI use. The new Brainly feature uses AI to generate personalized study experiences—boosting confidence and reducing anxiety.

The conflicting findings that are emerging around AI reflects our human inability to accept uncertainty. It shows that some workers have fear; others have appreciation, which raises the question, “Is AI a sword or a shield?” Too much or too little of anything can be harmful. In the final analysis, it’s how corporate America uses the technology to improve humanity that ultimately matters.

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