The world is at War. And no – I don’t mean against space aliens, or even robots – at least not yet. What I am discussing is the mind-bending changes occurring in technology which will usher in a dramatic restructuring in ways that we live, work & play.
Books like Klaus Schwab’s “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” and “Brynjolfsson & McAfee’s “The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies” (must reads), lift the veil on a new age where every aspect of our lives is impacted by digital technology & the Internet of Things becomes the Internet of Everything.
The battle is being waged across the globe by regions large and small, each attempting to own a piece of the digital economy whose impact is greater than the asteroid which hit the Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago & is credited with wiping out the dinosaurs. From Silicon Valley in California to Shenzhen, China – software and hardware is being rethought, remodeled, and reconfigured at light speeds in the cloud. This is creating new products that lead to ever more changes leaving old industries gasping for breath – much like an industrial collapse reminiscent of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction.
Just last week the NYT reported on Chattanooga’s efforts to revision itself as a tech hub, riding a platform of high-speed broadband and cool innovation centers that are all part of its 140-acre Innovation District. Chattanooga understands that its future is tied to the new economy and its ability to attract the young talent focused like never before on relentlessly changing the world. For more on their efforts CLICK HERE.
And then it was announced with great fanfare that Uber plans to radically alter the transportation landscape in Pittsburgh with hundreds of thousands of self-driving cars. Why Pittsburgh? In part because they have masterfully transitioned from the steel industry to autonomous vehicle technology fueled by Carnegie Mellon University, Uber and the wave of engineering talent swarming to work in this emerging industry.
What does this have to do with us here in Tampa? Everything. Our ability to compete with Silicon Valley or for that matter Chattanooga & Pittsburgh depends on our willingness to compete & engage in life-altering technologies. If a Chattanooga or Pittsburgh can compete – we certainly can and should. Our very economic existence depends upon it. That’s my Byte for Now.