Every major invention has been the result of a problem that required a solution to be applied. We carry this legacy into the present, but we now think about it on a global level. Today, we think about whether we can take on climate change, improve healthcare, or increase access to education, and we prioritize these objectives in a way that identifies that innovation has begun to mean being sustainable and inclusive of all of the world’s future citizens.
Technology is no longer simply a tool for more efficient daily living, but is now humanity’s most powerful tool for building the world we seek. Getting back to healthcare, people are using artificial intelligence to help doctors and patients diagnose earlier and more accurately. The best portable technologies empower people to monitor their own health in real time. Data farming practices are helping farmers gain more yield while using less water and energy. Smart grids and renewable energy production are targeting waste and closure to sustainability. These innovations show that when applied deliberately, technology can help solve some of our most wicked problems.
The potential for technology to scale massively is one of its most significant advantages. In some cases, one big idea is all it takes to reach millions of lives in a matter of months. No longer do charitable, social purpose startups have to languish at the incubator stage of development, with cloudy visions of eventual scale. Cloud computing and digital platforms provide the ideal conditions for startups to scale more quickly than ever before, getting fresh ideas to the audiences that need them the most, rapidly. Nation-states and corporations are increasingly recognizing the importance of developing partnerships between the public and private sectors, as the quickest way to realize progress. The ability to work together around the globe, once a limitation of innovative developments, is now an ideal contributor to innovation, moving what once may have been a local solution into a global movement.
Of course, with all this potential comes the expectation to innovate ethically. With advancement should come equal considerations for fairness, privacy, and transparency. The future of technology is reliant on trust; trust from users in systems and trust from the organizations that work to build them. The integration of human values into our digital systems is the only way to sustainable progress. There is always a different way to practice, and those companies that are prioritizing ethical innovation are not just creating products, they’re creating legacies.
The future of innovation will not be measured by speed, but by purpose. Achievements will not just be measured in profit or market share, but the impact of technology on our society and the positive change it brings. The true measure of innovation is the impact on people and the planet. As we stand on the cusp of progress and responsibility, one thing is certain is that technology isn’t just going to define the future; it is going to define a better tomorrow for us all.