Enterprise, Education & Technology. A Marriage in Midlife Crisis?

Month one of 2018 is almost complete, so we’re taking attendance on who recognizes the relationship status with Enterprise and Education – specifically how Technology is dancing independently and fiercely with the tech 4.0 movement “an end-to-end industrial transformation.”

“What makes it all the more fascinating (and at first sight complex) is that convergence of two worlds which have been disconnected thus far: Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) with the hyper-connected digital industry, the bridging of digital and physical, cyber-physical production systems and the Industrial IoT as parts (and names) that describe this fourth industrial revolution.” i-scoop

The future is now, right now.

So, how does this unique balance effect ‘now’ and the future of our global reality?

Let’s call-out some hot trends gracing our screens and affecting the daily grind; With a closer look at how quickly our grasp on technology is ever-changing, noting how these industries are adjusting to constant change.

•      At this very moment, Augmented Reality is expected to go mainstream.
•      Analysts also anticipate banks will derive over $1 billion annually from Blockchain based cryptocurrencies within the next two years, while mobile payment volumes in China already exceeding $5 trillion annually.
•      Facebook just purchased a Boston-based identity tech mogul, and IoT (aka BIoT) is influencing like an algorithm gone wild.
•      Pay attention… blink and you’ll miss the headlines.

Boldly stated… Technology is narrowing the margin and our grip on reality.

Whereas Enterprise has embedded itself into technology since the beginning, (think of the garage days ala Jobs and Wozniak)… certain factors are developing far past the point of growing pains. The prepubescent phase is complete, now in full-blown “Tech-Adulting.” It’s as though Enterprise fast-tracked directly to a Midlife Crisis.

Tesla is about to get wings,

Cars are driving themselves,

& Grocery Stores are suddenly being managed by… Machines.

Downtown Seattle, Amazon Go. 

“The futuristic grab-and-go market represents a test of new technology that could soon spread nationwide, as Amazon and other grocery giants seek to win business from shoppers craving selection, ease, and speed.” – Chicago Tribune

Machine learning algorithms are front and center with Amazon’s flagship “Just Walk Out” technology. Touting the same techniques found in self-driving cars, computer vision and face recognition, with image-processing-technology used in Facebook photo-tags.

We’ve undoubtedly hit the ‘Jetsons era’ of our generational experiences. It’s wild to accept our present-day reality, heavily echoing iconic childhood cartoons. Who would have thought? Astro surely knew. 

Education on the other hand, is getting slam-dunked with sudden change, happening faster than teachers can sharpen their pencils. For academics and book-worms alike, the Edu space is jumping from infancy to the mid-life crisis point, pushing the industry at large into a space of implosion, factors aplenty.  Budget cuts, security alarmists and political scrutiny the chosen few. On the upside, sudden change creates immediate opportunity.

Purdue University, Indiana. 

“Today, technology enables forms of communication and collaboration undreamt of in the past. Students in a classroom in the rural U.S., for example, can learn about the Arctic by following the expedition of a team of scientists in the region, read scientists’ blog posting, view photos email questions to the scientists, and even talk live with the scientists via video-conference.” -Purdue University

Purdue makes a great point. The classrooms of today, actually do not differ that much from yesteryear.  Pointing out a 14th-century illustration of medieval Italy depicts some students engaged in the lesson from the teacher at the podium, others not. Classrooms today do not look much different, with students focusing on smart-phones or tablets, books or stone slates.

Luckily, tech in both spaces will answer the call, and as the two dance at a different tempo, we can follow the trends in both education and enterprise to gauge worldly acceptance.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

–Nelson Mandela

It’s exciting. It’s revolutionary. It’s reality. It’s happening. Collectively, we shall educate ourselves and get down with the enterprise of this shift.

Just like any midlife crisis, quick and drastic lifestyle changes are made. A feeling of youthfulness, opportunity, sudden ambition is discovered. The industries and institutions that adapt to the ever-evolving changes of the tech 4.0 revolution will keep themselves from having a true midlife crisis regarding the IoT. The key will be graciously accepting our new role as collective futurists. 

Ready for the ride?

Written By: Chelsie Foster

@collaajcorp  @iscoopbiz @tesla @amazon @LifeAtPurdue @chicagotribune @HBcartoons @Forbes

Colab: Kati Mac