“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe,
the mind can achieve.”
Napolean Hill
Disruptive technology is an innovation that remarkably alters the way that consumers, industries, or businesses operate. A disruptive technology lays to rest existing systems or usage with characteristics that are noticeably superior.
I remember my days as a kid. Television was not in vogue in India, then. Radio used to be the major source of information, be it listening to news, sports commentaries or enchanting music. My grandfather, a learned man, did tell me that, there will be a day when one would be able to see action unfolding on the screen in a box inside our homes. Lo and behold! TV became common in a decade. Someone then prophesised that a day would not be far off that TV’s would one day be hung on a wall. That too became a reality with LCD/LED screens, HDMI cables and other paraphernalia.
History has it that disruptive technology signalled the end of telegraphs due to telephones, traditional encyclopaedias to Wikipedia, Mainframe Computers to Mini Computers and they in turn to Personal Computers which in turn to Smart Phones, Data Storage Tapes to Diskettes to CD’s to USB Flash Drives, Light Bulbs to LED’s, CRT to LCD/LED Screens, Vacuum Tubes to Transistors, Metal to Plastic, Music organs to synthesisers, Rental Videos to Streaming Videos, Photographic films to Digital imagery, Typewriters to Word-processors/PCs and so on.
Today, some of us feel that we have seen it all! When I was reading about the recent introduction of a Microchip into the brain of a pig, a project by Elon Musk, I will not be surprised if one will be able to read the thoughts of another man in the near future. Emerging technologies like AI, 3D Printing, IOT, Gene Therapy, Cancer Vaccines, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Stem Cell Therapy etc. are going to create a massive impact sooner than later.
Due to the rapidly evolving technology, we have started believing in things that we did not, until just a few years back. Exciting times lie ahead of us. One of my school mates who recently did his MS in AI from Berkley keeps saying that human race is at the crossroads. The technological singularity—also, simply, ‘the singularity’ is a hypothetical point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unanticipated changes to human civilization. That is predicted to happen around 2045.
Most of us will be alive at that point in time. Our grandparents lived a care free life. Our generation is continuing to witness incredible changes. What is in store for the next generation? Only time will tell! Indeed, Change has never been more constant. Let’s prepare ourself to embrace the change. Bring it on….
by
Syam S, Partner, Theia New Consultancy