The Impact of Human Augmentation on Business and Society in 2020

The year 2020 was marked by significant advancements in computing technology that transformed how businesses operate and interact with their environments. High on the list was human augmentation. This trend showcases how technology can enhance human capabilities, from physical improvements to cognitive enhancements. Let's explore the top 10 tech trends for 2020 and their impact.

Top 10 Tech Trends for 2020

Gartner's report on the top 10 tech trends for 2020 emphasizes the importance of strategic technology planning. These trends are categorized into people-centric spaces and smart spaces.

People-Centric Spaces

Hyper-automation: The application of advanced technologies to automate more processes and augment human resources. Multiple Experiences: How people perceive, interact with, and control the digital world through sensory devices and touchpoints. Democratization: Simplifying the model for people to consume digital systems and access automated expertise. Human Augmentation: Using technology to increase physical, cognitive, and sensory capabilities. Transparency and Traceability: Ensuring data privacy and digital ethics through transparent technology design.

Smart Spaces

Empowered Edge: Edge computing, processing data closer to the source, enhancing smart spaces. Distributed Cloud: Cloud services distributed across various locations, including edge devices, to meet user needs. Autonomous Objects: Physical objects with enhanced abilities to perceive, interact, and manipulate their environment. Blockchain in Practice: Leveraging blockchain for real-world business applications. AI Security: Ensuring the security of AI-powered systems driving people-centric trends.

Human Augmentation: Enhancing Human Capabilities

Human augmentation involves enhancing human abilities through technology. This trend has two main categories: Physical Augmentation and Cognitive Enhancement.

Physical Augmentation

Sensory Augmentation: Devices to improve perception, like VR, mixed reality, and smart lenses. Organs and Biological Functions: Implants to replace or enhance human organs, such as cochlear implants and smart lenses for vision. Enlargement of the Brain: Brain implants for memory storage and decoding neural patterns. Genetic Augmentation: Somatic gene therapies to improve human biological functions.

Cognitive Enhancement

Using technology and applications to improve cognitive skills, such as decision-making through AI collaboration. Physical augmentations that improve the human brain's capabilities, including smart drugs and brain implants.

Cultural and Ethical Aspects

As human augmentation becomes more prevalent, businesses and societies must consider several cultural and ethical issues. These include:

Security

Ensure that augmentation technologies maintain safety and security, especially as these technologies can travel with the human.

Private Life

Protect the intimate knowledge and data that might be accessed through augmentations.

Compliance

Adhere to government and regulatory regulations, which can be complex due to the evolving nature of these technologies.

Impact on Health

Understand the long-term mental and physical consequences of human augmentation.

Ethics

Evaluate the ethical implications, especially regarding fairness and the digital divide.

Principles for Human Augmentation

To navigate these issues, businesses should consider the precautionary and pro-shareholder principles:

Precautionary Principle

Proceed with innovation but ensure it does not endanger individuals or the environment.

Pro-Shareholder Principle

Evaluate risks and opportunities based on available scientific data, ensure proportional measures, and protect people's freedom to innovate.

In conclusion, human augmentation is a transformative technology that offers exciting possibilities. However, it requires careful consideration to ensure it benefits all societies equally. As we move forward, companies must balance innovation with ethical and safety considerations to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future.