Technology is increasing crop yields, saving the lives of those who die from overdosing on narcotic drugs, and even creating new body parts from patients’ own cells.
Behind all these achievements are the methods of artificial intelligence and artificial life. These are just a few examples of technologies that improve human health, prosperity, and the environment.
Various studies have shown that artificial intelligence can accelerate the pace of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 80 percent.
Over the next decade, the U.S. government and private sector are going to invest $3.5 trillion in emerging technologies. These technologies include, among others, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, synthetic biology and biotechnology, as well as innovations in telecommunications and clean energy.
“We’re using technology not just for the good of our people and our friends, but for the good of all of humanity,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the RSA Conference of Cybersecurity Experts in San Francisco. “He called the U. S. efforts” technology for well-being, “focusing on supporting global prosperity while reducing the risk of abuse.
How will Technology affect you in the future?
Artificial Biology
Blinken visited a California company that is developing a number of key drugs, including Narcan, by taking advantage of synthetic biology. Remember that Narcan has the status of an antidote in the treatment of people using excessive narcotic drugs and has saved countless human lives so far. “We want to see more and more use of biotechnology for such purposes.
U.S. companies are also working on modifying genes to make antibiotic drugs that bacteria can’t neutralize. In addition, American companies are also working on developing tissues or fibers and organs. Some companies are also using biomass to develop alternatives to fossil fuels that will reduce emissions of polluting gases.
A New York-based company recently transplanted the cells of a woman with congenital hearing loss into her second ear.
Apps and Computers
Through a smartphone app developed in a research lab at the University of Pennsylvania, farmers can create pictures of damaged crops and compare them with a database of more than 100,000 plants and diseases with the help of AI. This helps them to identify pests and diseases which in turn can increase their agricultural productivity by growing healthy crops.
American innovators are also developing computer technology to help solve urgent problems. In the future, “quantum computing” will be able to predict whether crops will be able to produce food as needed or whether airlines will be able to immediately reroute their aircraft to avoid severe storms.
Avoiding the Risks
Rapid innovation brings with it risks. Paula Galvez-Callergos, from Peru, says that while AI can remove language barriers and increase access to important resources, it can also bring fake, biased or extremist content. Addressing the Summit for Democracy in Seoul recently, he said that the youth of the world must play their part in ensuring the safe development of AI.
“Protecting democracy and setting safeguards for AI is [everyone’s] shared responsibility,” Galvez Calergos said. Governments should not be left alone in this task.
In California this week, Blinken announced the U.S. cyberspace and digital strategy to ensure the safe development of technology. The U.S. government has set reliable AI guidelines within the country and has worked with technology companies to test the security of technology products. While in the outside world, the basic guidelines of the United States have been adopted by the Group of Seven countries and in light of them, a UN resolution has been prepared with multi-country support.
“Even the most visionary of us certainly don’t know what the future of technology will look like, or how emerging technologies will be used,” Blinken said. Working together, we can turn this extraordinary moment into a future that reflects our best values.