Written by Adesanya Adekunle, Year 11 (2017)
Since the dawn of time, man has sought to gain dominion and mastery over his surroundings. One of the many ways our species has managed to do this is through technological development. Like a raging hurricane, we’ve toppled obstacles in our paths and moved mountains through nothing but sheer force of will and the power of invention. Today however, we face a dilemma. With the advent of the Age of Information, we have to stop and think – could our technology, our nigh-omnipresent aid, contribute to the downfall of the common man? And if it one day does, how can we equip ourselves before it happens?
Despite the advances made in the IT field, many remain oblivious to the exponential growth it inflicts on the world.Technological advances show people a more efficient way to do things, and these processes get results. For example, education has been greatly advanced by the technological advances of computers. Students are able to learn on a global scale without ever leaving their classrooms. Agricultural processes that once required dozens upon dozens of human workers can now be automated, thanks to advances in technology, which means cost-efficiency for farmers.
Medical discoveries occur at a much more rapid rate, thanks to machines and computers that aid in the research process and allow for more intense educational research into medical matters. Genetic research allows for disease to be literally edited out of genes and homes can now be controlled by the press of a button via the Internet of Things.
What’s more, technology has gotten to the point that humanity is using it to create Artificial Intelligence [AI], technology built to do the jobs of humans in ways far better than the constraints of our bodies would allow. Today, AI is at a point where it can judge court cases correctly with 95% accuracy, make paintings indistinguishable from human art, and even build more of its own kind.
While our new tools are quite advantageous,they can be indirectly harmful to society. Humans have been replaced so much that countries are now considering that the common man among others may need to be paid just for being alive. It is anticipated that in just 20 years, technology will reach the point of being equal to or more intelligent than humans. To retain our mastery over technology, it seems essential to learn IT related skills in this day and age – and indeed it is.
Having skills in Information Technology greatly increases one’s life and employability. Studies show that a large number of employers look for computer related skills in their workers. Why? Because they realize that the people that work for them need to be adaptable to modern technology in order to boost efficiency. Today,employers look for people who understand the world’s direction; where it’s headed. Understanding technology and the ability to use it is a crucial part of advancement in society. Sooner or later,humans are going to be replaced by systems that work ten times better than us – will you be ready to compete?