Global convergence of ICT

How can the global convergence of information and communications technologies work for everyone?

Short Overview

The race is on to complete the global nervous system of civilization and make supercomputing power and artificial intelligence (AI) available to everyone. Humanity, the built environment, and ubiquitous computing are becoming a continuum of consciousness and technology reflecting the full range of human behavior, from individual philanthropy to organized crime.

Advances in IBM's Watson and TrueNorth, Google’s personal AI, Microsoft’s cloud computing, Big Data analytics offered by many, and the Internet of Things (IoT) will make the world much smarter than today. Making sure everyone gets access to the Internet are powers such as Google with its Loon project (high altitude communications balloons) and a team at internet.org led by Facebook. Projects to understand the human brain that are underway in the EU, US, and China are expected to improve human and machine intelligence. Google and Wikipedia are already making the phrase "I don't know" obsolete.

As the cost of computers and smart phones continues to fall, and capacity and ease of use increases, even remote and less developed areas are beginning to participate in this emerging globalization. Collaborative systems, social networks, and collective intelligences are self-organizing into new forms of transnational democracies that address issues and opportunities. New forms of civilization are beginning to emerge from this worldwide convergence of minds, information, and technology. This is giving birth to unprecedented international conscience and action, augmenting conventional techniques for global improvement. New systems are being invented to address increasing complexity that has grown beyond hierarchical management. Open source software, open content, and the Internet’s non-ownership model (no one owns the Internet) may become a significant element in the next economic system.Versions of Windows 10 are intended to connect IoT from HoloLens augmented-reality goggles to imbedded systems in cars and conference walls. Urban life is being transformed by augmented reality – information about your surroundings communicated via your smart phone and eyeglasses.