ICT professional’s duty of care in protecting everyone in the fourth industrial revolution

Event report

[Read more session reports from the WSIS Forum 2018]

The moderator, Ms Moira de Roche of International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), explained what IFIP IP3, which she chairs, represents. IP3 is a project by IFIP charged with fostering professionalism in IT worldwide. To achieve this, IFIP IP3 is looking into building trust with other organisations devoted to creating a sound global IT profession.

Mr Stephen Ibaraki, IFIP IP3 vice-chair of strategic relations, gave an introduction to Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Ibaraki gave a short overview of new technologies and trends. Quantum computing is overtaking classical capabilities and it is needed to create innovations. Global investments in innovations are growing. In 2017, $164.4 billion was invested globally via 11,042 deals. Society now demands that companies make a positive contribution to society. In 2021, 50% of global GDP will consist of the digital economy. The current 20 billion IoT (Internet of Things) devices will grow to 40 billion in 2022. The market value of cryptocurrencies in 2018 is already $500 billion to $1 trillion, and blockchain is disrupting the global banking system with payments, clearance and settlement systems, fundraising, securities, and loans and credit. In 2021, $218 billion will be invested in robots and drones compared to $103 billion in 2018. One billion users already create augmented reality content and the revenue will be $1 billion by 2020.

Ibaraki then presented key areas of interest in 2017: artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), big data/cloud/IoT, cybersecurity, biometrics, future of financial technology (fintech), future of work, and financial inclusion. He also shared the areas of interest he considers will be relevant in 2019: quantum computing, privacy/data, identity, regulatory technology (regtech), policy, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), new customer experience. Ibaraki explained that AI is at the heart of Industry 4.0, and that it can disrupt the sustainable development goals (SDGs). AI is disrupting business because human cognition is being replaced or enhanced by AI/ML. AI is heating up across every industry, Ibaraki highlighted, emphasising that AI can help not only developed countries, but also developing countries. Presently, China gains the most from AI, where the impact of AI is 26.1% of GDP, and it dominates global AI funding. Cybersecurity questions are arising from new trends and new technologies: Who will protect the users? What do cybersecurity risks entail? Who will manage the risks of AI/ML, Iot, and Big Data? Ibaraki also wondered how partnerships for ethical and trustworthy computing can be made.

Elaborating on the subject of trust, De Roche stated that the Internet was built for a society without trust, where unforeseen circumstances compound rapidly. Each attack or malfunction is followed by an erosion of trust. Trust, De Roche pointed out, is a multidisciplinary concept that requires security, safety, reliability, and usability. Trust is two-sided: producers and service providers cannot guarantee that creation, maintenance, and use are safe if their employees are not professional and ethical, while consumers/end-users cannot evaluate provider security as they are often uninformed. Many consumers are ready to share bad experiences and 89% have stopped doing business with a company after a bad experience. Duty of care is needed on both sides, which is why IFIP launched the IFIP Duty of Care for Everything Digital Initiative (iDOCED) to remind and support both providers and consumers of digital products and services that they have a duty of care in ensuring that they act responsibly in relation to the digital world. iDOCED concerns individuals, community, the corporate sector, and government. What are needed for Duty of Care to function are assurance of skills and knowledge of service providers, responsive (reacting quickly and positively) and reliable (consistently good in quality of performance, able to be trusted) leadership, an understanding of the contributions of ICT to the economy, and education of consumers in order to give them more power.

By Andrijana Gavrilović