Categories
Technology

The pros and cons of work automation

Technology advances rapidly and generates changes, especially in the workplace. There are those who say that automation will bring more work and others who say that the possibility of getting one will decrease.

The future of work is directly linked to the accelerated advancement of technology, which increasingly presents more devices and machines to make people’s lives easier. But at what point can this represent the disappearance of work for people?

Beyond the benefits that have brought humanity, for example, the invention of the printing press or the appearance of the Internet, technology has also been responsible for the reduction of labor in carrying out certain tasks. In the Industrial Revolution, to give an example, the work of people was replaced by looms and other machines, which gave rise to mass production and a new type of worker, the worker, and allowing the growth of trade and therefore consumption, which generated new jobs.

Another not so distant example – it will be half a century old in 2017 – is the electronic teller machine, an invention by Scotsman John Sheperd-Barron, which not only allows money to be withdrawn from banks without having to be attended by a person, but also generated its own demand by offering new services, that is, the possibility of withdrawing at any time, even when the bank is closed.

Like these, many other inventions and technological developments continue to appear and somehow open up the debate about whether they put the traditional jobs we know at risk. Today the main fear lies in automation, that robots or androids do many of the tasks that men do, because as the economist Andrew McAfee pointed out in his TED talk, what will our jobs of the future be like? “Our machines have begun to show abilities that they had never shown before: they understand, speak, listen, see, respond, write… and they don’t stop acquiring new ones”.

See Andrew McAfee’s full talk at:
https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew-mcafee-what-will-future-jobs-look-like?language=es

However, the outlook is not so clear because at the same time that some jobs will be automated or will disappear, especially those related to transportation, logistics and administrative work – according to the study “The future of employment”, published in 2013 by Carl Benedikt Frey. and Michael A. Osborne, from the University of Oxford–, others will be created, mainly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, that is, they will be linked to the digital world, artificial intelligence, robotics and 3D printing, which requires staff to create and design, among other things, objects such as organs or human prostheses that fit the patient correctly.

From this, two positions can be found about work in the future:

Robots as a source of work

 


Those who defend this position, 52% of those consulted by the Pew Research Center, say that although there will be more machines and robots that carry out many of the jobs of man, they will need someone to design them, build them, maintain them and I repaired them.

Vint Cerf, considered one of the fathers of the internet, believes that there is no reason to be alarmed because “historically, technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed and there is no reason to think that the same thing will not happen this time.” Therefore, in the manufacture of robots, skilled workers such as engineers and programmers and unskilled workers such as assemblers will be required.

Another argument of this group of experts is the existence of jobs that can never be automated, such as all those that involve creativity, innovation, the ability to synthesize and solve problems. An example of this is the series: although producers such as Netflix or Marvel already incorporate Big Data to find out what the audience likes, they cannot do without producers and scriptwriters, since these are the ones with the capacity and talent to create and tell stories.

And in this David Hughes, an expert in telecommunications, agrees, who says that “as much as robotics and artificial intelligence advance, the human hand will continue to be necessary on a large scale.”

And J. P. Gownder, a contributor to the Forrester Report 2025: Working Together with Robots, joins this position. For him, “the future of work is not going to be as dire as some predict”, the challenge will be in the transformation that companies make so that humans and robots work together.

Ultimately, in this position they consider that the insertion of robots into the labor market will allow employees to have more time for other functions, since they will no longer be in charge of mechanical and repetitive tasks, in addition, it will help them enhance their abilities to respond efficiently to the demands of the environment.

Generation of business models, book written by Yves Pigneur and Osterwalder.

Photo taken from: House of the Book

According to a study published in 2013 by the University of Oxford, in the next 20 years around 700 current jobs will be performed by machines, which means that 47% of the economically active population may lose their job.

The authors, Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne, point out that “the fusion of robotics, information technology and artificial intelligence is going to have a devastating impact on the labor market” and, according to them, it will happen both in the industrialized and developing countries.

Among the trades most at risk of being automated are bank or supermarket tellers, travel agents, farmers, and those related to transportation and construction, while “jobs that require creativity, social intelligence, and a high level of complexity or dexterity are not in as much danger”, says Osborne.

“Companies have to start negotiating a new relationship between humans and robots, in which the two work together, instead of becoming mere substitutes.”

J.P. Gownder.

 

Another of the standard-bearers of this position is the American economist Andrew McAfee, who assures that we are creating “the era of the new machine” and this brings with it several challenges:

– So that robots do not take all jobs, he says, entrepreneurship must be encouraged and educational systems guarantee people the acquisition of appropriate skills to face these changes.

– As there will be more and less technology and less work, “more radical interventions” should be considered, such as a guaranteed minimum income for all people, since the middle class will be the most threatened, which will create greater inequality.

Lastly, in a report presented by the Pew Research Center, which gathers the opinion of more than 1,800 experts in technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and new technologies, 48% agree with McAfee’s idea that robots will cause more inequality, since As some jobs are automated and others are not, the purchasing gap will grow.

Given this panorama of job destruction, Justin Reich, a member of the Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, believes that “the jobs that remain are going to pay less and are going to be more temporary than the ones we have now. The middle class is going to collapse.

Categories
Security

Blockchain for what?

Beyond cryptocurrencies, data encryption is the source of successful business models in the world and could revolutionize security in social networks.

Cadena works on blockchain development through its applied innovation laboratory Cadena Labs and in alliance with the Spanish company Kolokium.
1

For secure and reliable transactions and contracts: through data encryption and execution of contracts and automatic transactions without human interaction on a platform. Avoid fraud, censorship or interference from third parties and allows you to create markets, store debt records and move funds. An example: www.ethereum.org

2

To follow traces in logistics and advertising: it allows monitoring delivery, supervising the supply chain, redesigning workflows with better indicators of transparency and reducing fraud and execution times without intermediaries. An example: http://kolokium.es

3

For accounting books: with the exchange of information through open source and value between machines, under the so-called Internet of Things, with tax-free transactions. An example: www.iota.org

4

To manage medical data: Allows you to encrypt patient information and exchange medical procedures across devices securely. An example: MediChain Medical Big Data Platform, https://medichain.online/es

5

Collect funds in cryptocurrencies: for payments and donations, it allows you to collect funds, encrypt them and transfer them without costs associated with international transfers and taxes. Two examples: www.bitgivefoundation.org and www.buda.com

Could blockchain revolutionize social networks? Read this Cointelegraph article

 

Categories
Operations

The metaverse: a world of opportunities for your company

Immersive technologies like virtual reality or augmented reality today allow us to experience many possibilities in the metaverse, and your company cannot be left behind. We tell you how your brand can enter this world.

And what is the metaverse?

It is a real world in virtuality, where you can interact with other people through different devices and platforms that make you feel that you are immersed in this reality.

Unlike video games, the metaverse is not intended to be a fantasy world, but a kind of alternate reality. For its part, it also gives companies the possibility of creating new forms of relationship with their audiences and expanding their business opportunities.

How is the experience?

Once you create your avatar, you can go to the concert of your favorite singer on the other side of the world, attend a wedding with 10,000 people, buy a house and even have digital pets; It is a parallel world where these and more things can come true.

Taking this range of options into account, companies and brands are also challenged to start thinking about how their presence could be in this new scenario, which is already a reality where, day by day, they can be creators and protagonists.

How can my company enter the metaverse?

Define your objectives, hypotheses and findings to be resolved taking into account the purpose of your business.
 
2 Study in depth the segment of the public that you want to impact through the metaverse to give practicality to the actions that you are going to develop.
 
3 Research which  type of metaverse  best suits your needs.
 
4 Come up with a creative idea that is coherent and consistent with your brand.
 
5 Accompany the technology area of ​​your company to develop the software and codes necessary for the experience.
 
6 Review the economic possibilities in the metaverse. Get advice from your legal and financial area to have a legal and transparent process.

Being a developing world, there can be many security gaps. Take into account the Habeas Data Law and take care of the information of your users.

Experiences that your brand can implement in the metaverse

Depending on your strategic objectives, there are multiple possibilities for your business to be linked in this world. Here we give you some examples:

  • Showrooms:  you can show your products in a different and immersive way.
  • Training for sales and maintenance teams:  you can now connect your team by this means to train them and learn more about the company’s products.
  • 3D data and analysis:  place your products more strategically to improve their sales (for example, with real-time heat maps to measure the behavior of your consumers).
  • Customize and configure:  provide customization opportunities for your product to generate a close, differentiating, and creative experience.
  • Gamification in e-commerce:  your customers do not have to travel to your facilities to see your product first-hand and dynamically.
  • Alliances:  you can collaborate with allies that are outside your target, but that can help you generate a different position.
  • Investments in virtual goods:  you can purchase goods such as lots or virtual yachts.
This is a universe under construction, therefore, there is still no jurisprudence for the registration of trademarks or copyrights.

5 Colombian companies that have entered the metaverse

Offcorss:  the children’s fashion brand used augmented reality to launch its collection at the latest edition of the Colombiatex de las Américas fair. People could dress up their avatars and try on how the clothes fit.

Pony Malta:  the company launched Cryptoamor within the framework of Valentine’s Day in partnership with  DDB , a campaign that sought to convert real love stories of its consumers into  tokens .

Bouquet:  the company established an alliance with  Buda.com  to launch the first crypto cake that not only had slices of cake, but also came with a code to redeem in Bitcoin (five dollars redeemable in cryptocurrencies).

Sajú:  This brand launched the Sajú Experience, which allows consumers to convert plastic waste into the glasses of their choice in just 20 minutes.

Antonio Nariño University:  created an interactive 3D portal for its virtual campus, which integrates 360 panoramic tours through various spaces of its headquarters.

Related questions

In general, in virtual reality everything we see is created and developed using a computer and, in the case of augmented reality, what we see are virtual objects that are superimposed on the real environment.

Augmented reality uses the camera of a mobile device adding additional information to the surroundings, allowing the user to interact with the real world and experience.

It is a data visualization technique that shows the areas that arouse the most interest on a web page. The color variation can be by tone or intensity, making the reading of the phenomenon on the space in question obvious.

They are the digital representation of a unit of value issued by a person or private company, with a function similar to a currency, but with many more uses, since it can represent any fungible and negotiable asset. Unlike coins, they are not legal tender.

Categories
Operations

Cybersecurity in the metaverse

The metaverse is possibly one of the biggest revolutions of the moment, with an exponential volume of business for the next few years. This, however, also brings new cybersecurity risks. We tell you everything you need to know.

Aspects of technology such as security have made companies around the world join forces to cooperate, such as the implementation of  https  on websites or the spread of two-step verification, measures that improve the  user experience .

The same should happen with the metaverse: each company develops its own technologies and virtual worlds, but when talking about security, they must agree.

In order for the metaverse to be  a safe virtual space  that facilitates interaction between people from all over the world  without fear of being deceived or scammed, we must propose adequate policies from the birth of this new technology.

Why might there be greater risk appetite in the metaverse?

Any connection to a digital network poses a security risk, especially now that these virtual universes have their own characteristics.

Access to the metaverses is done through virtual and augmented reality devices such as glasses, helmets and mobile applications. The data they collect goes beyond  cookies , location, age, gender or nationality.

Now biometric data is also obtained: facial expression, voice, fingerprints, body movements and physiological responses to stimuli. There’s even an avatar customization engine based on user photos that creates 3D replicas of people, places, and objects.

In this way, the experience in the metaverse would be as personalized as possible, but what would happen if outside entities or people could access this highly sensitive data with malicious intent?

5 risks that the users of my company can have in the metaverse

The risks that have generated the most concern so far are: 

1 Data extraction.
 
2 Digital identity theft to obtain our most sensitive information.
 
3 Privacy issues, because this right may conflict with the need for security.
 
4 Scams about digital currencies that are the basis of the economy in these universes.
 
5 Greater relevance of  Smart Contracts , which implies greater attention when accepting the terms and conditions of the platforms.

What challenges and measures must my company assume to enter the metaverse?

Metaverse platforms are likely to generate entirely new data streams with the potential to improve authentication, locate suspicious or malicious activity, or even revise cybersecurity to help human analysts make in-the-moment decisions.

Among the measures that must be adopted in this area, the following must be guaranteed:

Confidentiality:  ensuring that only authorized actors can access the data and that no one has access to the information during its transmission over the network.

Transparency:  creating  a rating system  so that society knows what the position of each company is in maintaining reliability and security, and requiring member companies to hire someone  responsible for this .

Integrity:  establish protocols to protect the information, avoiding any modification or destruction of it and guaranteeing the authenticity of the data, with aspects such as the immutability and traceability of the information, the quality of the data and the use of smart contracts.

Availability:  ensuring the services of the metaverse 24 hours a day, making its operations resilient to possible attacks or failures in the infrastructure.

What can we conclude?

C ompanies have not had a great record of  consumer  protection since the internet existed ; For this reason,  security in the metaverse will require more  than just a bunch of tech companies that promise to take care of us.

If we don’t adopt these policies early on, the metaverse will fail or turn into a chaotic new society with high levels of impunity. As virtual citizens, we need these measures to establish control and order.

It may also interest you:  Cryptocurrencies and recommendations to avoid falling into money laundering

 

Related questions

It involves retrieving or pulling various types of data from one or more sources for processing, storage, and analysis elsewhere.

Meta released a  press release  detailing partnerships with groups and individuals to “responsibly build the metaverse” and a  blog post  on keeping VR spaces safe.

Filing complaints in this medium is often difficult because, for privacy reasons, platforms often do not record what happens on them or communicate with each other about which users are problematic, because companies are obliged to maintain the privacy of user information. user in accordance with the terms of service.

Categories
Operations

10 digital transformation trends you should be aware of by 2023

Make a goal! So you can face the new business challenges
in 2023

At Cadena we are official fans of unstoppable companies, which is why we support their digital transformation so that they are more competitive in environments as changing as the current ones.

Here we present the lineup of the 10 trends that are going to play with
greater relevance in 2023 and that you must take into account to incorporate into
your company’s digital transformation strategy and thus get closer to the
World Cup podium in the business environment:

1. Adaptive artificial intelligence

AI systems based on an adaptive learning method employ a flexible and continuously enriched approach, allowing it to monitor and learn from changes as they occur, while continuing to work on older predictions, keeping processes updated in real time.

2. Metaverse

An ecosystem that integrates different virtual worlds that offer an immersive experience to users and where different daily activities can be carried out. That is where all companies should go, whether they have blockchain technology or not.

3. Super apps

They are the natural evolution of the digital application market, where the user has all the services they need in one place, eliminating the need to download other applications and become familiar with their usage dynamics. An example of this is Rappi , where different types of services such as finance, leisure, food, beauty and well-being, among others, come together.

4. Sustainable technology

Technology is an ally for the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) established within the 2030 Agenda, with solutions such as the construction of smart cities to generate clean and affordable energy, and the creation of data centers and power systems ecological electricity, among other technological proposals that help to minimize the environmental impact.

5. Realizing Wireless Value

It is the many ways in which next-generation wireless technologies deliver new services and reduce capital costs, improving basic wireless communication capabilities and adding new ones that serve as the foundation for technological innovation.

6. Adaptive industrial clouds

It refers to cloud systems or services designed to serve a particular industrial process, such as drug manufacturing, by creating a seamless, data-centric collaborative network.

7. Digital immune system

Its objective is to detect a new virus, practically at the same moment that it is introduced into your organization’s computer system; It automatically captures it, scans it, adds detection and protection against this new type of virus, removes it, and transfers the information to systems running the antivirus, so it can be detected imminently in the future.

8.AI TriSM

It is short for ArtificiaI Intelligence (AI) Trust, Risk and Security Management . A concept that refers to the need to develop methods that allow applying ethical principles to AI models in order to guarantee the safety and rights of users.

9. Technology in (and for) talent

Equally or more important than renewing the ways in which technological talent is attracted is retaining and retaining those who already exist within the organization, implementing a coaching culture and promoting continuous development.

10. Digital and social leadership

Transformational leaders are the ones who are present in the conversations that matter to companies and allow your organization to be productive, reduce costs and have more competitive advantages, digitizing its processes through technology.

At Cadena we are your fans because we know you are unstoppable. For this reason,
we help you to transform yourself, know our purpose here.