‘Embrace technology to create Wales’ future’
DIGITAL technologies can help create a Wales we all want to live in, says a leading academic chairing a review of digital innovation.
In March the Welsh Government appointed Professor Phil Brown, of Cardiff University, to chair the Review of Digital Innovation for the Economy and the Future of Work in Wales.
The review aims gather further insight on the challenges and opportunities associated with digital innovation in the context of the Welsh economy and the future of work.
Launching a public call for evidence, Prof Brown, of the university’s School of Social Sciences, believes the coming technological revolution will not just be felt from an economic perspective.
He said; “If you read the scare stories we could all be left thinking robots are coming for our jobs. The reality is likely to be somewhat different. Despite the challenges, there are some clear opportunities for Wales to use technology to enhance the way we live and work.”
Prof Brown’s expert panel is examining how advances in automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and large-scale data will affect the Welsh economy in years to come.
He added: “I believe this recombination of technology and people will be fundamental to Wales’ future and that, with the right approach, we can use technology to create a Wales that we all want to live in.
“But it will also have a bearing on the future social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales.”
The review has launched a public online survey to help understand how people perceive the impact of digital innovation and the challenges and opportunities facing Wales.
Ian Jones, co-founder of one of Wales’ tech firms, Amplyfi, said: “The growth in open-source content available on the internet allied with technologies that increasingly enable us to unlock it are starting to transform how we can think about the future of work.
“Governments can now design and implement economic plans, support initiatives to develop the future skills and capabilities that will be required, and benchmark and monitor global progress in a way that was not previously possible.”
Peter Sueref, data science director, British Gas, added: “There’s no clear forecast of what the future of work actually looks like but we know digital transformation will affect it.
“There are lots of different moving parts we need to consider: policy, public sector, business, education, infrastructure, but most importantly the people of Wales.
“We can understand and shape the future impact of new technology by outlining a path that works for all of Wales. Let’s grow as a nation and really set out our narrative around what it means to be Welsh in the digital future.”
An interim report from the panel will be published by the end of this month, with final recommendations to follow by March 2019.