Michaela Jeffery-Morrison, CEO and cofounder of Ascend Global Media, the company behind Women in Tech World Series.
If you want to get an idea of how fast things are changing in the 21st century, consider this: Almost 100 years elapsed between the first and second industrial revolutions. Around 40 years passed between the third and fourth. And as if that isn’t dizzying enough for you, reflect that, since 2019, we’ve been talking seriously about the fifth.
Of course, it’s getting harder and harder to put your finger on what amounts to an “industrial revolution.” It used to be straightforward. The first was marked by the use of steam and water power. The second is by mass production, as well as the use of electricity. The third was marked by increasing digitization, though even that was defined so vaguely that no one could agree when it began.
According to McKinsey, the fourth describes the “era of connectivity, advanced analytics, automation and advanced-manufacturing technology that has been transforming global business for years,” beginning in the mid-2010s. And the fifth? Researchers have noted it will include “harmonious human-machine collaborations, with a specific focus on the well-being of the multiple stakeholders (i.e., society, companies, employees, customers)” and “integrating technological and human strengths.”
Which humans?
But which humans? The reality is that the fourth industrial revolution left women by the wayside. Gains in gender diversity in the past seven years have been hard won, thanks mostly to the incredible work of women and their allies.
Events centered on diversity, information and knowledge-sharing, trailblazing role models, growing awareness and recognition of the value of DEI, and, in more recent years, the creation of women-first funds, networks and other groups, communities and companies looking to increase parity—all of these have made a difference. Progress is rarely linear, but progress has been made.
In spite of this, we continue to find bias in even the most sophisticated forms of technology available, such as facial recognition tech and generative AI. The guardrails on generative AI tools can sometimes be circumvented, and certain other kinds of AI have had to be abandoned.
We, therefore, have no reason to assume with total confidence that the technologies involved in the “human-machine collaborations” of the fifth industrial revolution will be immune to prejudice. How collaborative can a machine be if exclusionary language or behavior is coded into it?
It depends on us.
History shows us that equality is rarely achieved by accident. From the suffragettes to the Civil Rights movement, individuals passionate about positive change and determined to bring it about are responsible for much of the human progress we take for granted today.
And that’s why the answer to the question—What will the fifth industrial revolution mean for women?—is: It depends. And it depends on us. It is up to individuals who care about equality to make sure that the fifth industrial revolution does not exclude women or any other group.
What can companies do?
For one thing, boosting diversity, equity and inclusion in tech. The only reliable way to be sure that natural unconscious human bias does not creep into the technologies of today and tomorrow is to make sure that those building, testing and refining those technologies represent, as much as possible, all of humanity.
That requires, on the one hand, growing awareness of the existence of bias and how it causes problems and, on the other, pursuing data-driven DEI strategies, networking, mentoring and other tried-and-tested means of increasing representation and participation.
It also requires positivity and energy. Because in a changing world, where there are always many pressures, staying the course can be hard. But we should remember that a diverse and inclusive and equitable society is one best positioned to take on challenges and overcome them.
If we do all this, then the “human” in “human-machine collaborations” will really mean human, and not just one part or even a few parts of the human community. And though there have been obstacles and bumps in the road, I’m optimistic. Because I’ve seen firsthand the incredible power of people to effect change when it matters.
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