Cisco and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are joining forces in a new research initiative to investigate the implications of digital transformation on well-being. The partners intend to examine both the positive aspects of technological advancements and the potential threats to human welfare.
The rapid pace of digital transformation in recent years, along with the increasing capabilities in artificial intelligence, were among the factors that influenced the decision to embark on this initiative. Cisco and the OECD believe it is worth engaging in a global discussion on how people experience technological changes.
Fran Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy, and Purpose Officer at Cisco, emphasized the importance of considering people’s well-being. The partnership with the OECD will provide insights into the experiences related to digital technology. Understanding the impact of technology on our social connections, work, work-life balance, and physical and mental health is crucial. The partnership aims to create an interactive and dynamic digital platform that facilitates the sharing of experiences and deepens the understanding of the influence of digital technologies on various aspects of our lives.
The partnership is based on the OECD’s well-being framework and seeks to gather data and insights from entities that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of digital well-being. This includes studying the consequences of the digital divide, as well as inequalities in the adoption and utilization of digital technologies.
The knowledge base resulting from this initiative aims to enhance awareness of the impact of technology on well-being by focusing on 11 key dimensions, such as education and skills, healthcare, work and wages, subjective well-being, work-life balance, sustainable environmental development, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance and civic engagement, and housing.
Guy Diedrich, Vice President of Cisco responsible for global innovation, explains that the partnership builds on Cisco and OECD’s shared competencies in understanding risk and unlocking value derived from digitization. This is essential for creating secure, inclusive communities and resilient economies.
Among other recent developments, Cisco has acquired the start-up Isovalent, specialized in cloud networking and cybersecurity. Isovalent played a key role in the development of eBPF technology, enabling the analysis of the Linux and Windows operating systems’ layers. Additionally, Poly’s Google Meet devices have become interoperable with various video conferencing solutions, including Cisco Webex.
FAQ:
Question 1: What is the objective of the research initiative undertaken by Cisco and OECD?
Answer: The objective of the initiative is to examine the implications of digital transformation on people’s well-being.
Question 2: What are the main topics to be considered in the partnership?
Answer: The partners plan to explore both the positive aspects of technological progress and potential threats to human welfare. They will also focus on 11 key dimensions such as education, subjective well-being, work-life balance, cybersecurity, etc.
Question 3: Why did Cisco and OECD decide to form this partnership?
Answer: The extraordinary speed of digital transformation in recent years and the growing competence in artificial intelligence were among the factors that influenced the decision to launch this initiative.
Question 4: What benefits will the research initiative bring?
Answer: The initiative aims to achieve a comprehensive understanding of digital well-being by gathering data and insights from entities and creating a knowledge base. This will contribute to raising awareness about the impact of technology on well-being.
Question 5: What competencies do the partners have in the field of digitization?
Answer: The partnership is based on Cisco and OECD’s shared competencies in understanding risk and unlocking value derived from digitization.
Jargon:
1. Digital transformation: Refers to the process of using digital technologies by organizations or society to change how they operate, communicate, and carry out activities.
2. Artificial intelligence: Deals with creating computer systems capable of performing tasks that require human intelligence, such as speech recognition, problem-solving, etc.
Suggested links:
– Cisco
– OECD
The source of the article is from the blog foodnext.nl