Internet Society: IoT and AI will transform the global economy

In its 2017 Global Internet Report: Paths to Our Digital Future, the Internet Society presents artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) as main drivers of change. According to the report, AI and the IoT ‘will transform both the Internet and the global economy’, bringing both opportunities (such as new services and scientific advancements) and uncertainties (ranging from changes to industry, employment, and public services, to questions of transparency, ethics, and accountability). The report recommends, among others, that economies and societies prepare for the disruption that AI and IoT are to bring, while drawing attention to the fact that there is a risk of AI benefits being unevenly distributed, and thus widening the digital divides. It is also suggested that ethical considerations be prioritised in the design and deployment of AI, and that humans remain ‘in the driver’s seat’.