The world as we know it today is a significantly different place compared to previous decades. Thanks to the rise of the internet and the constant innovation of new technology, few elements of our lives have remained unchanged by the technological revolution.
All industries have been impacted in one way or another by the rise of technology, with some showing the signs of change more dramatically than others. Here are some of the industries that have seen the most significant changes attributed to technology.
Travel
Going abroad has never been easier, thanks to technology. Over the past few decades, the need for human travel agents has reduced and the websites that help to find the best deals on tickets and perfect destinations for a vacation have become better and better. Booking a vacation is now easier than ever, and most people don’t even leave the comfort of their own homes to book airplane tickets, hotels and activities.
Commerce
Commerce has seen the most dramatic change of all industries. Thanks to e-commerce giants such as Amazon, brick and mortar stores have seen a steady decrease in demand over the years. You can now buy almost anything online, and the need to visit stores in person is lower than ever before. In addition, the improvement and implementation of self-service checkouts in many stores have eliminated the need for human cashiers.
Newspapers
Another industry that has been hit hard by the implementation of technology is the media. In the age of smartphones, the need to buy a print newspaper has all but vanished. As a result, traditional newspapers have had to make a quick and often challenging transition from print to digital with varying degrees of success.
Translation
Translation technology has improved to such an extent that it is doing a lot of the work previously done only by human translators. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of translations offered by artificial intelligence by big-name brands such as Google and Facebook. There have also been important steps towards higher quality dictation services and artificial intelligence proofreading services.
Publishers
With the rise of the internet and various new technologies has come the ability for authors to self-publish their books. This has caused significant shifts in the publishing industry, with many big-name brands struggling to keep up with the changes. In addition, the popularity of e-book readers such as Amazon’s Kindle has led to lowered demand for print books, causing knock-on effects for bookshops.
Manufacturing
Technology has been disrupting the way businesses manufacture products for decades. Over the past ten years, the popularity of AI and automation is threatening another seismic shift in the way we manufacture products.
In addition, the newfound popularity of 3D printing may have a significant impact on production lines, as people become able to print products for themselves at home. 3D printing technology has some way to go before it can supplant the need for physical warehouses, but the potential is certainly there.
Healthcare
Modern technology allows major surgery to be done in a minimally invasive manner, improving recovery times and reducing the risk of infection. In addition, new technology is finding ways to diagnose health concerns in people even before they have started exhibiting symptoms.
An excellent example is genetic editing. Harvard University Online has CRISPR course (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) that allows you to learn about the potential for this gene-editing technology in various industries, including healthcare.
Agriculture
Automation in food production has been a game-changer in the agricultural industry. It allows for significantly more food to be produced with increasingly lowered production costs. While there’s still much need for some human workers in the farming industry, there are far fewer farmers and farmhands in the US compared to previous decades.
In addition, technology, including climate-controlled growing environments, allow us to grow foods out of season all year round. It also allows for the easy and quick import and export of fruits and vegetables not native to our country.
Recruitment
Automation has made it significantly easier for employers to narrow down lists of candidates without poring over multiple applications and resumes. It also allows employers looking for new candidates to post job advertisements across various platforms instantly. While recruiters are still essential parts of the recruiting process, it is becoming easier for employers to handle the process independently, thanks to technology.
Hotels
The rise of short-term lets, popularized by sites like Airbnb, have led to a downtick in the use of traditional hotels by holidaymakers. Hotels are still popular, but Airbnbs have become a significant rival for traditional hotels among younger customers.
The process for homeowners to put their properties onto Airbnb is simple, and the extra income that homeowners can earn has been a significant motivation for the popularity of Airbnb.
Restaurants
Increasingly, people are keen to have gourmet meals delivered directly to their doors. Particularly over the past challenging 18 months, restaurants have had to quickly adapt to offering delivery in addition to, and sometimes in place of, an eat-in service.
It seems unlikely that consumers will want to lose the delivery services they’ve become accustomed to. Therefore, most newly opened restaurants will have to offer both services or risk falling behind the competition.
Transport And Delivery
A lot has been said about the possibility of autonomous drones replacing the need for human delivery drivers. In time, this may significantly reduce the cost of deliveries and the carbon footprint of the transport and delivery industry.
Technology has also changed how we receive deliveries, with live tracking available for many deliveries. Thanks to the gig economy and apps that match drivers to jobs, it is now easier than ever for companies to hire delivery drivers.
Education
One of the biggest changes to education that technology has created is the rise of online learning. Video conferencing software allows students to attend courses and training across the globe from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition, there are now many free or low-cost options for students learning online, meaning that it is possible that future students will not be saddled with the same amount of student debts as classes in years previously.
TV And Film
Streaming services are quickly becoming the primary way for people to watch television and film. Netflix began this trend, with other major TV networks and brands launching their own streaming services in order to compete. Traditional cable TV and movies in the cinema have seen a steady decline in interest and demand as a result.
Conclusion
It could be argued that no industry has been left untouched by the massive influx of new technology that we’ve seen over the past few decades. Every business, large or small, in every industry can benefit from technological advances. While these advances can come with job losses, they can also present new opportunities and the creation of jobs.
Technology can make our lives easier, safer and more connected. It is not without its risks, but with proper education on the new tech available, everyone could stand to benefit. For anyone in the workforce today, it is crucial to understand how technology could benefit your business or career and take steps to ensure you stay ahead of the trend.
Read more: Improvements Of Cybersecurity By AI And Its Applications
