What will the way forward for the world appear to be? Everything on the earth evolves. Therefore, IEEE additionally should evolve, not solely to outlive however to thrive.
How will individuals construct communities and have interaction with each other and with IEEE sooner or later? How will data be acquired? How will content material be curated, shared, and accessed? What points will affect the event of technical requirements? How ought to IEEE be organized to be most impactful?
While nobody has a crystal ball, predictions will be made primarily based on proof and traits. To begin the dialog round these questions, I appointed the 2022 IEEE Ad Hoc Committee on IEEE in 2050. The committee chaired by IEEE Fellow Roger Fujii, is designed to ascertain situations searching to the 12 months 2050 and past to achieve a worldwide perspective of what the world could appear to be and what potential futures may imply for IEEE.
The committee explored believable situations throughout IEEE’s vary of pursuits and scanned for drivers of change inside current and rising expertise fields. It additionally analyzed the function IEEE ought to take primarily based on the recognized potential futures and mentioned subsequent steps in IEEE’s main areas of focus, together with conferences, schooling, publications, requirements, membership, sustainability, and governance.
For instance, think about that in 2050, your “cognitive digital twin” is consistently browsing the big volumes of analysis papers and information saved throughout open entry repositories to seek out info instantly related to your pursuits. It may even use its imaginative and inventive logic to recommend new ideas and options for you. This platform can be pushed by synthetic intelligence, augmented actuality, and digital actuality developed to assist make you extra productive and inventive in your profession. What is IEEE’s function on this new atmosphere?
Molding the IEEE of the long run
As a worldwide group, a substantial problem of IEEE is that it helps a broad group. This additionally presents a terrific alternative to be taught and pilot varied fashions, providers, merchandise, and options to fulfill the various set of members’ wants predicted for 2050 and past.
The expertise technology of 2050 will possible be involved in fixing mission-based points akin to local weather change, common entry to well being care, sustainable meals sources, and ubiquitous vitality technology and transmission. Thus, IEEE’s mission—to advance expertise for humanity—will nonetheless be related sooner or later. However, the way in which IEEE achieves its mission should and can change.
The future is multinodular and digital. IEEE will profit from its standing and status as a trusted, impartial supplier of content material and data. As a data supplier, IEEE has a chance to curate and ship info to help its constituents and the general public in understanding the advantages and dangers related to a number of expertise areas. Most importantly, IEEE may also help with the deep integration of synthetic intelligence and digital actuality into all kinds of on a regular basis functions.
Adapting to an atmosphere of fixed chaos and alter is crucial shifting ahead. The ebb and circulate of geopolitical tensions are prone to proceed to extend—which is able to influence world organizations like ours. IEEE should change into exceedingly nimble to deal with fast adjustments in applied sciences and interdisciplinary wants, and entice a broader viewers. IEEE may even must quickly reply to chose strategic adjustments and allocate funding for brand new approaches. IEEE’s governance construction will have to be streamlined to fulfill the wants of many future situations that can require the group to empower native entities to make selections inside their space.
Trust in IEEE should stay excessive if the group is to take care of relevance and stay a reputable supply of knowledge sooner or later. Now is the time for the group to be considerate and daring, and take dangers. IEEE can’t be afraid to interrupt silos. Some actions will have to be terminated to create space for brand new ones. Products and initiatives needs to be evaluated repeatedly, and selections have to be made on a steady foundation.
Sound scary? Compounded by world warming, uneven demographic development, and geopolitical challenges, the long run possible is extra unsure than we notice. But usually a disaster will be remodeled into alternative if we truthfully face the surprising and change into ready for no matter lies forward. Adhering to IEEE’s core rules—belief, development and nurturing, world group constructing, partnership, service to humanity, and integrity in motion—will serve the group properly into the long run.
I sincerely thank Roger Fujii and the advert hoc committee members for his or her efforts. Their work will assist IEEE in devising long-term methods to organize for the long run, to adapt, and to transform uncertainty into alternative.
As I’ve shared, in an ever-changing and unsure world, IEEE—your skilled residence—is all the time right here for you, our members, in addition to for humanity, and for our shared future. After all, serving our members properly is our raison d’être.
By addressing the challenges and alternatives that lie forward of us, IEEE can stay a vibrant group with relevance each now and properly into 2050. If IEEE stays true to its central values—fostering technological innovation and excellence for the advantage of humanity—I’m sure that the group’s future can be very shiny certainly.
It has been my honor and privilege to work with and for you this 12 months as IEEE president and CEO.
—Okay.J. RAY LIU
IEEE president and CEO
Please share your ideas with me at president@ieee.org.
This article seems within the December 2022 print subject as “Looking to 2050 and Beyond.”