Description
Book SynopsisProducts and services based on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are normally considered to be for rich consumers in advanced countries. This book demonstrates how marginalized and vulnerable groups, specifically the world’s bottom four billion population, can also benefit from these technologies.
Trade Review“Empirical evidence agrees that information and communications technologies have not necessarily benefited the world’s least developed economies, and may have perhaps led to greater disparities. In the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution, how could technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, remote sensing, and the internet of things be applied so that socioeconomic benefits may accrue to all? Professor Nir Kshetri argues that in order to ensure that the bottom half of humanity also benefit from these transformative innovations, stakeholders must come together to provide the regulatory protection and incentive to the marginalized and vulnerable. Having read a preprint of this book, I recommend it to any serious scholar of ‘tech for good.’” —Ravishankar Sharma, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Dubai
“The ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ is empowered by the dizzying advancement of modern emerging technologies, which are often deployed with little forethought about their potential adverse consequences on society at-large, and the poorest and most vulnerable in particular. Professor Kshetri delivers an insightful, timely, and relevant perspective about how to move the Fourth Revolution forward without leaving behind the ‘bottom four billion’ in the developing world." —Stephen Wingreen, University of Canterbury
Table of Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Tables
- List of Boxes
- Preface and Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Part 1: Background and Overview of the Fourth Revolution and the Bottom Four Billion
- Chapter 1: The Fourth Revolution and the bottom four billion: Key underlying concepts and developments
- Part 2: Major Fourth Revolution technologies
- Chapter 2: Artificial intelligence
- Chapter 3: Blockchain
- Chapter 4: Remote sensing and satellite imagery
- Chapter 5: Internet of things*
- Part 3: The 4R in economic and social developments
- Chapter 6: Healthcare and pandemic preparedness
- Chapter 7: The agricultural sector
- Chapter 8: Finance, banking, and insurance
- Part 4: Opportunities, challenges, implications and the way forward
- Chapter 9: Opportunities, barriers and challenges
- Chapter 10: Economic developmental implications
- Chapter 11: Social, political and ethical implications
- Chapter 12: Discussion, conclusion and recommendations
- Glossary
- About the Author
