What’s going to the way forward for the world appear to be? The whole lot on the planet evolves. Subsequently, IEEE additionally should evolve, not solely to outlive however to thrive.
How will folks construct communities and interact with each other and with IEEE sooner or later? How will information 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?
Whereas nobody has a crystal ball, predictions may be made primarily based on proof and traits. To start out the dialog round these questions, I appointed the 2022 IEEE Advert Hoc Committee on IEEE in 2050. The committee chaired by IEEE Fellow Roger Fujii, is designed to ascertain eventualities searching to the 12 months 2050 and past to realize a world perspective of what the world could appear to be and what potential futures may imply for IEEE.
The committee explored believable eventualities 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 knowledge saved throughout open entry repositories to seek out info instantly related to your pursuits. It would additionally use its imaginative and artistic logic to counsel new ideas and options for you. This platform will probably be pushed by synthetic intelligence, augmented actuality, and digital actuality developed to assist make you extra productive and artistic in your profession. What’s IEEE’s function on this new setting?
Molding the IEEE of the longer term
As a world group, a substantial problem of IEEE is that it helps a broad group. This additionally presents a fantastic alternative to study and pilot varied fashions, providers, merchandise, and options to satisfy the various set of members’ wants predicted for 2050 and past.
The expertise era of 2050 will possible be enthusiastic about fixing mission-based points reminiscent of local weather change, common entry to well being care, sustainable meals sources, and ubiquitous power era and transmission. Thus, IEEE’s mission—to advance expertise for humanity—will nonetheless be related sooner or later. Nonetheless, the best way IEEE achieves its mission should and can change.
The long run is multinodular and digital. IEEE will profit from its standing and fame as a trusted, impartial supplier of content material and knowledge. As a information supplier, IEEE has a possibility 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 significantly, IEEE might help with the deep integration of synthetic intelligence and digital actuality into all kinds of on a regular basis functions.
Adapting to an setting of fixed chaos and alter is crucial shifting ahead. The ebb and move of geopolitical tensions are prone to proceed to extend—which is able to influence world organizations like ours. IEEE should develop into exceedingly nimble to deal with fast adjustments in applied sciences and interdisciplinary wants, and appeal to a broader viewers. IEEE may also must quickly reply to chose strategic adjustments and allocate funding for brand new approaches. IEEE’s governance construction will have to be streamlined to satisfy the wants of many future eventualities that can require the group to empower native entities to make choices inside their space.
Belief in IEEE should stay excessive if the group is to keep up relevance and stay a reputable supply of knowledge sooner or later. Now could be 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. Merchandise and initiatives needs to be evaluated repeatedly, and choices should be made on a steady foundation.
Sound scary? Compounded by world warming, uneven demographic development, and geopolitical challenges, the longer term possible is extra unsure than we notice. However usually a disaster may be reworked into alternative if we actually face the surprising and develop 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 nicely into the longer term.
I sincerely thank Roger Fujii and the advert hoc committee members for his or her efforts. Their work will support IEEE in devising long-term methods to arrange for the longer term, 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. In any case, serving our members nicely 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 nicely 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 will probably be very vibrant 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 [email protected].
This text seems within the December 2022 print situation as “Trying to 2050 and Past.”