It is no secret that the whole of the world has entered the digital age. With the prevalence of digital technology and the innovations in communication and computing, virtually almost all facets of modern human life have somehow been shaped by digitalization. These shifts are sometimes so seamless and commonplace that they might not be readily apparent as such — and can be considered more of the natural progression of civilization. To shed some light on this subject, this article will discuss the different impacts of digitalization in various industries.
Agriculture
Starting with a sector that would not immediately come to mind when talking about digital innovations, the changes digitalization brought to agriculture have been phenomenal.
There are currently two huge challenges in agriculture. The first one is the growing difficulty of being able to feed the world’s increasing population. The second challenge is how to increase the yields while maintaining, and even improving sustainability.
According to Challenge, these problems can be solved through continuous improvements in precision agriculture. This type of agriculture uses innovations, including automation, big data, and the internet of things, to make the industry more efficient and sustainable. The more efficient agricultural processes become, the higher and the better its yields.
The current challenge this approach is facing is the knowledge gap between the existing stakeholders of the industry. Once the need for digital education development has been bridged in this sector, more new digital innovations can penetrate it.
Business
Enterprise has always been at the bleeding edge of information technology. The ability to out-think and get ahead of the competition is one of the more influential forces that drive businesses forward. For this reason, leveraging digital technologies is the focus of most business organizations. In fact, according to Forbes, companies spent as much as $2 trillion on digital transformation in 2019.
One prominent business battlefield where digital arsenals matter is cyberspace. So much work has been directed towards establishing a foothold on the internet. Because of that, it has become the focus of marketing in recent years. The accessibility of social media and digital marketing companies have also improved, giving even small players a fighting chance against their juggernaut counterparts.
Healthcare
It comes as no surprise that healthcare is one of the main frontiers of, not just digital, but technology in general. The mission to extend and improve human life has always been part of the mantra of innovation.
Currently, digital technologies are being used to improve a wide array of aspects in the healthcare industry. In the research end, artificial intelligence, crowd computing, machine learning, and even quantum computing are being used to simulate and understand the progression of diseases and synthesize potential cures. These approaches are either being used now or will be used in the near future.
Communication technology is also being tapped to bridge physical and geographical gaps in patient care. Telehealth has been gaining even more popularity because of its increasing viability to help deliver healthcare to otherwise inaccessible patients. It also helps bridge healthcare’s ‘last mile’ problem and brings the patient at the helm of their own treatment and development.
Of course, digital technologies have driven so much efficiency into business operations and administration as well.