In a recent report on technology trends, Accenture states that “the pandemic has not slowed innovation — it’s amplifying it to historic levels.” Many technologies — what we call “indirect tech” — have either pivoted due to the pandemic or were created as a result of the pandemic but not primarily for public health purposes. Indirect solutions include video-conferencing technologies, virtual education initiatives, and contactless alternatives for food and package... Read more
The US’s pandemic response leaves a gaping hole that private entities, including technology companies, have scrambled to fill. The tech industry, software in particular, has the power to influence the priorities on society’s agenda — what problems are worthy of tackling, what the criteria are for potential solutions — and realize those goals. Some corporations own sociotechnical systems extensive and ubiquitous enough that we can study them using the same... Read more