How to share the good in AI and technological change

The author contends that while technological change is often framed as disruptive or dystopian, most progress is incremental and beneficial. He suggests that the perceived 'suddenness' of shifts like AI adoption is often a result of invisible, long-term development. To mitigate public fear and achieve goals like carbon neutrality, the author advocates for strategic R&D investment, the creation of collaborative ecosystems, and better communication from business leaders to demystify the process of innovation.

• Public perception of technological change is increasingly negative, focusing on risks such as AI controlling decisions, job loss to robots, and the high electricity consumption of data centres, though the author argues the majority of change is beneficial.
• The perception that technological change is happening too quickly is often deceptive because many 'sudden' changes are the result of long-term development; for example, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group has worked on hydrogen-fueled gas turbines since the 1970s and CO2 capture since 1990.
• Technological challenges can often be solved by further innovation, such as using advanced cooling technologies and clean energy sources to reduce the environmental impact of data centres.
• Public fear of technology often stems from the fact that many advancements occur invisibly in business-to-business environments, making an evolutionary process appear like a revolution to the general public.
• Achieving carbon neutrality requires governments and the private sector to marshal resources, set ethical standards, form partnerships, and build robust supply chains at both national and international levels.

APA

Matsuda, H. (2024). How to share the good in AI and technological change. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/technological-change-communication-progress/

Chicago

Matsuda, Hiroshi. How to share the good in AI and technological change. World Economic Forum, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/technological-change-communication-progress/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Matsuda |first1=Hiroshi |title=How to share the good in AI and technological change |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=20 December 2024 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/technological-change-communication-progress/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{matsuda2024how, author = {Matsuda, Hiroshi}, title = {{How to share the good in AI and technological change}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/technological-change-communication-progress/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }