The world history has been conveniently divided into eras marking the birth and death of Christ as BC and AD. The recent history is marked by the most significant global phenomenon that changed the course and ways of the world significantly with the beginning of the War on Terrorism, The post 9/11 world. Post Covid 19 will be the beginning of a new chapter, A Neo-digital age.
The digital age that we just stepped in a couple of decades ago was expected to replace humans with robots. While that pace has been slow, it is now expected to intensify with the greater dependency that the world has shown on the digital channels during the pandemic times. With greater acceptance now for people to work from home, digital conference and webinars, the digitalization is going to further rise. The digital companies are expecting their business to rise in the days to come as the reliance on this mode is going to further increase.
If the Pandemic is about the “survival of the fittest”, it surely reminds us of “necessity is the mother of Invention.” Due to majority of functions being performed through the digital channels, appropriate technology will be required to allow working from home. This tech-culture is expected to add to the business of Digital companies. The digital divide between the core and the peripheries of the world may rise. However the semi peripheries will be forced to adapt to the new culture.
In the neo digital age, switching to more and more jobs being done online is going to require more sophisticated technological inventions, thus increasing the pace of digital invention. More companies are expected to realize the need of digital transformation will allow the space for emergence of many new digital companies and the already existing to thrive. The open access to many online courses of the Ivy league during the pandemic is also expected to increase digital learning and may transform the way of the educational systems that we know. These transformations would require multiple devices and increase internet usage as well. In addition to this, the health sector would be forced to make progress expansively in telehealth. This would require more tools to develop to switch to the online consultation services.
Many Technological companies like Google, zoom and Microsoft etc. have already responded to it with giving extensive trail periods and low subscription fee thus alluring more customers and increasing dependency on digital tools These companies have seen a rise in their business during these crisis times and are further anticipated to ascend post pandemic.
Does this mean end of human interaction? Not necessarily. While many companies will return to the ‘normal’ when this is over, others will realize the need of being prepared for the worst at all times. Not only that, the ease of the job and acceptance will bring about a shift in the working culture as well. If one thing we have learnt in the pandemic is to be better equipped and also that no one can be wholly prepared no matter how technologically advanced countries were. The only hope that had remained was the digital channel which kept the world going and one needs to excel in that.