The world’s problems are complex.
Extreme weather events. Food insecurity. A global health crisis. These intricate, interconnected challenges require intelligent solutions—tools, systems, and approaches that have been developed with discipline and rigor.
In its search for answers, the world is turning to science. A recent IBM Institute for Business Value survey found that nearly 9 in 10 (88% of) global consumers believe advances in science and technology are critical to making the world a better place.
The survey of more than 14,500 adults in 9 countries found that consumers are overwhelmingly confident that technology can help address many of the problems facing society today. And 79% of those surveyed say the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccines increased this confidence. People are most optimistic about the potential impact of AI, robotics, and semiconductor technology.
The US leads the way
While addressing complex challenges like climate change and COVID-19 will require international collaboration, global consumers say the United States is best positioned to tackle the world’s toughest problems. 58% believe the US is leading the world in science and technology innovation today and 45% believe the US is most prepared to address the pressing challenges currently facing society. In both cases, global consumers ranked the US higher than all other countries.
To improve the United States’ ability to leverage advances in science and technology to manage crisis and change, adults in the US believe it’s important for their country to:
- Encourage public/private partnerships (89%)
- Promote policy and regulation that encourages innovation (91%)
- Improve collaboration and information-sharing across the scientific community, showing they are ready for research institutions to collaborate on innovation (93%)
Most global consumers believe governments bear the greatest responsibility for advancing science and technology in their country today. What’s more, they expect governments to continue to carry the torch in the future, and the strongest agreement comes from consumers in Brazil, Spain, and Mexico.
Science and tech skills will enable future career success
For some respondents, the rays of hope that emanate from science and technology also cast shadows of doubt and anxiety. 61% of employees surveyed are concerned that technology will ultimately make their jobs obsolete.
However, 85% are confident they can keep up with future advances, and for many, the pandemic jumpstarted this process. 4 in 5 employees worldwide say the pandemic required them to learn both new ways of working and new technologies. Cloud computing (41%) is the top tech used by employees in their jobs today, followed by 5G (37%), IoT (32%), and AI (28%).
Overall, employees are demanding skill development—and they’re ready to make sacrifices to prepare themselves for the future. 59% say they would be willing to take a pay cut to work for an employer that provides training on new technologies. 72% would be willing to switch employers to get this type of training.
Nearly all employees say they’re willing to invest personal income (95%) and personal time (97%) to develop new skills.
To deliver on these evolving expectations, business leaders need to invest in helping employees gain new skills. But while 74% of executives believe they have been helping their employees learn the skills needed to work in a new way, only 38% of employees agree, according to 2020 research from the IBM Institute for Business Value.
Taking a science-forward approach
Advancements in science and technology have already done so much to help humanity understand and address incredibly complex challenges. And what scientists learn today will help the world overcome the obstacles it will face tomorrow.
As renowned astrophysicist Carl Sagan noted decades ago, science is a candle in the darkness. It reveals surprising truths and highlights opportunities for transformational change. In this vein, business leaders who take a science-forward approach to adopting new technologies, including AI, hybrid cloud, and quantum computing, will be better positioned to adapt to ongoing disruption and change.
Exponential technologies—and the new business models they enable—promise to build resilience and enable growth even as new challenges arise. As entire industries are threatened with extinction, companies that evolve will be better positioned to find new ways to thrive, no matter what the future might hold.
