Dare some digital optimism!

I sometimes get the feeling that people thrive on spreading doom and gloom in public debate. Particularly when it comes to the subject of digitization. The Internet has been described as a “desert” (Clifford Stoll) before now, in which the “Cult of the Amateur” reigns (Andrew Keen). Some said it is broken (Sascha Lobo). Others view big data as a “weapon of math destruction” (Cathy O’Neil). Of course, the detractors all argue their case very well and substantiate their point of view. But I believe that the old saying that “bad news sells” not only popularizes scaremongering, but ultimately causes panic to really take hold.

Fear of robots taking our jobs. Fear of being spied on. Fear of burn-out from never being able to switch off. All these fears are real. They are not without cause. But there is also the other side of this coin – that we live in the best ever times.

We live in the best times ever.

We have never been as prosperous as we are now. Or as healthy. We can cure illnesses that were untreatable in the past. We will grow older than any previous generation. More children go to school. More people can read and write. We can cross borders peacefully and, in so doing, see more of the world than any generation before us. It has never been so easy to connect with other people. We communicate on smartphones and can visit far-flung places without leaving our homes thanks to virtual reality goggles. Much has changed for the good in the workplace, too. We have boosted productivity significantly and cut working hours. Machines now perform many strenuous and debilitating tasks on our behalf.

In short, we have never had it so good. And we have technological and societal progress to thank. But all too often this reality is brushed over. As if we were worried that misfortune is hiding around the corner after every success. We must take care not to forget to celebrate and appreciate all that we have. Or quite simply: to live.

My “good news” is based on hard evidence. The political scientist Johann Norberg has even devoted a whole book to “Progress”, but of course statistics do not help those in Europe who are yet to reap tangible benefits – the unemployed or casual workers, and unfortunately many young people. Or those who feel overpowered by the pressure to keep up with the accelerating pace of change in society. Of course, we must not lose sight of these people. The social market economy’s promise to create “prosperity for all” must also be kept in the digital society. But this also means accepting that prosperity cannot simply be achieved by isolating and disassociating ourselves from technological progress.

Life is for sharing

Germany is the golden example. Our economy is globally connected – and therein lies our success. So we should keep our arms open wide. Deutsche Telekom’s motto “Life is for sharing” is also very apt in this context. This is exactly the way we behave. Our networks do not end at geopolitical borders, but rather connect people, companies, and an increasing number of devices in the “Internet of Things” across them.

So what can we do to make things more open – with regard to digitization as well?

Perhaps one of the first steps we can take is to not over-hype digitization, but instead take a sober approach. The term is currently used to describe the effects of computerization and electronic networks. But it originates from the much older principle of using codes and symbols. In that case, the most successful digitization project in our cultural sphere was in fact the invention and use of the Greek alphabet. This was then given a considerable boost by subsequent inventions – first, Gutenberg’s printing press and, later, the World Wide Web. Thus we must learn to perceive digitization as an evolutionary historical process – and therefore contemplate future developments, too. Quantum computing, biocomputing and nanotechnologies will herald an entirely different level of data speeds and processing capacities.

Digitization is a useful tool

Second, we need to realize that digitization is a very useful tool. Even if we are currently faring well on an individual basis, society faces major challenges as a whole – such as climate change, social inequality, and the fight against diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. But there is plenty of evidence that we will be able to handle these challenges by using the very technologies that digitization offers us. Big data, for example, is not the same thing as Big Brother in Orwell’s “1984”. Instead, big data enables us to make giant leaps forward, for instance in medical research. That is why I prefer to speak of “smart data” rather than “big data.”

All in all, there are many indications that further technological progress will help improve life in the future. And it will also help make many everyday tasks a great deal easier and more pleasant. Such as in our connected or smart home. Even I am not claiming that this will or must make every aspect of our lives smarter. We all enjoy freedom of choice. And every technology already has its built-in antithesis. For example, vinyl records never died out completely and are currently experiencing a major revival. And Amazon has not succeeded in closing down cult-like Manufactum stores.

The Internet does not automatically deliver democracy.

But above all, we must bear in mind that geopolitical and economic problems cannot be “e-radicated”. To hope so would be illusory and looking through rose-tinted spectacles. The Internet does not automatically deliver democracy. So it should not be judged in these terms. Much rather, although new technologies always provide new solutions, they also give rise to new problems that can only be addressed by politics and civil society.

So what issues need to be tackled so as to achieve technological and societal progress?

First, as always, education. Digitization must find its way into classrooms and lecture theaters. The ability to analyze data and program computers will become increasingly important in future. This calls for greater promotion of the STEM disciplines, i.e. natural sciences, IT and math. The Deutsche Telekom Foundation is not channeling 160 million euros in this direction without good reason. Beyond that, I believe programming must be on the curriculum. Along with everything that stimulates creativity. For this is what nourishes successful entrepreneurs. With this in mind, music and sports should rank highly. With regard to my earlier mention of claims that the Internet and digitization are falling short of our expectations, I also promote a much more broadly based education campaign. Not only in schools and universities, but perhaps also a new kind of “adult education” that teaches every citizen about future technologies and sociotechnical systems.

We need a digital single market

A second key field is economic policy. The importance of this can be seen in Europe. After all, sadly it takes more than the values of peace and freedom to hold Europe together. The factor that outweighs the centrifugal forces of nationalist state thinking is the common prosperity that European integration has achieved. And, in turn, this prosperity does not stem from isolationism, but from free trade, free competition and the economic networks that globalization has created. And this requires a single digital market and deregulation. I can see this in my own sector. Deutsche Telekom is planning to invest twelve billion euros (worldwide) this year. Most of this will be plowed into networks – and not just in major cities, but mainly in smaller towns and rural areas, where people are waiting for faster Internet connections. However, Germany alone has over 1,000 different regulated wholesale products or product variants. This regulation has been in place for 20 years, but it no longer reflects the situation on the telecommunications market.

This brings me to the third point – that we must ensure the prosperity achieved is shared. What happens when machines eliminate jobs? Would it make sense to provide a universal basic income that would be financed by the profits of fully automated companies? Wouldn’t that give many people the chance to become active in some entrepreneurial, artistic, or creative way? Could machines simply become our new co-workers who free us of annoying, burdensome and dangerous tasks and give us more freedom for socially beneficial pursuits such as caregiving, education, or medicine? Old jobs disappearing as new ones emerge is something we are also witnessing at Deutsche Telekom. It is a little-known fact that the company used to employ many photographers to record the meter readings in the “gray boxes” for calculating the bills. The procedure has long since been digitized. In return, new career openings are emerging, such as for “cyber security professionals.” After all, online security is absolutely crucial to the success of digitization – and Deutsche Telekom now has a department with 1,200 staff dedicated to this very aim.

In light of the many opportunities and risks (which need frank discussion) relating to digitization, I say we must be optimistic. We are not the pawns of digitization. We are what we want to be. So let’s roll up our sleeves and continue to shape the kind of progress that makes our lives even better. Instead of panicking, let’s embrace and talk about digitization!

Original version published at Handelsblatt.