The independent resource on global security
Technology convergence
3d rendering robotic hand holding dna helix. Photo: Phonlamai Photo/Shutterstock
According to the World Economic Forum, advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems, the internet of things, 3D printing, nanotechnology and biotechnology are paving the way to a fourth industrial revolution. A distinct feature of these technologies is that they not only reinforce one another but they also converge or interact with older technologies.
The technology convergence research initiative aims to increase awareness and support greater understanding of the policy challenges, but also opportunities, that emerge from the interconnectivity between new and older areas of science and technology. The initiative examines how emerging technologies interact with one another and with older types of military technologies, the security challenges emerging from this growing entanglement and how existing technology governance frameworks and approaches may address these challenges.