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The Industries of the Future

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The Industries of the Future

By: Alec Ross
Narrated by: Alec Ross
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About this listen

 The New York Times bestseller, from leading innovation expert Alec Ross, a “fascinating vision” (Forbes) of what’s next for the world and how to navigate the changes the future will bring.

While Alec Ross was working as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the Secretary of State, he traveled to forty-one countries, exploring the latest advances coming out of every continent. From startup hubs in Kenya to R&D labs in South Korea, Ross has seen what the future holds.

In The Industries of the Future, Ross provides a “lucid and informed guide” (Financial Times) to the changes coming in the next ten years. He examines the fields that will most shape our economic future, including robotics and artificial intelligence, cybercrime and cybersecurity, the commercialization of genomics, the next step for big data, and the impact of digital technology on money and markets. In each of these realms, Ross addresses the toughest questions: How will we have to adapt to the changing nature of work? Is the prospect of cyberwar sparking the next arms race? How can the world’s rising nations hope to match Silicon Valley with their own innovation hotspots? And what can today’s parents do to prepare their children for tomorrow?

Ross blends storytelling and economic analysis to show how sweeping global trends are affecting the ways we live. Sharing insights from global leaders—from the founders of Google and Twitter to defense experts like David Petraeus—Ross reveals the technologies and industries that will drive the next stage of globalization. The Industries of the Future is “a riveting and mind-bending book” (New York Journal of Books), a “must read” (Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach for America) regardless of “whether you follow these fields closely or you still think of Honda as a car rather than a robotics company” (Forbes). Future Studies History & Culture International Politics & Government Social Sciences Technology & Society Technology Business Africa Innovation Thought-Provoking Artificial Intelligence Cyber Warfare Capitalism War Silicon Valley Refugee Socialism Imperial Japan Computer Security Computer Science Russia Future Technology

Critic Reviews

"In a world growing more chaotic, Alec Ross is one of those very rare people who can see patterns in the chaos and guidance for the road forward. He has an unusual diversity of expertise that allows him to apply multiple lenses to the world's challenges and dream up the kind of innovative solutions that are changing the world."
—Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google and author of The New Digital Age
“A fascinating vision of the future of industry. The Industries of the Future reads like a portable TED conference at which you have been seated next to the smartest guy in the room. The book is filled with glimpses of cutting-edge biotech research, statecraft, and entrepreneurship. Ross writes engagingly, and the book should be compelling whether you follow these fields closely or you still think of Honda as a car rather than a robotics company.”
—Forbes
"The next 20 years are going to be even faster-moving and more transformative than the 20 we just lived through. Predicting exactly what is going to happen is impossible. But thinking systematically and strategically, as Alec Ross does here, about robotics, genomics, and the codification of everything is absolutely critical. Anyone who wants to understand the key forces that are shaping our economic, political, and social futures will benefit hugely from Ross's insights."
—Reid Hoffman, Founder & Chairman, LinkedIn
“It will likely be one of 2016’s most talked about releases, and I predict will take its place alongside other classic tech-and-society books, like Tim Wu’s Master Switch and Jonathan Zittrain’s Future of the Internet. It’s that good. His writing reveals not just where industries are heading, but where entire societies may end up as a result. This is important reading. Ross takes on an enormous challenge of making sense of how new technology is changing the world, and does so incredibly well, by any standard.”
—Medium
"This book is a must read for the rising generation and their concerned parents and educators. Alec Ross brings a far-reaching perspective to bear in illustrating the opportunities to be seized in our changing world—across sectors and the globe—and the kind of preparation that will be important to make the most of them."
—Wendy Kopp, Founder of Teach For America and CEO of Teach For All
“A riveting and mind-bending book. If you want to know how to survive and thrive in the fast-paced world of today and how to anticipate the opportunities of tomorrow’s information age as well as how to solve big mysteries, this is a good place to start.”
—New York Journal of Books
"A lucid and informed guide, even on the most technical issues."
—Financial Times
All stars
Most relevant
Great book and narration by the author. A must listen for anyone with young children.

Fantastic

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Very interesting and insightful read. One of those books that holds your attention so well

Insightful read

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loved it that the writer himself executed the reading. the stats and the examples were relevant and well-explained.

insightful, visionary, detailed. great read.

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Didn't find any new information. I was looking more towards impact on humanity , how it will shape our living in the future? How human race will survive with massive technology influx ? What will be the economical model? What industries will be replaced and what new industries will be formed ? Will we move towards global leadership ? Etc etc

On another note, the dynamics of Pakistan are very different then to judge on what is happening in wazirstan, that is the problem with western authors when they select countries like Pakistan Iran saudia Arabia they pick the darkest colour to paint the picture, though I agree Pakistan need more reforms, but malala was an exception not every girl is killed in Pakistan to get education we have numerous good examples. Imagine a country with so many backwards had selected a women as a prime minister, and this had never happened in many other liberal country because their population is not ready to accept women as a leader, what happened to Mrs Clinton is infront of us.

Looks like pretty much present to me

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Great to hear how a senior world expert sees world industries changing and various human and organisational aspects that are important. I'm left wanting to know more from Alec. Enjoy!

Fascinating and clear

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