Digital tech is the future, but a new report shows Australia risks being left in the past
- Written by Shazia Sadiq, Professor, The University of Queensland
Digital technologies are now at the heart of our everyday lives, as anyone who has swapped their office for a videoconferencing screen, or downloaded a contact-tracing app, knows only too well.
This trend is set to continue even in a post-COVID world. Australia is at a crossroads in developing a strong digital economy to meet this changing world head-on.
In the words of the computing pioneer Alan Kay, “the best way to predict the future is to create it”. Australia too needs to grab the opportunity to leverage its research and development strengths in emerging digital technologies, and create a “digital future” by amplifying the opportunities for growth in this important sector and strengthen our sovereign capabilities. But Australia is lagging behind many other nations in shaping this digital future.
In a new report released today, the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering have jointly issued an urgent call to action, asking the government and industry to recognise the importance of emerging digital technologies.
The report makes several key recommendations:
- elevate emerging digital technologies as a national science and innovation priority
- include research and innovation in emerging digital technologies in the 2021 Research Infrastructure Roadmap
- recognise emerging digital technologies as an independent growth sector.
Australians are early adopters and avid users of technology — a trend that has been accelerated by the COVID pandemic. And the federal government’s Digital Economy Strategy is already putting A$1.2 billion into key digital capabilities such as artificial intelligence and drone technologies.
This investment is welcome, but the government must also clearly recognise the importance of building scientific and engineering capabilities in ways that underpin the entire digital economy, not just particular technologies.
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Elevating emerging digital technologies as a national science priority will lift their importance, both in investment and in narrative, develop research and development strengths, deliver critical research infrastructure, and be a catalyst for creating new tech businesses and supporting existing businesses through enhanced linkages between research and industry. Through recognition of a growth sector, it can help to attract talent and address future skill needs of the nation.
A highly digitised society will demand world-class leadership in developing digital technologies, and reduce our reliance on overseas technology and expertise. Coordinated and strategic support of this crucial sector of our economy will help create a digital future for Australia that is aligned with our social and economic aspirations.
Authors: Shazia Sadiq, Professor, The University of Queensland
