WTF?: What's the Future and Why It's Up to Us

Book excerpt: ‘The man who can really make a whole industry happen.’ Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google ‘A punchy and provocative book . . . WTF? is an insightful and heartfelt plea, daring us to reimagine a better economy and society.’ Financial Times Renowned as ‘the Oracle of Silicon Valley’, Tim O’Reilly has spent three decades exploring the world-transforming power of information technology. Now, the leading thinker of the internet age turns his eye to the future – and asks the questions that will frame the next stage of the digital revolution: · Will increased automation destroy jobs or create new opportunities? · What will the company of tomorrow look like? · Is a world dominated by algorithms to be welcomed or feared? · How can we ensure that technology serves people, rather than the other way around? · How can we all become better at mapping future trends? Tim O’Reilly’s insights create an authoritative, compelling and often surprising portrait of the world we will soon inhabit, highlighting both the many pitfalls and the enormous opportunities that lie ahead. ‘Tim O’Reilly has been at the cutting edge of the internet since it went commercial.’ New York Times ‘O’Reilly’s ability to quickly identify nascent trends is unparalleled.’ Wired