Issue 35: How to Build a Nation
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week we’re gearing up to celebrate UAE National Day and thinking about what it means to build a nation – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
How to Build a Nation
Governments around the world are racing to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and other future technologies into their governing portfolios. Several reports confirm what we already know about AI in governance; it’s going to make governance better, faster, and more efficient. Despite the obvious gains, most governments haven’t drafted sensible AI legislation and it’s not because they don’t understand the technology. It stems from the strength of their national identity. There are, however, a handful of countries such as the UAE, Finland, and Estonia that made it a national priority to incorporate future technologies. How they’ve been able to do this speaks more to the narrative of nation building than the practical step of drafting legislation.
The “why” of a nation: The UAE’s ability to embrace future technologies in every sector of society highlights the country’s remarkable development over the past half century. In a short amount of time, the UAE has transformed from a constellation of villages hugging the Arabian Gulf to a world leader in technology, aviation, finance, and tourism. This transformation couldn't have taken place without the clear bonds of unity that define modern Emirati identity. With reverence for the past and an eagerness for the future, the UAE has leveraged the strength of its identity to focus on becoming a flourishing knowledge economy.
Clarity of vision: Given the pace of technological innovation, smaller countries with strong identities are able to position themselves as leaders more quickly. That’s because there’s a clarity of vision at the root of how these countries view present and future challenges. Without a strong narrative that binds the nation, you don’t have the vision required for the heavy lifting of building the knowledge economy of the future.
Marking progress: As the UAE heads into its annual National Day celebrations, it's important to step back and consider the achievements we’ve witnessed when it comes to technology and governance. We’ve positioned ourselves as a leader in AI but also blockchain, smart city technologies, and even every day smartphone tools and applications (looking at you Careem and Souq.com). If you want to understand how to build a nation in the technological age, then look no further than the unity of identity that lays at the heart of the Emirati experience.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started."
Mark Twain
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
The luxury internet: Have you noticed the privacy war unfolding on the internet? We certainly have. From data hacks to better web security standards, we’re in the midst of a battle over how data is used, collected, stored, and analysed in the internet age. One challenge is that companies such as Facebook and Google express a commitment to user privacy while collecting ample amounts of information about users to feed their advertising business. The result is that other companies are now offering users the opportunity to essentially buy their privacy. This week, we explore the “luxury internet” and what it means for the future of the web.
Finding balance: John Maynard Keynes, the famed British economist, predicted that by 2030 society would have systems and tools so advanced that we would barely need to work. Well, 2030 is on the horizon and we certainly aren’t grappling with too much boredom. If anything, we are more overworked than ever despite the average work week in the US, Britain, Australia, and Japan declining from 48 hours in the 1930s to 38 hours today. A recent experiment in Japan revealed the benefits of a new approach to work and productivity. We took a deep dive to get to the bottom of the modern work day riddle.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Digital dystopia: It’s been a big week for the internet regulation debate. Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web, launched a Contract for the Web with much fanfare. The eccentric programmer has been speaking out about his creation for several years but his new project, which has support from giants Google and Facebook, is a set of principles designed to “fix” the internet and prevent us from sliding into a “digital dystopia.” The contract lists nine core principles for governments, companies, and individuals to adhere to, including responsibilities to provide affordable, reliable internet access and to respect civil discourse and human dignity. Given his support, this might just make some headway.
Only the essentials: Switzerland has been stockpiling emergency goods since World War I. The small mountainous country has strict laws about the amount of raw goods such as sugar, rice, and animal feed that need to be on hand at any given time. In a surprising move this week, the Swiss government decided to remove coffee from the list noting that it’s not vital for life. Opposition is brewing. In a country where residents consume around 9 kg of coffee per person annually (compared with 3.3 kg in the UK and 4.5 kg in the US), it would seem coffee is the essence of life. It certainly is across the Middle East.