IT: The Great Empowerment Engine V S Arunachalam Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, USA UN World Summit on Sustainable Development Johannesburg, South Africa August 29, 2002

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University What is new about ICT? Exploding technology and continual growth Information (hence knowledge) as products Enticing applications in all areas of human empowerment and economic growth Breaking space and time barrier

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University Years to reach 50M users: ‘22‘30‘38‘46‘54‘62‘70‘78‘86‘94‘02 Users (Millions) Radio TV Cable Internet Source: Morgan Stanley. Radio= 38 TV= 13 Cable= 10 Internet = 5 IT Takes Off

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University IT: The New Organism Source: Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA)

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University The Southern Stars Internet Users In ChinaCellular Phone Connections

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University India: How Rich is My Silicon Valley? Billion US $$ Projections for 2008 Total $ 87 Billion Exports $ 62 Billion Total Exports

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University IT: The Great Democratizer Empowerment –Right to information, access and knowledge Example 1: NigeriaNigeria Example 2: IndiaIndia Universal Health –Diagnosis, directions and treatment Education –Realizing millennium declaration –Universal literacy –Anytime, anywhere and any level

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University Educating India 200 Million children in school going age 160 Million presently enrolled 40 Million more to be educated Need at least 1 Million additional teachers –Annual expenditure: US $ 0.4 billion Computers and connectivity –Annual expenditure: US $ 0.2 billion Access, number and quality

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University The Road Ahead and the Machines are Making It Breaking away from Gutenberg prison Speech, pattern recognition, information, knowledge and discovery Overcoming language barriers

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University Machines are Making It Processing speed, storage capacity and broad band connectivity AI is back, this time to work for all countries

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University Growth of Wireless/Satellite Technology Satellites –Global reach already –New “Low Earth Orbit” (LEO) Satellites coming Wireless –Leapfrog option for low/medium densities Witness Cell phone growth –CMU has a project to prototype inexpensive wireless links for schools and villages Can give blanket coverage for 10,000 sq. mile area for ~ 10 million dollars

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University And, Now the Costs Cheap, universal and broadband connections Affordable hardware and connectivity

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University From Science to Sustainability Human Development Prosperity and Challenges Science Technology Limits Technology Products and Processes

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University An Appeal to World Leaders in Johannesburg Enable Connections Encourage innovations and applications Technology is ready and friendly Let us not miss the IT revolution Avoid The Digital Divide

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University A Johannesburg Initiative Establish a global network of Enabling Technology Centers with a mandate: –global dissemination of information and knowledge in accessible form –appropriation of technologies for developing products and processes for human empowerment

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University A Johannesburg Initiative (cont’d) No top-down approach this; not planning on trickle-down A collaborative network where every center contributes National centers created with national efforts and with UN suggestions and advice

V S Arunachalam, Carnegie Mellon University Build the Road and People Will Come