3 ways technology will shape up the "new normal"

[subhankarp]

The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone on our planet. We have been interviewing industry experts on what the new normal will be. These are the prediction of how the "new normal" will affect our lives. All interviewee agree to the fact that Technology will usher us to a better post COVID scenario. I have highlighted how it will influence our education, health and access to key services.

The technology already was an integral part of our life. We used to order groceries, transact on banks and book movie tickets. Now all these online activities will see a splurge. More adoption of digital will enable reimagination of key activities in our lives.

• School Education will not be the same anymore. The pandemic made us realise that online classes can be effective as classrooms. It will lower the cost of education and can have a great impact on our society. The concept of school will merge with "education marketplaces". The ones offering quality education will thrive. Now the focus for us as a society will be to ensure that everyone has access to quality internet access. To give some numbers, this has an impact on 1.5 billion students in our planet.

• Healthcare will not be the same anymore. This pandemic has pivoted the telemedicine industry into the prime focus now. There will be huge uptake of augmented reality and virtual reality. Doctors will treat patients from the confines of their homes. Technology will enable experts across the globe to consult local doctors. Cost of healthcare will come down. More focus will be on better patient care and cure.

• Then, there will be digital health certificates. It will enable users to access various services. Services like airline travel, entry to clubs/ gyms and other crowded places. This dynamic health visa will be tracking our body parameter and activities. It will generate a score which will determine our access to transport facilities.

These are some basic aspects of our lives which we expect to change. There will be a flurry of dating apps, augmented reality apps and other lifestyle apps. to replicate the real-life in the digital space.

To stay relevant, Business needs to become intelligent. We will see more intelligent and resilient supply chains to tackle uncertainties. The business will be more empathetic and more resilient. There will be more focus to understand customers and employees. Usage of technologies like 3D printing, IOT will see a distinct uptake.

This blog series in part of my effort to pen down all my learnings. The interviews of industry experts and veterans are the basis of my insights. You can find the interviews here: sap.to/podcast

If you have any comments or feedback, you can reach me on twitter @subhankarp