Known Unknowns in an Era of Technological and Viral Disruptions—Implications for Theory, Policy, and Practice

Technology is composed of the words “Techne” and “Logos” that refer to the artistic/creative and the logical/scientific aspects of its dualism. And so inherent this Promethean concept lie the concepts of the Schumpeterian creative destruction and also the promise and potential for humanity’s better tomorrows. We live in an era of artificial intelligence–driven as well as viral disruptions that challenge the mind as well as the body. At the same time, the impact of our pursuit of prosperity at any cost on the environment triggers displaced people floods and viral pandemics undermining the standard of living and more importantly the foundations of trust in institutions and in a better tomorrow feeding populist movements and autocratic trends in democracies as well as emboldening dictators. This work discusses the concepts of Risk Management 5.0, Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, Society 5.0, Digital Transformation, Blockchain, and the role of AI via the Internet of Things architectures that could enable “smarter as well as more humane solutions to our challenges.”