One Technological Advancement That Changed the World

Technological Advancement – The internet is one of the most common, and revolutionary, technological advancements of our time. What started as just an idea by Sir Tim Berners-Lee has transformed many industries and technologies, including the way we work and communicate. It has also changed how society interacts in general. One can almost argue that the internet is responsible for everything from increased globalization to increased economic growth. Regardless, the internet has had an enormous impact on world events as well.

Technological Advancement – The Internet

The internet, and its predecessors (such as ARPANET), have influenced many different industries and created countless jobs. As connectivity improves through the use of APIs and an api gateway, more and more devices will be able to communicate via the internet.

1) Job Creation

The internet has created many jobs over the years, and its growth will continue to drive job creation in the coming years. According to some sources, over 17 million jobs in the US alone are based on the internet. The biggest industries that have been impacted by the internet are publishing and banking; traditional companies such as newspapers and banks have had to adapt to the new communication methods provided by the internet. For example, newspapers now offer online versions of their publications, while banking has shifted from merely having bricks-and-mortar branches to providing services online as well.

An example of how far a simple idea can go is shown by Google. The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998; they created a search engine that uses algorithms to allow users to find pictures, maps, and other information. It didn’t take long for the search engine to become popular, as millions of people around the world use Google’s products every day. Although its original purpose was simple—to create an image-searching website—the company has far exceeded its simple purpose. It now has over 93% market share in the United Kingdom, with revenues from $38.7 billion in 2011 to $66.2 billion in 2012 (source).

2) New Services

The many online services that have been created can be attributed to the internet. Almost every modern service, such as shopping and news reporting, is now available online. According to some sources, over 1 million internet-based jobs have been created since 2005 and almost every sector in the US has seen growth since 2010.

Technological Advancement – Internet technologies have also made it easier for people outside of large cities to gain access to information that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. For example, it’s now possible for a person in rural Montana with a computer and an internet connection to access real-time weather updates from satellites about weather conditions in Hong Kong. It’s also possible to watch live television broadcasts of major sporting events in rural areas, such as the Super Bowl.

The internet has also allowed smaller companies to reach a larger market. A designer on Etsy, for example, can start a business selling one-of-a-kind handmade items and have access to 75 million customers worldwide. The founders of Instagram also noticed that people wanted greater access to images and began their own social media platform with over 30 million active users in 2012. Other examples of companies that have expanded their business through the internet include Zappos and Airbnb.

The number of jobs created by the internet has helped drive economic growth around the world. Despite recent problems, the internet industry is still one of the largest industries in the world and its growth potential is still large.