Digital Development Summit 2017

How can we harness new technologies for shared prosperity? The Institute of Development Studies tackled this question at the inaugural Digital Development Summit

Event date

13 March 2017 - 8:30am — 5:30pm

Event venue

Southbank Centre
Level 5 Function Room
Belvedere Road
London
SE1 8XX
Digital Development Summit

According to a special report in The Economist last year, 47 per cent of jobs in the US, 35 per cent in the UK, and 49 per cent in Japan could be automated in the near future. A UNCTAD report noted that the equivalent figure for developing countries could be as high as two-thirds.

Meanwhile, trends such as algorithmic decision making are upending industries such as media, banking and insurance. Against this backdrop, how can we harness new technologies for shared prosperity, and ensure decent work for all in the future?

The Institute of Development Studies tackled this question at the inaugural Digital Development Summit; exploring the future of work in a digital world. The summit provided a unique opportunity to explore new and emerging digital developments, build a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities, and move towards a collective agenda for ensuring the future of work is inclusive, sustainable and leaves no one behind.

Hosted by:

The Institute of Development Studies in collaboration with the World Wide Web Foundation and Nesta, with the support of the UK Department of International Development and the ESRC-DFID Impact Initiative.

Who was the summit for?

Leaders, policy makers, practitioners, and experts in digital technology, international development and business.

Speakers included:

  • Mamadou Biteye (Rockefeller Foundation)
  • Mark Graham (Oxford Internet Institute)
  • Duncan Green (Oxfam)
  • Anne Jellema (World Wide Web Foundation)
  • Geoff Mulgan (Nesta)
  • Gina Porter (University of Durham)
  • Ben Ramalingam (Institute of Development Studies)

Participants:  

  • Explored the current and future impacts of accelerating digital innovations on different parts of the global workforce, with a special focus on women and marginalised groups.
  • Better understood the systemic interactions between technology and employment, and how these might generate different scenarios and outcomes for different sectors, workers and social groups.
  • Explored different approaches for ensuring decent work for all in the face of accelerating digital innovation through institutional, policy and skills-based improvements and transformations.
  • Identified priorities for future policy and practice including stakeholder-specific agendas for action.  

Follow the discussion on Twitter #DigiDevSummit