Sean A. Culey

The world is changing faster than ever before, leaving people dazed, businesses struggling, economies floundering and societies fracturing. But why? Transition Point is the result of years of research to establish the answer; a breath-taking three-part investigation into the cause, nature and effect of technological change and the future social, economic and cultural challenges we are likely to encounter as a result. Part one dives into a historical analysis of why progress suddenly and exponentially exploded in the 18th Century. It investigates the drivers of technological change, why it happens in waves, and details the different waves we have experienced to date. It not only explains the nature of technological change, but uniquely explores the social, economic and political factors that enable or suppress it. Part Two of the book then examines the breath of technologies in the current wave, and their impact on the world of work. From advanced robotics through to artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and the blockchain, Culey explains how these technologies are converging together to automate the entire global supply chain, creating the potential to replace human labour and human cognitive skills. Finally, in the book's third and biggest section, the book examines what impact this technological change will have on our business practices, our economy, the nature of work, our society and on our future as a species. It highlights trends that are leading us towards some very dystopian outcomes, from mass unemployment to a totalitarian society of constant surveillance. It also demonstrates why this period may represent the beginning of the end for Homo sapiens. As Klaus Schwab, founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, stated; "We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before." Transition Point explains why.