The economy of trust

The expansion of non-medical uses of DNA-reading technologies promises to unleash the immense benefits of bio-technologies in our societies, while expanding the public’s trust in its capabilities.

Automation has the potential to displace millions of jobs, while creating new ones. Drastic shifts in the labor market should offer both hope and caution; they will impact each nation’s economy significantly, and alter the demand for skills in employees, but may also stir social structures and affect citizens’ trust in their respective governments, public institutions, and the private sector. How should global leaders react?

Public fear and mistrust in government have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially given its disproportionate impacts on poorer communities. Greater government transparency and trust-inspired communication, as well as education for the greater public good are part of the solution. We must also leverage technology for human priorities, by better enabling citizens and allowing for greater participation.

The pandemic has revealed that the world is increasingly governed by complex food systems prone to cascading failure. Decision-makers must leverage new technologies and data analytics to build stronger, yet flexible, global networks to rely on.

With the international rollout of vaccine certificates, both public and private sector actors are coming together to create reliable standards. But what are governments doing to ensure their security and integrity?

The scientific community and policymakers keep exploring new ways of testing for COVID-19 infections. Among the most promising, wastewater testing and saliva testing stand out. Ultimately, the success of these new methods will be measured by the test’s accuracy, speed, cost, lack of pain,… and the public’s trust in them.

The rush to vaccination against the COVID-19 virus has highlighted numerous supply and logistic complexities but also the risks of fraud. More than ever, trust is crucial. The situation is evolving and new information on the virus and impact of the vaccine is constantly emerging. The public needs to be sure that information available is trustworthy, authorities and vaccine manufacturers are transparent, and that the vaccines with which they are being injected are genuine.

The development of quantum technology (and the ongoing global race to build the most powerful supercomputer) has inestimable potential effects on our livelihoods, from message encryption to quantum teleportation. How do we encourage trust and more knowledge-based collaborations?