Digital Fluency: Understanding the Basics of Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, Quantum Computing, and Their Applications for Digital Transformation

Description

If you are curious about the basics of artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and quantum computing as key enablers for digital transformation and innovation, Digital Fluency is your handy guide. The real-world applications of these cutting-edge technologies are expanding rapidly, and your daily life will continue to be affected by each of them. There is no better time than now to get started and become digitally fluent. You need not have previous knowledge of these versatile technologies, as author Volker Lang will expertly guide you through this digital age. He illustrates key concepts and applications in numerous practical examples and more than 48 catchy figures throughout Digital Fluency. The end of each chapter presents you with a helpful implementation checklist of central lessons before proceeding to the next. This book gets to the heart of digital buzzwords and concepts, and tells you what they truly mean. Breaking down topics such as automated driving and intelligent robotics powered by artificial intelligence, blockchain-based cryptocurrencies and smart contracts, drug development and optimization of financial investment portfolios by quantum computing, and more is imperative to being ready for what the future of industry holds. Whether your own digital transformation journey takes place within your private or public organization, your studies, or your individual household, Digital Fluency maps out a concrete digital action plan for all of your technology and innovation strategy needs. What You Will LearnGain guidance in the digital age without requiring any previous knowledge about digital technologies and digital transformationGet acquainted with the most popular current and prospective applications of artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and quantum computing across a wide range of industries including healthcare, financial services, and the automobile industryBecome familiar with the digital innovation models of Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM, and other world-leading organizations Implement your own digital transformation successfully along the eight core dimensions of a concrete digital action plan Who This Book Is For Thought-leaders, business executives and industry strategists, management and strategy consultants, politicians and policy makers, entrepreneurs, financial analysts, investors and venture capitalists, students and research scientists, as well as general readers, who want to become digitally fluent. Contents About the Author Introduction Chapter 1: Digitalization and Digital Transformation 1.1 Historical Business Transformations 1.2 Innovation and Disruption Theory 1.3 The Digital Ecosystem 1.3.1 Major Driving Forces Major Driving Forces: Complexity Major Driving Forces: Agility and Flexibility Major Driving Forces: Cybersecurity Major Driving Forces: Efficiency Major Driving Forces: Automation Major Driving Forces: Sustainability Major Driving Forces: Connectivity Major Driving Forces: Compliance 1.3.2 Digital Transformation Strategy 1.3.3 Digital Key Technologies 1.3.4 Innovation Models of Google, Amazon & Co. 1.4 Classical Data Processing 1.4.1 The Digital Code 1.4.2 Principles of Operation 1.4.3 Computers and Other Digital Devices 1st Computer Generation: Mechanical Switches 2nd Computer Generation: Electromechanical Relays 3rd Computer Generation: Vacuum Tubes 4th Computer Generation: Transistors 5th Computer Generation: Multicores 1.5 Key Points 1.6 Further Reading 1.7 Online Classes 1.8 References Chapter 2: Quantum Computing 2.1 Setting the Quantum Computing Scene 2.2 The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics 2.2.1 Spooky Quantum Reality 2.2.2 How Quantum Computers Operate 2.2.3 The Fussy Search for the Perfect Qubit Decoherence: Spin-Flip Process Decoherence: Energy Relaxation Process Decoherence: The Technical Solution Types of Qubits: Trapped Ion Qubits Types of Qubits: Electron Spin Qubits Types of Qubits: Superconducting Qubits 2.3 Quantum Computing Today 2.3.1 Commercially Available Systems Commercially Available Systems: Quantum Annealer Commercially Available Systems: Quantum Simulator Commercially Available Systems: Universal Quantum Computer 2.3.2 Current Business Applications Current Business Applications: Simulation, Modeling, and Optimization Current Business Applications: Cybersecurity Current Business Applications: Quantum Cryptography 2.3.3 Next Challenges 2.4 Key Points 2.5 Quantum Computing Framework 2.6 Further Reading 2.7 References Chapter 3: Blockchain Technology 3.1 Setting the Blockchain Scene 3.1.1 The Role of Transactions and Money in History 3.1.2 Basic Functions of Money in Society 3.2 Blockchain Fundamentals 3.2.1 Decentralization and the Arrival of Trust 3.2.2 The Immutable Data Structure 3.2.3 Digital Value Transfer 3.2.4 The Authorization of Transactions by Digital Signatures 3.2.5 Deploying Trust by Consensus and Mining 3.2.6 Smart Business Contracts 3.3 Blockchain Technology Today 3.3.1 Implementation Challenges for Enterprises 3.3.2 Current Business Applications Current Business Applications: Cryptocurrencies and Fundraising Current Business Applications: Trading, Payment, and Sharing Services Current Business Applications: Supply Chain Management and Logistics Current Business Applications: Anti-fraud of Consumer Goods Current Business Applications: Energy Commodities Platform Current Business Applications: Governmental Services Current Business Applications: Blockchain Consortia 3.3.3 Further Use Cases Potential Use Cases: Governmental Services Further Use Cases: Law Further Use Cases: Healthcare 3.4 Key Points 3.5 Blockchain Technology Framework 3.6 Further Reading 3.7 References Chapter 4: Artificial Intelligence 4.1 Setting the Artificial Intelligence Scene 4.1.1 The Symbiosis of Neurobiology and Information Theory 4.1.2 The Conference That Started It All 4.1.3 IBM’s Legendary Projects Deep Blue and Watson 4.2 Central Ideas Behind Artificial Intelligence 4.2.1 The Cost Function 4.2.2 Minimization of the Cost Function 4.3 The Five Categories of Learning 4.3.1 Supervised Learning Supervised Learning: Regression Supervised Learning: Classification 4.3.2 Unsupervised Learning Unsupervised Learning: Clustering Unsupervised Learning: Association Unsupervised Learning: Dimensionality Reduction 4.3.3 Deep Learning Deep Learning: Artificial Neural Networks Deep Learning: Convolutional Neural Networks Deep Learning: Recurrent Neural Networks Deep Learning: Generative Adversarial Neural Networks Deep Learning: Recommender Systems Deep Learning: Auto Encoders 4.3.4 Ensemble Methods 4.3.5 Reinforcement Learning 4.4 Top Use Cases and Business Applications 4.4.1 AI Chips 4.4.2 Computer Vision Computer Vision: Shopping Technology Computer Vision: Vision-Guided Robotics Computer Vision: Autonomous Driving 4.4.3 Healthcare 4.4.4 Natural Language Processing 4.4.5 Energy Efficiency 4.4.6 Drug Discovery 4.4.7 Financial Services and Insurance Financial Services and Insurance: Cybersecurity Financial Services and Insurance: News Analytics and Intelligent Pricing 4.5 Key Points 4.6 Artificial Intelligence Framework 4.7 Further Reading 4.8 References Chapter 5: Your Digital Action Plan 5.1 Envision a Digital Strategy 5.1.1 Envision a Digital Strategy: Develop a Digital Business Model 5.1.2 Envision a Digital Strategy: Derive a Digital Operating Model 5.2 Select the Right Technology Stack 5.3 Digitize the Core 5.3.1 Digitize the Core: Create a Central Database 5.3.2 Digitize the Core: Develop a Software Tools Library 5.4 Identify Pilot Projects 5.5 Empower Management and Employees 5.6 Shape the Organization and Structure 5.6.1 Shape the Organization and Structure: Format Agile Project Teams 5.6.2 Shape the Organization and Structure: Establish a Two-Speed IT 5.7 Establish an Open Innovation Culture 5.7.1 Establish an Open Innovation Culture: Adopt Agile at Scale 5.7.2 Establish an Open Innovation Culture: Implement Design Thinking 5.8 Leverage the Ecosystem 5.9 Key Points 5.10 Further Reading 5.11 References Glossary Index