The age of the Jetsons has arrived: An Introduction to ABC Tech Alliance

Chris DeHerrera

In a recent podcast that I had the pleasure of recording with Teresa Foxley, president of Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah), I was intrigued by a discussion we had on the newest economic revolution taking the world by storm. The revolution is called the “Fourth Economic Revolution.”

But before we explore the world of the “Jetsons,” let’s first revisit a few of the major industrial and/or economic revolutions that changed the world.

A general agreed upon meaning of the word revolution is a change in the established order of things. A revolution is established when someone or some entity deems the current established order as unacceptable, no longer useful or no longer serving an intended purpose.

When we think of a revolution, we tend to think of radical political change. Perhaps two of the most famous political revolutions include the French Revolution and the American Revolution. But not all revolutions are political. The invention of the automobile revolutionized the world as did the invention and application of the Internet.

In the year 1831, the invention of the telegraph and the discovery and implementation of electrical engineering revolutionized communication forever. Within 50 years the telephone was invented, 1906 was the first radio broadcast and on Oct. 2, 1925, the first live television image was broadcast. In 1973 the mobile phone was invented by Motorola. These are examples of how quickly change can occur in any one arena as technology evolves.

Now back to economic revolutions. A quick fifth-grade review reminds us that the First Industrial Revolution was steam. The steam engine was a major contributor that paved the way for mechanized production of commodities. As technology continued to evolve, steam generation gave way to a Second Industrial Revolution with the electrification of “things” and mass production was ushered in. The third economic revolution was the rise of digital technology in the late 20th century.

Now, the world has morphed once again and this time venturing into a fourth economic revolution and into the age of the Jetsons, the family “of the future.” For those of you younger than 40, you must Google it, YouTube it, Smartphone it or iPad it for further clarification of the iconic 1970s futuristic cartoon that epitomizes the family of the future. For those of us older than 40 we fondly remember Jane, George, Elroy and Judy Jetson and, of course, Rosie the Robot, all effortlessly gliding around in their hover car. Extra points! What was the name of the adorable family pet? Of course, it was Astro.

Exploring this newest revolution is both disturbing and fascinating for me. And I won’t lie, it’s a little baffling. I am a traditionalist, which means I can be resistant to change sometimes. For example, I believe that communication between two people should not happen behind a text, a tweet or an email and then pretend that communication has somehow taken place.

The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw is credited for saying, “the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Now throw modern technology into that and “what we have here is failure to communicate”, as quipped in Cool Hand Luke by the famous Captain.

I also refuse (heels dug in) to transition to a Kindle. I prefer real books. I can smell the pages, turn the pages, collect, stack and treasure hunt for real books. I can’t do that with a Kindle.

My favorite cocktail also happens to be an Old Fashioned. Some may label my views as old fashioned and to that I say a resounding “cheers!” I am a traditionalist. So you can see why this newest revolution has me baffled and curious at the same time.

Since I am a visual person, my intent is to paint a picture of what the Fourth Industrial Revolution looks like. The fourth revolution is an assimilation of digital, physical and bioscience. The fusion of those three elements includes artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, 3D printing, genetic engineering-genetic editing/coding, quantum commuting, data analytics and other Jetsonian technologies. The picture in my head is likened to what the Big Boom may have looked like! Simply put, BOOM!

Here is a thing that I find most disturbing. Amazon is reviving Astro, the adorable family pet of the Jetsons, into a robot dog. Astro is the epitome of the adorable, warm and loving family pet. Now he will be revolutionized forever into a “thing” of the digital age with artificial intelligence supported by cloud commuting, robotics, data analyzing and the Internet of Things — and who knows, maybe even gene-editing. That is just wrong!

Here is a classic example of my traditionalist values colliding with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is upon us folks.

What does all this have to do with construction, you may ask? It will be up to us to work within the realm of this fourth revolution and understand the role of technology in construction and how it will allow us to build stronger, smarter, taller and more efficient. The results are safer worksites, increased productivity and over-all efficiencies that will open the gates to more complex projects.

So, are we in the Fourth Industrial Revolution now? The answer is a resounding “yes!” Building modeling systems (BIM), robots laying bricks, 3D printing, surveying drones and the latest development, which is Augmented Reality — or in simple terms, a digital layer of information that enhances a view of the real world. I’m not even sure what that last one means!

In the meantime, ABC is developing relationships and training for the newest technologies. This year will be a showcase for ABC’s Tech Alliance. The Tech Alliance was built to help drive ABC members’ ability to develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably.

The Alliance is a hand-selected group of 15 construction technology companies. These companies will be integrated in our association’s long-term planning. They will collaborate on technology resources for tech programs and education webinars focused on our mid-size contractors and provide us with access to companies supporting our contractor members.

Stay tuned in 2022 for introduction to our ABC Tech Alliance partners. You can also visit www.abc.org/Technology/Tech-Allinace for more information.

Chris DeHerrera is the president and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Utah.