Consider big data and novel manufacturing. The government lacks a strong grasp of complex supply and distribution chains for life-critical medical equipment and other goods. Specialists in big data analytics should now turn to modeling these networks to develop real-time tracking and data visualization platforms to better inform policy decisions. The predictive maintenance and additive manufacturing that are gaining traction in the military should become more prominent in health care. Some hospitals are already using 3-D printers to fabricate respirator valves, and it’s saving lives. Companies like Amazon know how to supply and distribute efficiently. They will need to provide services and advice to government officials who lack the computing systems and expertise.
Finally, the country is long overdue for a real digital infrastructure. Government at every level should move to cloud, mobile and web-based software and start treating data as a strategic asset. It’s now painfully obvious that these tools are essential for effective action. Moreover, the American people will need that infrastructure for their daily lives. If we are to build a future economy and education system based on tele-everything, we need a fully connected population and ultrafast infrastructure. The government must make a massive investment—perhaps as part of a stimulus package—to convert the nation’s digital infrastructure to cloud-based platforms and link them with a 5G network.
See the full story here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-real-digital-infrastructure-at-last-11585313825