Digital technologies are poised to change the future of work. Automation-led by new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things-could affect 50% of the world economy, according to the 2017 Digital Evolution Index published in Harvard Business Review. The index estimates that more than one billion jobs and $14.6 trillion in wages could be automated by today's technology.

This could open the door to new ways of harnessing human energy and creativity. As HBR notes, "The world's digital economy stands at a threshold where opportunity and risk stand in balance."

The Digital Evolution Index analyzes the state and rate of digital evolution across 60 countries, dividing their progress into four categories: