25-04-04: It’s that time of year again when a few thousand creative, curious, and talented young people apply to Chalmers’ programmes. And the question is whether it has ever been more exciting to be an engineer than it is now.
We are in the midst of a technological shift so profound that it’s impossible to fully grasp its implications. And I’m not just speaking about “we” in the sense of Swedes, Europeans, or people in the industrialised world – I mean “we” as in all of humanity.
This is, of course, to a big extent about the development of artificial intelligence, AI. We are on the path to developing tools that will likely surpass human intelligence in the long run. This will fundamentally change many areas: the green transition, healthcare, automation across the board; logistics and transport; software development …
All of this is happening at a time when technological fields like life sciences, quantum computing, materials science, battery technology, and much more are already advancing faster than anyone thought possible just a few years ago.
The development is impossible to fully grasp. And, of course, equally impossible to predict.
So how should we approach a future that is so unknown? The answer, of course, is with solid knowledge. Fact-based understanding that goes deep and starts from the ground up, combined with a rational and analytical mindset and, not least, sound judgement.
That might sound fluffy, but it’s our best toolbox for entering an unknown future; it’s the engineer’s toolbox.
Engineers create the applications that revolutionise all these technological fields. Engineers build the quantum computers that take computing capacity to completely unprecedented levels – but just as important is that engineers, with sound judgement, can ensure that technological development truly benefits all of humanity, rather than becoming a destructive force.
We already know that people with degrees from Chalmers hold important roles in Swedish industry – and in society at large. We know that the job market looks very promising. What I’m trying to say is that they have the future ahead of them, in more ways than one.
Studying here is a step towards being able to contribute to a better future. Big words? Certainly, but completely true. And this should be done with a combination of passion and good humour: Chalmers is a place where we work hard, but also have a lot of fun and take care of each other – and we are equally proud of both.
Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology
Under the headline "President’s perspective" the President and CEO for Chalmers University of Technology, shares his reflections on current topics that concern education, research and utilisation.