ICDRI 2021: Exploring Digital Infrastructure Resilience
Accelerated development within the digital infrastructure domain has enabled Information Communication and Technology (ICT) opportunities such as telework, telemedicine, online retail, contactless payments, distance learning, and delivery of public services. In the present networked world, digital infrastructure enables and underpins multiplicity of infrastructure systems. It is, in fact, a 'lifeline infrastructure system'.
Since digital infrastructure is a relatively new paradigm, there is limited knowledge on disasters and the lessons learned. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and the fourth industrial revolution; dependence and connectivity via digital infrastructure urgently call for addressing current and future risks. To this end, we need to explore two connected dimensions: (a) vulnerability of the hyper-connected environment and (b) the opportunity.
As interconnectivity and dependency on digital infrastructures will increase exponentially, so will the vulnerabilities. The session explored and addressed current and future disaster risks of systems underpinned by digital infrastructure and discussed how an enabling environment can be developed for digital infrastructure resilience.