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Cloud for Good – A fundamental debate of today

"We live in an amazing time when technology is changing almost every aspect of our lives—at breathtaking speed."

This powerful statement opens Cloud for Good, a publication that Microsoft created as a contribution to a fundamental debate we are having today: How to make sure that innovations unleashed by cloud computing benefit everyone and how to address unprecedented challenges that new technologies create for our business and in our lives.

A new generation of technology innovation is delivering capabilities that promise new ways to expand access to economic opportunity and address some of humanity’s most pressing problems. However, the cloud is creating disruption in other ways as well.

Recognizing that the rapid pace of change creates concerns and even challenges for some individuals and communities, the Cloud for Good book highlights the importance of ensuring that the cloud we create today is a cloud for global good in the future. Tech companies, the community and governments need to work together to achieve this. As a contribution to this important debate Cloud for Good details 78 public policy recommendations in 15 categories to help make cloud technologies more trusted, responsible and inclusive. Topics include next-generation skills, enhancing security and privacy in the digital age, environmental sustainability, keeping communities safe, and securing a bright future for all our children. The book’s specific proposals tackle challenges like data flow disruptions that can interrupt critical services, protecting people from online exploitation and fraud, and ensuring those with disabilities can access e-government services.

At the occasion of recent visit of Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, in Prague, we introduced Czech and Slovak versions of this publication as our contribution to the debate here in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Chapter 3 entitled Digital Transformation in Action outlines a number of fascinating examples of how cloud computing innovates and transform business across industries and segments - Czech and Slovak examples included in both localised editions! believe that you will find the book a useful source of insight and inspiration for using technologies to achieve more and positively impact world around us. Czech version can be found on www.cloudprolepsisvet.cz, Slovak version will soon be available on our Slovak newscenter.