Cambridge Dictionary defines 'transformative technology' as technology which causes a major change to something or someone, especially in a way that makes it or them better.
In the first two decades of the 21st century, online technologies like AI, blockchain, quantum computing, extended reality, hybrid cloud computing, pixel streaming, data science, mobile identity and digital twins all qualify as potential candidates to fulfill this promise: “causing a change that will make things better for all of us”.
However, for such core technologies to become truly transformative, it is required to set up its applications in a responsible way. By design. This means that, from the beginning, we need to eliminate the risks of causing addictive, manipulative, unsafe, unstable or unfair situations. Because once a core tech has been put into action, as part of day-to-day application, it is going to be hard to get rid of any irresponsible effect it causes.
The consequences of the latter are usually severe. Governing bodies of society will start to regulate the technology behind it (not just the application) and penalize it where they can. Customers will ask for more guarantees, even if an application of the same tech is completely different. Media will ban the technology-as-a-whole, while competitors will open backdoors to traditional alternatives. Especially if a case involves matters like politics, education, ethics, health care, privacy, costs or safety…a transformative tech application needs to be set up responsibly.
Now one could argue that every new technology can do good and bad, depending on the way it is used and has been set up. However, even if you are not a dedicated do-gooder or global idealist, the rationale to avoid the potential of causing addictive, manipulative, unsafe, unstable or unfair situations is simple: the application will last longer and yield more cumulative attention or revenue. If the technology behind it stays trusted, IT providers can build up application families for a long time.