Digital Human: The Fourth Revolution of Humanity Includes Everyone
We live in the fourth age of humanity.
The first phase was becoming human. The second was becoming civilised, when we created money. The third was becoming commercial, when we created banks. In this fourth age of humanity, we have turned ourselves into Digital Humans.
Technology is changing the way we talk, trade and transact. We are now interfacing with technology whenever we do business, make friends, and go about our lives. What does this mean for business, banking, society and government? What does this mean for you?
Digital Human explores the transformations that are sweeping through all spheres of life: the domination of global digital giants; the advent of new financial structures (FinTech); the disruption brought about by Bitcoin; the rise of robots; and the fall of banks.
The book also gives the first in-depth English case-study of Ant Financial and Alipay, the largest payments processing company in the world. Soon, not only will everyone on the planet be connected digitally, they can be raised out of poverty through inclusion.
We are living through the age of creating the next generation of humanity. What does the future hold?
Buy NowBOOK ENDORSEMENTS
Konstantin Peric
Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation“Building upon the financial technology themes from his previous books, Chris takes you on an intellectual journey as he methodically thinks through where the technology will take us, humans, next. He imagines a new, open, banking and financial services system tailored for each one of us. He describes how financial inclusion drives innovation, and how it will change financial services as billions of people join the system. I greatly enjoyed this rare and refreshing optimistic vision in which money is implicit, the invisible digital fabric of the internet connecting new platforms and existing companies.”
Piyush Gupta
CEO, DBS“Chris’ latest book is a tour-de-force that provides a broad sweep of the incredible changes that are impacting our industry… open banking, platforms, APIs, and machine learning, to name a few. However, it is his articulate postulation that ‘few banks are changing, and if they don’t change they will not survive’ that makes this book a MUST READ for anyone in the financial services industry. And his thoughts on the very basis of value in our economy, and how this could evolve in the fourth revolution make this a great read for the rest of us!”
Jesse McWaters
Project Lead, Disruptive Innovation in Financial Services, World Economic Forum“Skinner presents a compelling vision of the future of financial services expertly set in ten-thousand years of historical context”
David Cotney
Former Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks; Board Member, Cross River Bank“In Digital Human, Chris Skinner challenges our notion of what it will mean to be human and the role that money and finance will play. With his follow up to Digital Bank, Skinner paints a picture of humanity’s digital future and the future is bright. As Skinner describes, with 7.5 billion people connected in real time through mobile technology, increased access and transparency have the potential to finally tear down the walls of financial exclusion.”
Dr. Soner Canko
CEO, BKM“Digital revolution creates the fourth age of humanity where everyone is connected and included. For the very first time we have a chance to reach and serve a financial transaction to everyone. As one of the world’s most followed voices on FinTech, Chris Skinner provides a survival guide for financial services industry and opportunity therein.”
Dan Dickinson
Chief Digital Officer, Equitable Bank “At the risk of sounding repetitive, Digital Human is yet another must-read book from Chris Skinner. Banks, bankers, and “control freak cultures” everywhere take heed: if you don’t yet understand how your roles will diminish in the coming years, this book will make it frighteningly clear.”
Kim Fournais
CEO and founder, Saxo Bank“Chris has a sharp eye for industry trends and cuts through a lot of noise with actionable insights, while shedding light on the alarming fact that the majority of banks’ IT budget goes to maintenance rather than innovation. If the industry dares to follow Chris’ proposed solutions: focusing on partnerships, technology outsourcing and increased collaboration we would see an unleashing of energy and innovation to the benefit of clients and society at large. As Chris puts it nicely: ‘If banks are average in doing 1000 things, are cemented to their past and are not agile enough to update daily and refresh their core regularly, they will be outsmarted by those who can. And those who can will recognise that banks are doing 1000 things mediocrely - and will naturally come together to do 1000 things brilliantly.’”
Wayne Brown
Managing Partner, The Walker Group“Chris Skinner has the remarkable ability to distil complex issues to their simplest form which results in a book that can be easily digested. Digital Human evolves as a one-on-one conversation as Chris describes how technology has become the equalizer in our global society. His vast experience evaluating global markets brings a real-life perspective to understanding both the history and future of digital transformation. Chris takes an approach of a fireside chat, a one-on-one conversation speaking to us in a personal way where, no matter what our experience with digital transformation, we can relate to his stories, and his honest passion to inform and educate.”
Chris Nichols
Chief Strategy Officer, CenterState Bank“Digital Human gives you a view into the future in a bold and imaginative way. Any banker the world over would benefit from Chris’ practical clarity about where the evolution of financial services will lead us.”
Stephen G. Andrews
Community Bank President“Buckle up, Chris Skinner helps the reader peer around the corner by examining the past, present, and future trends leading humanity down a digital path of human revolution. Digital Human tackles the challenges of financial inclusion in a digital world struggling to assist with the plague of poverty. The internet of things is omnipresent in Skinner’s unique journey, as digital advances are explored in the context of a human revolution and changing financial infrastructure.”
Mary Wisniewski
Deputy Editor, BankThink and Reporter, American Banker“If you’re a traditional banker, reading Chris Skinner’s Digital Human will feel like a SoulCycle kick-your-butt spin class — it will gut your view on traditional banking and likely freak you out on the long list of things your institution ought to do, including dumping your legacy core system. But you will walk away healthier and it will leave you with a wonderful possibility on how tech can rethink financial services into something that benefits everyone. Skinner has traveled the world and is one of the few that writes about fintech in an informed, funny and no-BS banker kind of way. Not only will you learn where the word “harlot” was originated but you will uncover the direction banks are going; namely, transforming from control freaks into open banks in a world destined to let people share their financial data where and when they want.”
Chief Editor, FinTech Istanbul
Ahmet Usta“Chris Skinner, the wise guidance of the FinTech world, takes us on a new journey with his new book Digital Human. It gives us a chance to look into the past with the light of a crystal sphere of the future. For the banks and financial players, Skinner’s crystal sphere is also a perfect bi-directional mirror that will provide a better understanding of a new world. If they would use this mirror with the guidance of Chris, it’s clear to find a path for their future or, otherwise, just turn into memories of the past.”
Özge Çelik
Senior Vice President, BKM“In order to be ready for the future we should understand how the digital transformation has developed. Chris Skinner provides an in depth look into what has happened and what is happening today. It is time for all financial services industry to reimagine how to offer finance through technology in the new era. Digital Human will help you to understand digital transformation, will make you think about your business, above all, it will make you think about what you are going to face in the future.”