The objective of this book is to heighten awareness about the necessity to take into account the impact of innovation, not only its economic and social repercussions but also those on natural ecosystems. We wish to popularize the use of artificial intelligence approaches and techniques in order to conceive friendly and useful applications that aid humans in their work instead of replacing them and rendering their minds obsolete. Learning from nature and applying this knowledge to innovation may reduce its impact and risks, as well as encouraging sustainable innovation dynamics.
After the opening chapter sets the scene and provides an overview of current innovation fields, Chapter 2 provides the reader with important definitions and the different ranges of innovation. E-co-innovation processes, balance conditions, obstacles and paradoxes are also discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on the challenges faced today, and in the near future, from a French and European perspective. The main elements of policies are provided in order to explain how these contribute to facing the challenges.
Chapter 4 describes the main experiments being performed around the world that are aiming to amplify innovation by increasing the involvement of more players and stakeholders. The fifth and final chapter discusses the principal benefits of biomimicry and is followed by a conclusion which proposes conditions for a sustainable future.