IoT in Culture: Delay as Strategic Opportunity

The article argues that the cultural sector's typical lag in adopting technology, specifically the Internet of Things (IoT), can be turned into a strategic advantage. While IoT promises to connect physical objects to the digital world—from smart home devices to museum sensors that trigger audio guides—its full potential is hampered by cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Every sensor is a potential entry point for attacks, requiring robust protection. The author contends that the real breakthrough for IoT will come not from 5G but from achieving security parity with the physical world, which will cause delays. For the cultural sector, this delay offers a rare chance to proactively design and define IoT applications, potentially becoming a leader rather than a follower, as it was with the internet and social media. The piece calls on cultural institutions to organize and prepare to be competitive when IoT tools become widely available, warning against complacency and copying from other industries.