rd gaps limit the ability of developing countries to assess not only the technological but also the economic social and environmental opportunities challenges and risks that may emerge from frontier technologies and put in place the relevant policy frameworks synthetic biology for example is a key frontier technology with significant potential impact on food security health and the environment as discussed in chapter i digitalization and automaton will give rise to profound changes across many sectors including manufacturing which has historically driven structural transformation and provided better jobs for workers displaced from lower productivity sectors a labour force with skills that are complementary to technological advances is essential if technological change is to be compatible with social inclusion rapid technological progress requires the labour force to devebp a broader range of skills focusing on humans comparative advantage to increase empbyability