Yes, it has, it is and will further transform the way we do business. The transformation has been taking place since the time I was working in the area of AI/ES (Artificial intelligence/expert systems), which caused concern among engineers at what was a leading computer company. The Internet and its application to e-Commerce (e.g., Amazon, Google) and today's evolving IoT (Internet of Things) will further change business practices, create new jobs, decimate old jobs, particularly routine, repetitive ones. Think of AI-based financial services, which seem to be better than employees.
Earlier this year, I was speaking to a manager of bank here in The Netherlands, and he told me that he hoped he could work for some years till he reached 60 or 62 so that he could take early retirement. He then revealed he was unsure as the bank was hardly recruiting graduates in finance and banking as "softbots" outperform graduates -- who he said appear to be slow, error-prone, etc. So why recruit them unless they are exceptional? He asked me if I had not noticed that his bank had fewer bank offices. I did -- I had to travel further to visit the nearest branch of my bank.
Even in a country like India, where there are many more times people available than jobs, banks are introducing robots to greet visitors, and the use of softbots is on the increase. Why? In China, with the largest population in the world, it is reported, robots are used deliver food to waiting customers in some busy restaurants. Why?
Autonomous or self-driving cars will also impact transportation and thus business. The further use of drones to deliver food or supplies needed for emergencies could impact business logistics. It is not unthinkable that drones could be used to transport people to some places they need to get to quickly.
Collaboration robots will also impact the factory floors. AI and deep learning and of course robotics, will affect many more areas of human endeavour. Finally, what about military operations using autonomous weapons? -- not business, I agree. Perhaps what I have sketched is not a "brave new world", to conveniently borrow a phrase, with all respect, to Aldous Huxley.
Agree and could imagine future ubiquitous commerce in most pervasive manner 24/7.
To update my answer of 4 months ago, Amazon opened a cashless, and non-cashier/non-checkout store on Monday 22nd Jan 2018, just five days ago. If you have installed the needed app on your smart phone, you walk into the store, pick up what you want and walk out of the non-checkout store. It is in Seattle and is called Amazon GO.
Please see my comment on "smart home" elsewhere on Researchgate. Your bank account or credit card will be immediately charged... nothing is free as you can imagine.
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