Guest Editors’ Introduction to the Joint Special Section on Secure and Emerging Collaborative Computing and Intelligent Systems

The papers in this special section focus on secure and emerging collaborative computing and intelligent systems. The Internet, coupled with recent advances in computing and information technologies, such as IoT, mobile edge/ cloud computing, cyber-physical-social systems, and artificial intelligence/machine learning/deep learning, have paved the way for creating next-generation smart and intelligent systems and applications that can have transformative impact in our society while accelerating rapid scientific discoveries and innovations. Unprecedented cyber-social and cyber-physical infrastructures and systems that span geographic boundaries are possible because of the Internet and the growing number of collaboration-enabling technologies. With newer technologies and paradigms getting increasingly embedded in the computing platforms and networked information systems/ infrastructures that form the digital foundation for our personal, organizational, and social processes and activities, it is increasingly becoming critical that the trust, privacy, and security issues in such digital environments are holistically addressed to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals as well as our society.