There is nothing as constant as change. As we know, the world will continue to evolve with new technologies designed to transform businesses. Understanding emerging technologies like the Internet of Things, Blockchain technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning will set the pace of transformation, help organizations position better, and derive long-term exponential growth. Regardless of one’s profession or industry, the significance of knowing how the following technology trends will redefine the next decade cannot be overemphasized.
Trend One: Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning:
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to a digital computer or digitalized robot’s ability to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent cognitive human behaviors.
The term is often related to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, like the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from experience.
The motive of artificial intelligence is learning, reasoning, and perception. Experts share the view that computers’ ever-increasing ability to think as humans will completely transform the world.
Machine Learning is a current AI application that is based on the idea that we should be able to give machines access to data and learn and think for themselves.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning are amongst the primary driving force behind most of the technology trends we see today; thus, makes it imperative for IT leaders and decision-makers to reevaluate their businesses and invest accordingly.
Trend Two: Cloud and edge computing
Experts predicted that Edge computing has the potentials to redefine cloud technologies in the next decade. While cloud computing is perceived as the most preferred solution for big data, recent developments in AI, machine learning, and the anticipated 5G connectivity will also dramatically change how data is created, processed, stored, and utilized.
Trend Three: The internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT), simply put, is the many physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all receiving and sending data. The impacts of IoT in the next decade has the potential to be limitless, as it will connect future society, which further fuels the growth in Big data and AI.
Trend Four: Quantum computing
Quantum computing involves qubits or quantum bits, which are basic units of information used by quantum computers. It’s a significant advantage that it exponentially increases the amount of data that can be processed. Though work in quantum computing is mostly restricted to labs, it is possible to witness the first commercial quantum computer this decade.
Trend Five: Blockchains and distributed ledgers
Blockchain is a type of a distributed ledger. Distributed ledgers adopt independent computers, which are referred to as nodes to record, share, and synchronize transactions in respective electronic ledgers instead of leaving data centralized as in a traditional ledger. Blockchain technology will redefine the next decade. This perfectly secured way of storing and authenticating data can revolutionize many aspects of business globally, especially when it comes to facilitating trusted transactions and conducting due diligence.
Trend Six: Robots and cobots
Most experts predict the future workplace to have humans and robots working together, as robots would have developed the potential to carry out most cognitive tasks humans usually perform. This idea sounds more futuristic, but it’s already happening, as robots are already introduced to take up several roles in most organizations. A great example is the use of robots by UK’s online grocery store, Ocado, to collect groceries from crates beneath them and drop them off at a packing station. The use of robots limited the recent pandemic’s adverse effect on the organization’s warehouse and supply chain.
Trend Seven: Chatbots and voices interfaces
Alexa, Siri, and Chatbots are technology trends that will dominate the next decade, as most people are already used to communicate with machines just by speaking or typing a request. However, experts predict that in the following decades, more organizations will adopt chatbots and voice interface to interact with their customers.
Trend Eight: Autonomous vehicles
One thing you should look forward to in 2020 should be the production and the release of autonomous vehicles of all kinds ranging from cars, taxis, trucks, and even ships.
Trend Nine: 5G
Do you have an idea of what 5G will offer your business and the world at large? The 5th generation of cellular network technology will provide faster, smarter, and more stable wireless connections, which drive advances in many other trends. The dominance of 5G is one of the technology trends organizations should look forward to in the next decade.
Trend Ten: Wearables and augmented humans
What was introduced with fitness trackers has insidiously evolved into a whole wearable technology designed to improve human performance? A pattern set to continue.The past decade has shown organizations who remain passive and viewed digital disruption as worrisome and challenging paid a hefty price.
IT leaders should embrace the uncertainty and potential that advances in new technologies, data analytics, and artificial intelligence will bring in the years ahead. As an advisory firm, our priority lies in assisting businesses to navigate the overwhelming pressure to innovate and evolve amid technological transformation whiles encouraging the reevaluation of the effects of new technology and its impacts on productivity, competence, growth, and building resilience.
Source: Henry & Steel
