In the next ten years we will use technologies that, in terms of innovation and complexity, will represent a real quantum leap compared to what has been done in the previous hundred years.
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According to the international management consulting firm, understanding the effects of this change can help avoid shocks to the system, both for the individual and at the skill level for organizations.
A decade in hi-tech format
The pace of change in the technology industry has always been very rapid. According to McKinsey, something like ten years of growth in e-commerce was compressed into just three months at the end of 2019, a complicated period that, however, has facilitated, like never before, experimentation, testing and supporting technological innovations. of business . On the basis of this conviction, it is expected that the hi-tech advances of the next decade will be even more advanced.
What is needed, first of all, is the awareness that any change can prove to be advantageous, but also problematic, and that keeping up with developments is becoming one of the few certainties. Part of the challenge is knowing which trends are most significant and which ones are least likely to bear fruit.
Here, then, are the best technologies that are attracting the attention of both experts and investment funds.
1. Process automation and virtualization
About half of all existing business activities could be automated in the coming decades.
"By 2025, over 50 billion devices will be connected," McKinsey predicts. Robots, automation, 3D printing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) will generate approximately 79.4 zettabytes of data per year.
2. The future of connectivity
Faster digital connections, powered by 5G and subsequent generations of mobile telephony, have the potential to unlock economic activity. For an order of magnitude, the improvement in connectivity performance could significantly contribute to increasing global GDP from $ 1.2 trillion to $ 2 trillion by 2030 .
3. Distributed infrastructure
By 2022, 70 percent of companies will use hybrid or multi-cloud platforms as part of a distributed IT infrastructure. It means that data and their processing can be managed more and more "in the cloud" and be accessible to devices faster .
"This technology trend will help companies increase their speed and agility, reduce complexity, save costs and strengthen their cybersecurity defenses," adds McKinsey.
4. Next generation computer science
According to the survey authors, next-generation computing "will help find answers to problems that have plagued science and society for years, unlocking unprecedented capabilities for businesses."
This indication includes a number of far-reaching developments, from quantum AI to fully autonomous vehicles.
5. Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI)
Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest technological trends. We are still only at the dawn of the development of AI and, as the technology becomes more mature and sophisticated, it will be applied to enhance, in turn, other technological tools.
Just to get an idea of the size, by 2024, the speech generated by artificial intelligence will be the basis of more than 50 percent of people's interactions with computers .
However, companies are still looking for ways to use AI effectively . In fact, the consulting firm notes, "While any business can get good value from AI when applied effectively and repeatably, fewer than a quarter of respondents report a significant impact on profits."
6. The future of programming
Software 2.0 is coming . Neural networks and machine learning create new code on their own and this technological trend will make it possible to rapidly spread new applications that are particularly rich in data.
All of this foreshadows that you could have the creation of much more powerful and performing software applications, but it will also allow you to standardize and automate existing coding and software processes .
7. Safe architectures
Over 8.5 billion data records were compromised in 2019, and despite advances in cybersecurity, criminals continue to refine their attacks. Secure architectures will help in the fight against cybercrime through an approach that employs technologies such as blockchain . "In addition to reducing the risk of breaches, they reduce security compliance costs, operational expenses and enable more efficient transactions," notes McKinsey.
8. The bio-revolution
There is a "confluence of advances in the life sciences" that "promises a significant impact on economies of scale and will affect many sectors of industry, from health to agriculture, from consumer goods to energy and materials."
Driven by artificial intelligence, automation and DNA sequencing, the bio -revolution promises the development of gene therapies, hyper-personalized drugs, and genetics-based guidelines. These trends, not only technological, will create new markets but also raise some important ethical questions . “Organizations need to evaluate their BQ , the extent to which they understand science and its implications. They should then identify the resources they need to allocate,” McKinsey argues.
9. New generation materials
Developments in materials science have the potential to transform many market sectors, including pharmaceuticals, energy, transportation, health, semiconductors and manufacturing more generally.
Among the raw materials, for example, graphene stands out, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice configuration that is about 200 times stronger than steel despite its incredible thinness. It is also a very efficient conductor and promises to revolutionize semiconductor performance . Another is molybdenum disulfide, whose nanoparticles are already used in many electronics applications.
10. Clean technologies
Renewable energy, eco-sustainable transport, energy-efficient buildings and sustainable water consumption are at the heart of the issue of green technologies and, as the costs associated with these new modes decrease, their use will become more frequent.
The technological mega-trends identified by McKinsey will push many professional categories not to miss emerging business creation opportunities in this area and, in order not to run the risk of remaining "out of the game", appropriate operational improvement programs must be developed. precisely to technological development , procurement and production.