We are in a full start of the year, a 2020 that opens the door to a new decade. A decade where the development and manifestation of major changes are already foreseen; technological developments that we have followed and that we are waiting for.
What does this 2020 hold?
A key factor that will definitely influence our future is the urgent need to create ecological strategies. It is time to take it seriously and define: How will we respond to climate change, biodiversity decline and waste related problems? In this aspect, technology, as well as, all human systems will have to be involved. This will be a vital issue that will be present in all developments that could set a trend for this new decade.
Technology will be integrated in everything, becoming an inherent part of society and everyday life. It will be a technologically disruptive decade, where technologies such as 5G will see the light, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence will begin to be mainstream, it will be the Age of the Internet of Things, etc. All this providing opportunities for the industrial and business sector, as well as opening a whole new panorama for consumers.
Speaking of consumers and put it together with the ecological factor: It will be an interesting topic and a high priority to question ourselves, both in the professional field and in everyday life, as innovation allows us to access new products and services: How can technology support an ecological reconstruction and how can these developments also hinder it? As consumers, how can we make the best use of technology in a responsible and sustainable way ? I believe that both questions are vital and we should keep them in mind.
2020 trends that will develop throughout the decade.
This year we will see market technologies coming up after a long period of development. Each of these technological trends will be developed throughout the decade, opening a new panorama to initiatives, new business models, products and services that will provide solutions to the new needs of a consumer that continues to transform and to the particular needs of the environment, society and the systems that integrate them.
5G will see the light and the consumer will gain speed.
One of the technologies we have been waiting for is 5G. According to data provided by Huawei, the 5G will increase the current capacity of the mobile phone by 1,000 times, with connections for at least 100 billion devices and an individual user experience of 10 gb / s with extremely low latency, which means faster response times.
This year we will see the launch of 2,500 satellites, a development of the company SpaceX founded by Elon Musk. The goal is to mark a new era for broadband internet for users in North America. Throughout the decade, the launch of more than 30,000 satellites is planned to expand the internet throughout the planet.
The arrival of 5G will enhance unprecedented “anytime, everywhere” Edge Computing, allowing the development of complex computing tasks rich in functions, quality for streaming video , content creation and handling of machinery, from anywhere on the planet, in real time and in a variety of devices.
More about 5G: https://ignasisayol.com/en/the-future-with-5g-technology-disruption-in-sight/
Digital Twins will become a main tool for industry.
Digital Twins will become collaborative tools to plan, develop, operate and maintain assets and infrastructure.
Digital Twins is a trend gaining momentum thanks to the evolution of simulation and modeling capabilities, the development of ioT sensors and a greater availability of tools and IT infrastructure, especially for data analysis. It is expected that by 2022, 40% of ioT platform providers will integrate simulation platforms, systems and capabilities into their services for the creation of Digital Twins and 70% of manufacturers will use this technology for process simulation and scenarios evaluation.
Today, the city of Singapore is an example of success in the application of Digital Twins for the management of its Smart City. The city uses a detailed virtual model of itself in urban planning, maintenance and disaster preparedness projects.
More about Digital Twins: https://ignasisayol.com/en/digital-twins-the-twin-brother-that-every-company-wants-to-have/
Quantum computing commercialization will begin.
We have previously talked about quantum computing and the great benefits for the industry, such as medical care, logistics and the energy sector. In 2020, companies like: IBM, Google, Intel, Microsoft and Alibaba are betting on their development. We also see the rise of startups such as D-Wave Systems or QC Ware, seeking to create disruptive innovation solutions.
Google presented its latest advances in quantum computers. The company developed a chipset capable of performing highly complex calculations in less than 3 minutes. As a reference, it would have taken the world’s fastest supercomputer about 10,000 years to do the same job.
More about quantum computing: https://ignasisayol.com/en/quantum-computing/
Blockchain goes into intensive use.
In 2020, main institutions will introduce Blockchain to ensure transparency and security of large-scale information and prevent Internet fraud. We will see actions and programs of large companies that will bet on offering and spreading Blockchain in the industrial sector: IBM established an accelerator program specialized in Blockchain, China approved the introduction of Blockchain in services such as ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), Alibaba Group, China Southern Airlines, etc.
This year, Blockchain will be an application-intensive technology in different sectors.
More about Blockchain here: https://ignasisayol.com/en/how-to-implement-blockchain-in-logistics-6-real-examples/
The Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning momentum.
Artificial Intelligence is part of our daily lives, driven by the rise of devices such as Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. In this 2020, emotion recognition will take on more relevance and AI will see its decisive application momentum in business and consumer sector.
The stakes are that AI can transform productivity and the global economy GDP. In expectation of strategic investment in different sectors for this to happen.
A study developed by the PWC shows that 45% of total economic gains by 2030 will come from product improvements, stimulating consumer demand. AI will make it possible to generate a greater variety of products, customized, attractive and accessible.
Like any trend that lives the highest point of popularity, it will generate an ethical movement among political, business and research elites. Tech companies will experience pressure from new regulations, investors, employees and society in general, concerned about the AI generation and commercialization in a responsible manner that prevents damage and contributes to humanity advancement. In this sense, the ethics application on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is key to prevent this technology advances without control and invades our privacy by altering our life.
We must increase social and environmental well-being while respecting human rights. This 2020 will bring concrete political actions in this area, we will see efforts to connect ethics and value creation in this technology.
Autonomous cars, technology ready pending regulations.
Companies like Tesla, Alphabet or Waymo have opted to strengthen their efforts in the design of impeccable autonomous vehicles. Since the beginning of its development, the idea of driverless cars, controlled from long distance and in real time, has generated great excitement and passion.
Making it feasible for autonomous cars to carry out activities and be ready for use and application will be a reality, but like Artificial Intelligence, new regulations and a social mindset change are needed, as well as cities and roads infrastructure changes so that this technology can be adopted and the opportunities of its implementation can be seized.
More about autonomous cars: https://ignasisayol.com/en/the-future-of-road-transportation-driverless-trucks/
Democratization of technology.
Democracy means the we all have the same rights and responsibilities. When we talk about democratization of technology, it refers to the technical domain easy access for everyone, regardless of their profession and place.
This trend will be key in the activities of: app development, design, knowledge, data and analytics.
Finally, to say that there is a wide range of possible future scenarios, but it depends on the actions and choices in the present as organizations and individuals. Technology can offer solutions, as long as they are properly managed to merge into society with responsibility and care for the environment.
We are facing a year where we will see great developments come to light, before this, an intellectual and emotional preparation of both the consumer and the market is required. This will ensure the correct trend flow and the results procurement that favor the economy and the environment.
