The covid-19 pandemic, which will continue to affect our lives in many ways, will be reactivated in 2022.
As we enter the new digital technology year, however, sustainability, increasing digital technology trends, data volumes, and network speeds will all be essential drivers of digital transformation.
Many people and organizations have learned that truly transformative change doesn’t require as much effort as they thought.
We will continue to use this openness, flexibility, agility, and innovative thinking as a society to survive and thrive in the changing world.
5 Biggest Digital Technology Trends
Here are my predictions about the top trends that will have the most significant impact in 2022.
The convergence of technology trends will be the key trend in 2022, and new tools that allow us to combine them will make these trends even more critical.
#1. Artificial Intelligence everywhere
Smart used to refer to connected smartphones, smart TVs, and other intelligent devices. These devices were similar to toys, but we’re connected to the internet.
Nowadays, “smart” generally refers to devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI), usually machine learning algorithms capable of helping us innovate more.
Smartphones can use AI algorithms to manage everything, from keeping call quality to taking better photos, and they come loaded with apps that use AI for just about any task.
Smart toilets, which can use computer vision to analyze stool samples and diagnose gastrointestinal problems, are now on the horizon.
AI is now a part of our daily tools to do our work. This includes the ubiquitous voice assistants and language translators. We also have tools that extract structured data from images, whiteboard scribblings, and hand-written notes.
AI also powers much robotic process automation, allowing for lighter workloads in admin, logistics, accounting, and HR departments. No matter what industry you work in, there is likely to be an AI-powered solution that will make your life easier.
These technologies combine to give us capabilities that we didn’t have even a few years ago. Convergence will be the most critical trend over a more extended period than the one we’re explicitly considering here.
The convergence of increasing data volumes, faster processor speeds, and “democratization of data” will profoundly impact society.
#2. Everything-as-a-service and the no-code revolution
A whole industry has emerged in recent years that seeks to make tech-led innovation accessible to as many people as possible. Cloud storage, network, and processing solutions reduce the risks and costs of setting up costly infrastructure to test new ideas.
Hybrid solutions are often possible when public cloud services don’t suit your needs, such as when you deal with sensitive or valuable data.
This sounds like a problem, but it has been a driving force behind the rise of “do-it-yourself” and self-service solutions. A company doesn’t need an army of computer experts to create their “digital brain” when they can rent one to do the job they need.
OpenAI, an Elon Musk funded research group, has recently released Codex, a programming system that generates code from natural, spoken language.
As technology like this develops (which we will see in 2022) and converges with cloud infrastructure, innovation and imagination will be less restricted by a lack of either technical skills or resources.
#3. Digitization, datafication, and virtualization
Many of us witnessed offices and workplaces’ virtualization and remote working in 2020 and 2021. This was a temporary phenomenon that is part of a longer-term trend.
We will be more familiar with the idea of metaverse, persistent digital worlds that exist alongside the physical world in 2022. These metaverses will allow us to perform many functions we are used to in the real world.
These metaverses will become more accurate as digitization continues to increase. This will allow us to experience more authentic, convincing, and ultimately beneficial experiences in the digital realm. However, new devices that offer tactile feedback and smells will significantly enhance the experience.
It is developing an “internet” of senses that promises virtual experiences indistinguishable from reality by 2030. This may seem a bit far ahead of what we are interested in.
#4. Transparency, governance, and accountability
Humans must trust technology to function. There are strong objections to many current uses of technology that are perceived as intrusive, dangerous, or irresponsible.
AI is often referred to as a “black box,” which means that we cannot see into it to understand its workings. It is more often because of its complexity than any evil plan to limit our understanding.
The effect is still the same. It is alarming that AI can be used to harm people, as Facebook did recently when it called images of black people “primates.” This is especially true in a society where AI is used to make decisions that impact lives, like hiring and firing.
It has gained popularity as it became clear that AI is not transparent and quickly explained. The act would prohibit authorities from using AI in public places to create facial recognition tools and social scoring systems.
AI solution providers must prove that their systems are not capable of causing harm before they are allowed to sell. This includes “exploiting vulnerabilities” and “causing psychological or physical harm”.
Some argue that the current version doesn’t go far enough and doesn’t require that individuals be informed if they are subject to AI-driven decision-making processes.
Sundar Pichai, Google CEO, stated that while regulation of AI is essential, there is still a way to ensure that innovation is not stifled.
A new #GoogleAI tool reduces the size of datasets needed for radiology models used to predict abnormalities in chest x-rays, making it easier for researchers to build custom models that can help in disease detection. https://t.co/IFSz5kMgE3
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) July 19, 2022
As more people are aware of the potential negative and positive effects of AI and other tech trends on society, this balancing act will likely be a topic of increasing importance in 2022.
#5. Sustainable energy solutions
All non-renewable energy consumption decreased worldwide as industries closed down and people stayed home. It is expected that renewable energy will see increased investment in the future.
This growth is expected to continue into 2022. The cost of producing renewable energy from different sources, including offshore wind, solar, tidal, and onshore wind, fell between 7 and 16.
New energy sources like biofuels and liquid hydrogen are becoming more feasible, even though it will be some time after 2022 before their full impact is felt.
Helion Energy, a pioneering company in the field of fusion energy that replicates the process of creating energy in the sun’s rays, expects to bring online its latest prototype fusion generator in 2023.
