5 Emerging Technology Trends To Look For In 2021

 

Trend 1: The Dawn Of Ethical Artificial Intelligence Is Coming

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that businesses and organizations are utilizing more than ever before. With its ability to collect unprecedented amounts of customer data  and  quickly and intelligently parse that data, AI helps businesses predict their customers’ behavior like never before. However, where is the line drawn when it comes to using people’s private data to enhance a business’ goals? That’s where the ethics of AI come into to play.

Ethical AI?
 
That’s right—ethical AI!

Recently, certain AI technologies have been observed to be biased against minorities, women and the LGBTQ community. In fact, due to concerns about ethics, Google didn’t renew their AI contract with the US Department of Defense. According to research done by Tech Talks, Amazon had an Artificial Intelligence tool used for recruiting that they had to stop using. That’s because it was found that this system actually had a bias towards female applicants.
 
A study titled “Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI” addresses what is known as data governance. So, it’s not just about data protection and basic privacy rights. Data governance mechanisms must be put in place to safeguard the integrity as well as the quality of the data and making sure access to data is legitimate.

TechDogs’ Opinion: You can bet that drastic measures will be taken in 2021 to ensure Artificial Intelligence operates without any biases and does not infringe on fundamental human rights. With each new exciting development in AI, ethical experts will question whether the model runs without inherent preferences and inclinations. In fact, the late physicist Stephen Hawking publicly said that superhuman AI could end the human race if deployed incautiously. AI tech will drive forward in 2021 - let's just hope it keeps Skynet from developing and chasing us with drones (save that for the paparazzi!).
 

Trend 2: Edge Computing And Cloud-native Technologies - A Match Made In Heaven That’s Only Going To Get Sweeter

Are edge computing and cloud-native technologies going to duke it out? Not at all! According to Equinix, market research by IDC has predicted that, “By 2023, the cloud industry will grow to $652 billion, with edge networks representing 60% of all deployed infrastructures.” Hyper-scale cloud providers are in good standing when it comes to computing right on the edge! This is due to common edge and cloud capabilities working hand in hand with cloud-hosted management.
   

Trend 3: Blockchain Technology Will Grow At An Unprecedented Rate

 
Blockchain? No, it isn't the latest and greatest weapon in the Terminator's arsenal. The network that records and distributes digital information without editing it is known as blockchain technology, it underlies all cryptocurrencies but the number of applications will grow in 2021. The adoption of blockchain technology by financial services and trade markets is happening quicker than the T-1000 can maneuver. Blockchain technology can even aid in vaccine distribution and vaccine tracking.
 
According to a Mordor Technology study, there has been a subtle acquisition of blockchain technologies by enterprises across the globe and it’s reached a crossroads across different use cases—it might finally be time for blockchain to make the impact that’s been predicted for years. Process manufacturing, discrete manufacturing and (in 1st place) the banking industry will lead the way in global blockchain spending.

TechDogs’ Opinion: As far as blockchain solutions are concerned, financial institutions in the US, Western Europe and China will spend the most in the coming years. Blockchain technology is expected to be integrated in supply chains across a variety of industries as well. Blockchain will answer the growing demands for decentralized infrastructure in several fields, particularly finance and cloud storage.
 

Trend 4: 5G Will Be Used By Businesses Like Never Before

5G or the T-X, also known as the Terminatrix? That’s a good question but you should put your money on 5G as one of the hottest technology trends in 2021. Called the future of communication, 5G will heavily impact businesses in a positive way. The speed that comes with 5G is unparalleled. In fact, what might take 12 minutes to download today could happen in mere seconds with implementation of 5G.
 
Some noteworthy goals of the 5G technology include:
 
According to Mobile App Daily, the dawn of 5G is going to benefit a host of other technologies, helping them skyrocket in terms of what they can offer consumers. Hot trends like self-driven cars are starting to emerge and will fortify that groundwork for the future of technology.

TechDogs’ Opinion: Whether your company is fully prepared for 5G integration or is only beginning to evaluate the consequences, the 5G transformation is unmistakably approaching – and the sooner organizations integrate, the sooner they will reap the benefits. When compared to 4G, the most evident gain will be quicker internet speeds. 5G, for example, will reach 10 gigabits per second, which is up to 100 times faster than 4G! Additionally, as many companies will continue to work remotely in 2021, 5G will play a significant role in offering remote employees more efficiency.
 

Trend 5: Autonomous Driving Is Finally Here

Waymo, Alphabet and Tesla will lead the way in the development of driverless cars. That’s better than the Terminator driving you through town, blowing up everything in sight. Wait, does he even have a driver's license?!
 
It’s been predicted by that by 2025 there could be close to 20 million self-driving or fully autonomous vehicles. Automated braking and adaptive cruise control are paving the way and helping to introduce the idea of self-driving vehicles. According to research done by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in 2021 and beyond you’re going to see the world of automotive safety greatly enhanced with the emergence of self-driving and extremely autonomous vehicles.
 
You’ll be able to sit back and watch Terminator 8 - wait, how many Terminator movies are there now? Who can keep track!

TechDogs’ Opinion: Startups and established manufacturers will concentrate on developing efficient and reliable autonomous vehicles in 2021. The adoption of electric autonomous vehicles on a large scale is expected to be critical in countries trying to decarbonize their economy. As the number of autonomous cars grows, smart infrastructure will be built around it to support charging stations and other networking technologies.

This Brings Our Terminator Quest To A Close

Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and 5G will pave the way for the future, while automated smart driving technologies will be taken up a serious notch. No more riding motorcycles with a shotgun-wielding Terminator at the helm. The scenes for Back to the Future 2 may not be that far off! (Where’s my flying car! Where’s my hoverboard!).
 
All these technologies will change how organizations conduct business and will heavily affect business/customer relations, the efficiency of city operations and cyber security, among other areas.
Remember to be nice to AI so they don't take over the world, right Governor Schwarzenegger?!