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Future of Technology: Whats Next?

Writer's picture: Rita ShethRita Sheth

The future of technology is rapidly evolving and promises to transform every aspect of our lives, from the way we work and communicate to the way we think and experience the world around us. We are now truly in an age where the future we saw in sci-fi movies is becoming our reality. It is an exciting time - one which is thrilling and at the same time overwhelming.


We are developing at an exponential pace, and due to the pace of change, even people in the field of high-tech are struggling to understand, keep up with, and, in some cases, even control, what is happening.


The possibilities of future tech are, in many cases, still unknown, but here are some of the emerging areas that are likely to have a major impact on our world in the years to come.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI will transform every industry, from healthcare to finance to transportation. In the future, AI is likely to become even more advanced and capable, and may very well outstrip human intelligence, either in specific ways (or more worryingly) in general ways. In any case, it will revolutionise the way we live and work.


One of the ways in which we are seeing AI being used right now is in natural language processing, which has led to efficiencies in automating customer service with chatbots now being able to handle complex conversations. Generative AI applications allow AI to create new outputs such as images, videos, text, and music, seemingly spontaneously.


Although using AI in creative fields has led to concerns about creative integrity and copyright, it has also opened up these fields to many people who did not have the required technical skill, but who can now create works based on just an idea, creative prompt or concept.

Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)

VR and AR technologies are already being used in a variety of applications, from gaming to education to training simulations. In the future, these technologies are likely to become even more advanced, with the potential to create fully immersive experiences that blur the line between the digital and physical worlds.


This could lead to breakthroughs in areas such as entertainment, education, and even remote work and collaboration. In e-commerce, for example, we will be able to try on garments virtually or, in the case of home items see them superimposed into spaces in our homes, without having to test or try things in real life. In future, this will allow for more engaging and accurate representations of products, and efficiencies in how we shop.


In education, this may allow for more engaging and personalised lessons to be delivered to students in ways that are connected and immersive, for example, combining virtual field study with in-class study.


The idea of the metaverse takes the application of VR to another level. In the future metaverse, we will be able to experience an alternative virtual world, that could be so immersive and interactive that it is almost indistinguishable from real life. An open metaverse is very likely to birth new economic systems, revenue streams, and maybe even a whole new class of jobs and skill sets.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a new form of computing that uses quantum bits (qubits) to perform calculations. This technology is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to be much faster and more powerful than traditional computing.


Quantum computing could also revolutionise machine learning by allowing us to process massive amounts of data and improve the accuracy of predictions. It could also accelerate drug discovery by simulating complex molecular interactions in a fraction of the time it currently takes using traditional methods. Another potential application is in optimisation problems, such as finding the most efficient route for delivery trucks or optimising financial investments.


For me, the most interesting use case is to better help us understand the origins of the universe. Quantum computing could assist by simulating complex physical systems that are difficult to model with traditional computing methods, such as simulating the behaviour of subatomic particles and predicting the outcomes of quantum experiments. This could lead to us understanding the fundamental laws of physics and the origins of the universe sooner than might otherwise have been possible.

Robotics

Robotics is advancing rapidly, with the potential to transform everything from manufacturing to healthcare. Amazon has already replaced a chunk of its workforce with robots to do logistical work such as picking and sorting deliveries. In the future, advances in soft robotics could lead to the development of robots that can handle delicate and complex tasks, not just low-skill or routine tasks, while advances in swarm robotics could enable large groups of robots to work together to achieve common goals.


Lifelike humanoid robots, like Sophia, have generated a lot of interest in recent years due to their ability to mimic human behaviour and interactions. Sophia has been designed with sophisticated machine learning algorithms that allow her to process and respond to information in real-time, to recognise human emotions, and to continually evolve by learning new information and generating authentic ways of behaving.


Recently, Ai-Da, who was created by British gallery owner Aidan Meller in collaboration with a team of engineers, programmers, and artists, was questioned in the House of Lords. She is a humanoid robot artist and her work was recently exhibited in a solo show in Venice. Her existence, and the quality of work she produces, make us fundamentally question what art is, what it is to be creative, and even what it is to be human.

Biotechnology & Nanotechnology

Biotechnology is a field that combines biology and technology to create new products and processes. Some of the most promising areas of biotech development include gene editing, synthetic biology, and personalised medicine. For example, gene editing could enable the treatment of genetic diseases by modifying or removing faulty genes.


Nanotechnology is the study, design, and manipulation of materials at the nanoscale. At this super small scale, materials exhibit unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. Nanotechnology involves working at these very small scales at the level of individual atoms and molecules.


The interaction of biotechnology and nanotechnology is known as nanobiotechnology. By combining the tools and techniques of nanotechnology with the biological processes and systems of biotechnology, researchers are able to create new materials, devices, and therapies with enhanced properties and capabilities. One application is the development of nanoscale drug delivery systems that can target specific cells or tissues in the body, improving efficacy and reducing the side effects of medications.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, are already making significant strides in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.


In the future, renewable energy is likely to become even more efficient and cost-effective, with the potential to power everything from homes and businesses to entire cities.


This could lead to breakthroughs in areas such as transportation, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.


For example, advances in battery technology could enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and the storage of renewable energy, while advances in solar technology could lead to the development of more efficient and affordable solar panels.


This may mean that we can make energy more accessible, cheaper and more sustainable, which could change global economies - especially in developing world countries.


It would also power the new technologies that require great amounts of computing power, such as quantum computing, and allow faster progress in these areas as a result.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the growing network of devices and objects that are connected to the internet, and which allow everything we use to be 'smart'.


From smartphones to smart homes to smart cities, in the future, the IoT is likely to lead to an interconnected web of products we use on a daily basis, which will lead to more efficiencies and conveniences in every aspect of our lives, and which allow us to be more productive and our products to generate more value by being data-driven.


For example, using IoT in household devices like fridges, allow them to detect what food is inside and track, when it was put in and taken out. This information is sent to the cloud, where it can be accessed through a mobile app or other device. Smart fridges can also suggest recipes based on the ingredients inside, send alerts when items are running low or close to expiration, and even order groceries automatically.

As can be seen from the above examples of developing emerging future technology, there is a lot of promise but also each of these, taken separately as well as together, present significant challenges and risks.


One of the primary challenges is the ethical and social implications of new technologies. As these technologies continue to evolve and become more integrated into our lives, privacy concerns and data breaches could lead to extremely negative consequences. As well as this, many of these technologies could change the world of work, potentially making rafts of the population redundant and unable to be re-integrated into a rapidly technically evolving society.


On the other hand, no doubt, new jobs and skills will be created, and we could enter a world where things are easier, faster and cheaper. We may be entering a world of more freedom and choice in some ways, but also a world where the extent of the connection of every part of our lives to technology could leave us feeling controlled and invaded by technology.


The other interesting thing to note about all of the major technology I have described is that they feed into each other, which is why the rate of progress has accelerated in recent years. Renewable cheaper energy makes metaverse more likely to be used by the many rather than the few, quantum computing allows for biotech to develop faster and AI and robotics both work together to allow for a new type of human-like intelligence to emerge in more effective ways.


As such, it's likely that the pace of growth will continue unabated. In ten years it's difficult to know what will have emerged, but these are all paradigm-shifting technologies, and the fact that they are being developed at the same time, can lead us into a reality we can not imagine, let alone predict.

The future of technology presents a tremendous opportunity to improve our world and create a better future for all. However, it is important we use these very powerful technologies in responsible and ethical ways. Because power without responsibility has historically never led to outcomes that have benefitted humanity.


What are your thoughts? Let me know below.


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