I attended an event a few months ago that included a presentation by Christina “CK” Kerley. Aside from being a dynamic and engaging speaker, she spoke about the next major megatrends in technological innovation. I’ve always been fascinated with the “macro” view of where our industry is going, so I thought I’d share some of what I learned from CK. These are the trends she discussed.
Permanent Tech Revolution
The pace of change is accelerating and will continue to do so. The present represents the slowest pace of change we’ll experience going forward. There will be more technological change over the next 20 years vs. the last 200 years. We can expect to see a greater number of changes with faster adoption rates and quicker cycles. This accelerated pace of change is due to a combination of infrastructure, information access, lower cost to entry, increased competition, and an expanding global economy. Of all the changes, the biggest tech change is our personal expectations and how overtly personal technology is becoming. The 21st century belongs to speed and the survival of the fastest.
The Next Generation Web
Expect the web to break out of the box. Expect a bigger, more human web. The web will include wearable, physical, contextual, experiential, conversational, gestural, personal, and intellectual elements. We will move from being servants to the web, to having the web serve us: the Internet of Things (IoT) and the transition to smart things. The biggest change to come to the web in the next 5 years will be the explosive growth of new people having access to the web (2 billion online by 2020). The web will double in the next 5 years.
The Rise of the COBOTS
COBOTS are collaborative machines that reflect intelligent automation. They will provide complementary skills for people working with machines. The real story of automation is not what it replaces, but what it augments.
Data Wins the 21st Century
We’re in a data-driven world. We’re moving from computer science to data science. The real question will be “What Data?” and “What data Types?” Data will be most relevant if it provides insight and drives profit.
Artificial Intelligence
AI will be used to manage the vast explosion of Data, Technology, and Innovation using the technology itself to control and manage this. The concept of “ADDED INTELLIGENCE” will be added to our everyday lives, to work environments, and to the world.
If the subject of technological innovation is as intriguing to you as it is to me, I highly recommend you check out Christina Kerley’s website.
Tim Krueger, PEI
