If 2020 seems longer than the usual year because of the global pandemic, you are not wrong. Even Post-Pandemic Technology trends, which used to blow out minds every few months or weeks even, seem to have suffered a slowdown but it doesn’t mean it’s not coming.
There had been a few steps and leaps towards future Technology trends that promise faster and broader reach so it’s time to look at Technology trends in 2021.
Some of these were expected to drop this year so we should look forward to them in the months to come.
Table of Contents
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is often depicted in pop culture as a megalomaniacal entity that wants to end all humanity. This idea is perhaps the single biggest threat to advances made in AI as developers are being extremely cautious in creating self-learning machines.
Even scientists like the late Stephen Hawking and technologist Elon Musk have expressed concerns about AI.
Despite all these though, a limited form of AI is already inside your room, just listening to you and learning your habits. Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, Samsung’s Bixby, and Microsoft’s Cortana are just some of the many programs and machines that are adapting to you and connecting you to the world.
Earlier this year, Samsung STAR Labs unveiled Neon which they touted as the first Artificial Human with an AI interface that interacts with you in real-time. Companies in business and manufacturing are likewise working on modernizing their services and processes using AI.
GAP, the apparel brand, is now using the patented technology from the U.S. start-up company, Kindred, to automate distribution. Other start-ups like Vicarious and Osari are likewise being tapped in the manufacturing industry.
We should expect technologies that use AI and machine learning to grow rapidly in 2021 especially during post-pandemic Technology trends.
5G Networks
It is without a doubt that 5G is the one that would follow 4G and 3G networks. The promise of 5G is an unbelievable transmission speed which will definitely surpass any that 4G can offer.
We’re talking about gigabytes per second of transmission rate which is faster than any broadband in 4G. This opens up opportunities for mobile and smart devices to operate at the speed and capacity of desktop computers.
This also opens up better coverage for IoTs (Amazon Go, Accel Robotics, Standard Cognition, Grabango, AiFi, and Trigo), drones, and autonomous cars. Smart cities will be more achievable now.
For now, a 5G network is only available in certain countries and areas. It will also require more infrastructures to be built to support the network and data traffic.
It will take time but 5G will definitely be arriving soon.
Automation
Automation is the marriage of other advances in Technology, especially during post-pandemic technology trends. Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Robotics, Internet of Things, and Cloud Computing are all working together to improve business processes.
Robots can do menial, repetitive tasks at a minimum cost to any business. The biggest challenge to automation is job creation for the existing workforce. During Post-pandemic Technology trends use a robot, especially in a research lab.
Aerospace Technologies
Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX have been driving private aerospace advancements for this century. Likewise, governments like China, the U.S., and Russia are also on track to making their marks on space and even boost their defenses there.
These competitions are driving developments in aerospace technologies. SpaceX was able to successfully land rockets using autonomous flight systems.
And spacecraft are going green with electric and hybrid alternatives. The future looks bright for aerospace technologies as people look forward to 30-40 minute’s intercontinental trips with a magnificent view of the heavens.
Edge Computing
Cloud and Cloud computing are now indispensable parts of our everyday life. This is no longer an emerging technology since we see its application in many technologies. The phrase “saving this to the cloud” has become ingrained in our modern culture after all.
So what’s beyond cloud computing? Enter, Edge Computing as the next leap forward. Edge computing involves bypassing the latency that many experiences with cloud computing, resulting in a processing power that makes a significantly faster and more real-time experience.
Experts predict that the market for Edge Computing will be worth $6.72 billion globally and it will quickly spread in the mobile and telecom sector by 2022. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that companies like Microsoft are already investing billions into this technology.
Chip startups like SambaNova (U.S), Graphcore (U.K), Syntiant (U.S), and Wave Computing (U.S) are working on the architecture that can meet this growing demand.
Blockchain
Blockchain is often related to cryptocurrencies but it is actually more than that. In its barer form, a blockchain is a data that you can only add to. Bitcoin is one of the pioneering who used blockchain technology and digital money.
Think of several blocks being linked together as more blocks of data are added. Also, data in the existing blocks cannot be altered – this is the main security feature of blockchain. Another security feature is that no single entity governs it.
These features have attracted businesses and governments like the U.S. and China. They are using Blockchain to prevent information leakage and internet fraud. China analysis, for example, is known for developing countermeasures related to money laundering.
Human Augmentation
Smart wearable devices had been gaining mass usage for the better early parts of the 21st century. The next step now is human augmentation which promises intellectual and physical improvements by making machines that can naturally merge with biology. Boston Dynamics has produced a number of human augmentation devices that can be used by factory workers and soldiers.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
We cannot deny that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is on the rise in the video game industry. Recent games like Pokemon Go and Skyrm VR have opened doors to how we play video games.
AR’s and VR’s potential is also being realized in entertainment, training, education, rehabilitation services, training, and marketing. Facebook, Sony, Samsung, and Google are currently the big players in the VR market. They have released devices that project a highly interactive virtual environment. TikTok and Pokemon Go are examples of AR since they project filters on the real-world.
Cybersecurity (ok)
Cybersecurity will never go out of style. With the speed of emerging technology and growing data comes threats that want to unravel it. This increase in cybercrime requires cybersecurity that can protect valuable data as people move transactions online.
Cybersecurity is quickly rising as a priority in every organization that is adapting to the pandemic. Work-from-home and study-from-home setups now require some form of cybersecurity to guarantee safety since anyone is exposed to cyber threats.
Opportunities in cybersecurity are likewise growing faster than any other job in the Technology world. The current challenge is to speed-up detecting data breaches since it is currently taking an average of half a year.
Transparency and Traceability
Customers who share their personal and private information to online site demands some level of control with how and where it is being used. There is always a risk for managing and securing personal data so this concern is quite valid.
The government is putting up regulations to make sure that private entities do not abuse the information given to them. Such moves for greater transparency and traceability improve the ethics of companies and their practices.
Multiexperience
Multi experience is an advancement from the single sensory experience of the computer interface to interactions that are multisensory and multi-touchpoint. As AR and VR technologies improve, it will become multi-experience as well.
FAQ
1. What will change in 2021 specially in post-pandemic technology trends?
There will be innovations in the areas of science, technology, health, culture & business because of the 2020 pandemic. Technology will be faster as 5G networks start beefing up their infrastructures.
2. What does technology trends mean? What should I learn first?
Technology trends mean keeping updated with the latest happenings in technology. It also means knowing the trendy paying jobs and certifications that involve technology. Go with the demanding and emerging areas in technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automation, Edge Computing, Blockchain, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and others.
3. What are the benefits of technology?
The 5 benefits of technology are:
- Improved Communication
- Agility, Speed, and Efficiency,
- Remote Connectivity
- Automation in businesses
- Storage and Sharing
4. What are the new inventions in 2021?
The new inventions in 2021 are: Autonomous farming, Remote health monitoring, Personal translators, IoT Kitchen Appliances, Wearable AR
5. What is the latest technology in the IT industry?
The latest information technology trends are as follows:
- AI
- Automation
- Cyber Security
- Microsoft’s and Amazon’s Cloud service
- Software-Defined Networking
6. What are the next major Technology trends?
The next major technology trends are (1) Predictive and personalized medicine, (2) Autonomous Driving (3) Artificial Intelligence (4) Computer Vision, (5) Extended Reality (6) Aerospace Technologies, (7) Artificial Intelligence, (8) Automation (9) Edge Computing (10) Internet of Things, (11) 5G data networks
7. Which technologies will make headlines in 2022?
There is a drive towards more efficient energy sources. We can see this in the rise of smart cities, smart grids, electric cars, LEDs, new battery technologies, and new techniques of cooling data centers.