Yet another pandemic filled year has rolled by and we’ve been ushered into a new year filled with renewed hope. Last year, lots of technology trends were a direct response to living in a COVID-19 filled world and the past two years has proven that adaptation is a necessity.
Technology has played an important role in sustaining many individuals and businesses through the pandemic. The long-term nature of this global crisis has changed how we live, work, and interact with others. In 2022, we are bound to see more technologies being adopted which would shape many products, services, careers, and industries.
Here are some of the most promising technology trends that we’re likely to encounter more of this year.
1. Blockchain/cryptocurrency
There’s no denying that cryptocurrencies aren’t going away anytime soon. Powered by blockchain technology, the decentralized nature of these virtual coins has made them immensely popular with a market cap of over $800 billion.
This year, we’re bound to see more adoption of cryptocurrencies, blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies (DLT). Their use cases span across trusted data-sharing, self-sovereign data, trusted data-sharing, supply chain transparency and many more.
With the promise of a much safer and efficient transaction, organizations in the financial services industry would continue to lead the way in fully adopting blockchain and DLT platforms.
2. NFT Platforms
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital object consisting of data and a unique computer code that shows primary ownership of something. NFTs transforms collectibles and other digital works of art into unique, verifiable assets that can be easily traded on the blockchain.
In 2022, we are bound to see more adoption of NFTs in not just artworks but including books, TV shows, movies, gaming, real estate and much more.
3. Cybersecurity
Despite the numerous advancements in technology, many organizations still struggle with building solid defenses against cybercriminals. The cost of security breaches continues to grow and is expected to reach nearly $11 trillion by 2025, according to data from Deloitte.
This year, there would be more demand for artificial intelligence (AI) powered cybersecurity solutions that can rapidly detect novel criminal patterns, effectively contain them and respond promptly—easing the burden on security operations center analysts.
4. 3D printing
The COVID-19 pandemic caused lots of disruption with the supply chain process but with 3D printing, the needs of the market can be met much faster and with fewer materials or human input. These days, pretty much anything can be used as raw materials for 3D printing—whether metal, powder, liquid, concrete, metal, plastic or even chocolate.
Today, entire houses can be made using a 3D printer and we’ll see a lot of uses cases this year in the manufacturing industry. 3D printing streamlines the manufacturing process unlike traditional methods and makes it easier to produce highly personalized items, all while reducing production costs and eliminating waste.
5. Metaverse
Simply put, the metaverse is a digital reality that combines virtual reality, augmented reality, online gaming, social media and cryptocurrency into one platform that allows users to interact with each other virtually. In fact, the metaverse can refer to anything presently available on the internet.
Lots of technology giants have been laying more emphasis and investing in the metaverse like Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Spotify, Snapchat, Huawei and Alibaba. We expect more information and a bigger ecosystem for the metaverse this year which would leave a direct impact on many technology sectors including consumer tech products, social networks, on-demand consumption services, digital currencies, communication technology, health technology and many more.
6. Expansion of 5G – 6G connectivity
Since the start of the pandemic, remote work has become the new normal for many organizations and internet reliability has become more important than ever. According to a forecast by Cisco, an additional 1.4 billion people will be connected to the internet this year, leading to an increase in the amount of data consumed.
While 5G technology is still in its infant stage, there would be an increased focus on transitioning to 6G much faster in 2022. The United States and China had already begun research into 6G technology in 2018 and we expect more countries to follow through with additional announcements.
7. Clean technology
Climate change has been a hot topic of discussion for decades. Many technology companies are swiftly transitioning towards utilizing cleaner energy, fuels, resources and creating cleaner technology—especially with policies being created to curb climate change.
With the associated costs of clean tech dropping, there’s now more widespread adoption with their disruption being felt across an increasing number of industries. For example, in the automobile industry, there is a massive increase in the value of electric cars with Tesla, a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, worth trillions of dollars.
There’s no doubt that this year will witness rapid progress in these and even other technologies, as the world adapts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. There would be lots of opportunities for technology startups, corporations, investors and professionals to capitalize on these emerging technologies to become more successful than ever before.