Smarter, more integrated technology is already transforming everything from the devices in our hands to how we collaborate with colleagues or even buy groceries. As artificial intelligence and edge computing proliferate, bringing power and efficiency to countless industries and activities, we see tremendous change happening.
But what will 2023 (and beyond) bring? What surprises are ahead for our rapidly advancing relationship with technology?
Below we explore some of the technologies already emerging – but which are set to change our world even more in the near future.
- ‘Holographic’ technology will energise meetings : In our new hybrid world of work, technology will step up to create meetings where ‘holographic’ attendees feel nearly as real as being there in the flesh.
- Shape-changing devices will boost hybrid work : Screen size remains valuable in an age of multi-tasking and devices designed to shoot and edit videos, stream content, play games, and every other activity packed into our portable devices. In the future, the phones in our pockets might actually be a lot smaller – a reversal of the trend long-seen in smartphones – but ‘extend’ or ‘unfold’ to become larger when we need to use them.
- The metaverse will change the way we work : The metaverse is going to edge closer to reality – but it won’t be about cartoon avatars and games. Instead, metaverse technology will be driven by the world of work, not play.
- Shops will get smarter : Artificial intelligence will increasingly shape the world around us – and accelerate daily activities such as shopping.
- Multi-access edge computing (MEC) will power smart cities : In the future, intelligent cameras will manage traffic in ‘smart cities’, cutting pollution, congestion, and road accidents – and edge computing servers will enable everything from holographic teaching to augmented reality shopping.
- Hybrid work will enable new technologies : The way we work has changed forever, and in tomorrow’s new hybrid workspace, the way companies use technology will change – with a shift towards technologies such as smart sensors, and a move to renting everything from hardware to the office experience itself.
