Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has reached an important turning point and will increasingly extend to all the services, things and applications in the real-world, making them communicate with each other. The development of intelligent systems that can learn, adapt themselves to the surroundings and be able to act autonomously in the coming years will be an interesting scenario to observe.
Trend 1: Artificial intelligence & advanced machine learning
Artificial intelligence was already mentioned last year as a trend. So, what is new for us to expect this year? With combination of extensive parallel computing, advanced algorithms and massive data sets to feed these algorithms, we have entered a new era. We have already employed artificial intelligence, such as the use of deep learning or processing language. Systems can learn and based on this information, adjust future behavior, allowing more intelligent devices and applications to become available.
In banking, a practical application can be used: AI and machine learning can be used to view real-time transactions. Organizations considering driving with this digital innovative information should evaluate a number of business scenarios in which AI and machine learning can really add value to the organization.
Trend 2: Smart apps
Smart apps are filled with technologies like virtual personal assistants. These are making users’ everyday life a lot easier by performing activities which are sometimes time consuming. They send emails for you to prioritize and highlight important content and interactions.
But the applications of virtual assistants are not limited to prioritizing and highlighting emails. Technological companies would focus on three areas, namely:
- Advanced analytics
- AI-controlled, becoming increasingly autonomous, business processes
- AI-driven user interfaces
Trend 3: Intelligent things
Intelligent things are often divided into three categories: robots, drones and self-propelled cars. Each of these products will take up a huge part of the market where they support a new chapter of digital business. In practice, these are only one part of all the intelligent things. The Internet of Things is perpetually expanding. Not only at your home, office, workplace, but devices will also be connected to each other in the waiting room at the doctor.
Topic: Digital and virtual worlds
The line between real and virtual worlds is coming closer to create opportunities for digital businesses. The digital world is becoming a best reflection of the real world and can even become part of the physical world, as we saw last year with the immensely popular game Pokémon GO. This development offers considerable opportunities for new business models and digital ecosystems.
Trend 4: Virtual reality & augmented reality
VR and AR will transform how we communicate with each other by offering unique, immersive experience. Virtual reality might well be used in training scenarios in various industries or, say, by brokers to lead large groups of people simultaneously. AR can be well used by mixing together the real and the virtual world. Consider, for example, construction applications where you can superimpose graphics over physical objects, such as visualizing how the pipes would fit behind a wall.
VR and AR will become more affordable with time. Also, with higher capabilities AR and VR will reach a point where it will start using all our senses. Now this technology is still (reasonably) is in its infancy stage, thus giving entrepreneurs the opportunities to gently think of applications for their company to remain competitive.
Trend 5: Real-life simulations
Physics will help us a step further in simulating objects. Based on the characteristics of existing objects it will soon be possible to create extremely sophisticated simulations. For example, you can think of a hospital where doctors can practice with connections between certain muscle groups, without ever previously having touched a patient’s body.
Trend 6: Blockchain
Block Chain is a type of distributed databases that are not connected to a central system. Block Chains are calculated repeatedly again and again and the outcome should be the same every time for each Party. This principle is the basis of, for example, Bitcoin and making payments extremely safe because the system is hardened against tampering and counterfeiting. No central parties are therefore as necessary as banks who keep a record of what is written in or out of your account.
Topic: Networking and Connected stuff
Networks are dynamic connections between people, processes, things and services that support intelligent digital ecosystems. As the networks develop, the user experience will change fundamentally. As a result, there must be an evolvement of assistive technologies and security systems.
Trend 7: Converse capable systems
Voice systems – Siri, Assistant Alexa and Cortana – will be much more interactive. From Siri answering simple questions like “What time is it?” to much more complex interactions such as automatically creating a composite sketch based on the voice description of a victim in a criminal case, computers will soon adapt to our desired outcome and not vice versa, as have been the case till now. In addition, these systems will soon not just use voice, but also other senses such as sight and feel to improve the user experience.
Trend 8: Mesh App and Service Architecture
Trucker App and Service Architecture (MASA) is a multi-channel infrastructure cloud and server less computing will make it even easier. To make this possible, MASA will be required to make major changes to the architecture technology and develop certain tools. MASA must enable multiple users in multiple roles that use multiple devices and communicate to support different networks.
Trend 9: Digital technology platforms
Digital platforms are the building blocks for business that wants to grow. Each (digital) company will use a mixture of information systems, customer experience, analytics and metrics, internet of things and business ecosystems to build the organization.
Trend 10: Better Security
The arrival of a fully connected world means greater security. However, securing connected devices will now be a challenge for IT specialists. Security teams need to collaborate with application developers and businesses at an early stage to provide the IoT with multiple layers of security. Think of devices that respond only to certain behavior of a user, and all this without sacrificing (much) ease of use for the user.