2020 has been one of the most unpredictable years to date. This just goes to show how quickly the world can transform. Due to the pandemic, everything about life has to be changed in one way or another to cope with the new normal. Tech is already a fast paced, evolving industry so it is no surprise that new adaptations are made even quicker now to accommodate.
As the end of the year approaches, we go through the 5 technology trends we believe will dominate 2021 after these great changes.
- Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has already received a lot of buzz in the past decade, but it continues to be one of the new technology trends because of its notable effects on how we live, work and play. People of today are exposed to Artificial Intelligence daily; a testament to its wide range of applications. It’s present in home appliances, on phones, in hospitals, agriculture, military, government, and the list goes on. AI has also become the basis for tons of technological innovations such as face recognition, data processing, speech recognition, etc.
- Chatbot
Due to the growth of machine learning, chatbots have become extremely popular for small businesses and huge enterprises alike. Combine that with natural language processing (NLP) and we got ourselves a more responsive, more intelligent, and more human conversational agent. Typically, chatbots are used in customer service.
- As-A-Service
“As-a-service” – the provision of services that we need to live and work through cloud-based, on-demand platforms – is the key that has put other tech trends in reach of anybody. As-a-service (aaS) is popular because once your enterprise shifts to aaS you gain access to the most current technology with lower prices because your cost of ownership is less. Your employees will no longer focus on maintaining the infrastructure because it is managed by a provider.
- Blockchain
Although most people think of blockchain technology in relation to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, blockchain offers security that is useful in many other ways. In the simplest of terms, blockchain can be described as data you can only add to, not take away from or change. Hence the term “chain” because you’re making a chain of data. Not being able to change the previous blocks is what makes it so secure.
- 5G
The need for a reliable and fast connection became urgent only a few months earlier. When digital collaboration, remote work, and videoconferencing became a part of our lives, we had to get ways to boost speed.
It was already clear enough for telecommunication companies that 5G was the way to go. The deployment of this technology will be important for different tools like IoT. About 51% of companies using IoT have noted an improved insight into customer needs, behaviors, and preferences. The value of 5G, therefore, will skyrocket in 2021.