Jan 31, 2022 by Matt Dixon
Technology continuously alters our reality. What we know or thought we knew doesn’t matter- With the technological landscape we’re in. Our expectations of tech aren't just being met, but exceeded beyond what we all thought was possible. From virtual reality to digital currency dominating consumer wallets- the society in which we know is suddenly not recognizable- Is this a good or bad thing? Depends on who you ask. But we know for certain that technology is progressing the standards of society quickly- Whether you agree with the progression or not.
So what should you be expecting in tech this year? We composed a list of what we believe is going to be dominating the industry all 2022.
Virtual Reality Takeover
We are witnessing the rise of virtual realities in which we create the world that we want and shift our own expectations on what life should look like. It allows you to experience new realms of possibilities and introduces new standards to uphold. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines virtual reality as “the use of computer technology to create the effect of an interactive three-dimensional world in which the objects have a sense of spatial presence.” Stating that “Many people take "virtual" to mean fake or unreal, and "reality" to refer to the real world. This results in an oxymoron. The actual definition of virtual, however, is "to have the effect of being such without actually being such". The definition of "reality" is "the property of being real", and one of the definitions of "real" is "to have concrete existence". Using these definitions "virtual reality" means "to have the effect of concrete existence without actually having concrete existence", which is exactly the effect achieved in a good virtual reality system. There is no requirement that the virtual environment match the real world.” Creating your version of a perfect world or environment helps you escape the realities of the circumstances you’re living in. Virtual reality creates unique-to-user experiences, pushing your own narrative of reality to be as true an experience as you can make it.
The type of virtual reality you use dictates what you encounter in your created realm. Heizenrader , a virtual reality training agency identifies non-immersive, semi-immersive, and fully-immersive simulations as the primary categories of VR.
The Metaverse is probably the most sought after and hyped tech trend in VR and artificial intelligence. 2022 seems to be bringing a new sense of reality. Is the future the Metaverse? Are we ready to blur the lines between reality and pretend? Venture capitalist Matthew Ball describes the Metaverse here as “a massively scaled and interoperable network of real-time rendered 3D virtual worlds which can be experienced synchronously and persistently by an effectively unlimited number of users with an individual sense of presence, and with continuity of data, such as identity, history, entitlements, objects, communications, and payments.” We still have awhile before we see the complexities of the Metaverse come to fruition but we are expecting it to be a breathtaking, new first experience for all those who partake.
Virtual reality is the new standard of technology, software and gaming. We can’t wait to see the future experiences and capabilities that VR will make capable for its users and the power that AI will add to the experience.
Artificial Intelligence in Everything
Our devices are becoming smarter than we are. Artificial intelligence is essentially machine learning algorithms: meaning that machines can learn how to do certain tasks without input from humans. The computer hardware company, IBM defines A.I. as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable.”
Smart phones, smart T.V.'s, smartwatches and smart cars- these now very common devices represent the way we use and interact with A.I. on a daily basis. Basic societal necessities like vacuums, even coffee makers are advancing in what they do and how they do it.
This showcases the new age of modernity. A.I. has a long way to go but with how far we’ve come and with how fast we got here, we are expecting bigger things to come. Predictions in A.I. this year includes:
Large language models are helping to take A.I. to the next level. The purpose of language models is to predict and find patterns in human language. This has been an ongoing process due to the complexities of languages- the dialects, phonological rules, writing styles and colloquialism all contribute to why creating language models is difficult. “In the two years since OpenAI released its language model GPT-3, most big-name AI labs have developed language mimics of their own. Google, Facebook, and Microsoft—as well as a handful of Chinese firms—have all built AIs that can generate convincing text, chat with humans, answer questions, and more. Known as large language models because of the massive size of the neural networks underpinning them, they have become a dominant trend in AI, showcasing both its strengths—the remarkable ability of machines to use language—and its weaknesses, particularly AI’s inherent biases and the unsustainable amount of computing power it can consume.” MIT Technology Review
“Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, which is essentially a neural network with three or more layers. These neural networks attempt to simulate the behavior of the human brain—albeit far from matching its ability—allowing it to “learn” from large amounts of data. While a neural network with a single layer can still make approximate predictions, additional hidden layers can help to optimize and refine for accuracy. Deep learning drives many artificial intelligence (AI) applications and services that improve automation, performing analytical and physical tasks without human intervention. Deep learning technology lies behind everyday products and services (such as digital assistants, voice-enabled TV remotes, and credit card fraud detection) as well as emerging technologies (such as self-driving cars).” IBM
Deep learning will help future generation automation be that much better, prove to be more cost effective and it’s self-learning capabilities will allow more tasks to be done.
AIMultiple, the transparent AI industry analyst, defined “No-code AI a category in the AI landscape that aims to democratize AI. No-code AI means using a no-code development platform with visual, code-free and often drag-and-drop interface to deploy AI and machine learning models. No code AI enables non-technical users to quickly classify, analyze data and easily build accurate models to make predictions.” Low to no code A.I. creates a faster experience for the developer, is cost efficient and helps optimize the entire business and work process. It’s a valuable asset to the process of creating software that will positively shift the tech industry.
Expansion of Digital Currency
The rise of digital currency has everything to do with the enhancement of technology. Digital currency is essentially money in digital form- paying for something online and exchanging money from your savings and checking accounts on your bank app are some examples of it but now digital currency is expanding in its definition. Cryptocurrency is a term you’ve definitely heard of, especially as of late. It is changing how society views the dollar, spends their money and where they put their money. Common cryptocurrencies you’ve probably heard of include:
Forbes Advisor defined Bitcoin as “a decentralized digital currency that you can buy, sell and exchange directly, without an intermediary like a bank. It’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, originally described the need for “an electronic payment system based on cryptographic proof instead of trust. Each and every Bitcoin transaction that’s ever been made exists on a public ledger accessible to everyone, making transactions hard to reverse and difficult to fake. That’s by design: Core to their decentralized nature, Bitcoins aren’t backed by the government or any issuing institution, and there’s nothing to guarantee their value besides the proof baked in the heart of the system. The reason why it’s worth money is simply because we, as people, decided it has value—same as gold.” Bitcoin is probably the most well-known and most used digital currency at this time.
Dogecoin is newer to the cryptocurrency scene but making its stance in digital currency a notable one. “Dogecoin was originally created at least in part as a lighthearted joke for crypto enthusiasts, and took its name from a once-popular meme. Despite this unusual origin story, it exploded in popularity in 2021—Today Dogecoin is no joke, having exploded in value and gaining more than 5,000% in 2021. Among its boosters is Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who called Dogecoin his favorite cryptocurrency. Musk also named Dogecoin the “people’s crypto,” and promised to plant a physical Dogecoin token on the moon- as of writing, Dogecoin has become the fifth largest cryptocurrency by market cap.” Forbes
With the evident success and endorsement of this digital currency by some of society’s elite, it’s no question that Dogecoin is here to stay, for now at least.
Digital currency might take some time to understand but can be learned by anyone. It seems to be the new way of conducting and receiving payments online and has created its own certain phenomena around the concept of it. Learning more about these digital currencies will be the new norm, and not just in the tech industry.
*Remember, buying any type of digital currency is a risk so treat it as such.
Rise of Sustainable Tech
The environment is as important this year as it is every year. With the abundant changes happening in the world from a global pandemic to the economic collapse to climate change- sustainable technology is changing how society uses energy and its resources. Rubicon, the leading provider of cloud-based waste and recycling solutions defined sustainable tech as “an umbrella term that describes innovation that considers natural resources and fosters economic and social development. The goal of these technologies is to drastically reduce environmental and ecological risks and to create a sustainable product.” There are countless advantages to this type of technology including energy cost savings and reducing environmental and societal impacts.
Technology continues to make a change in society through unique measures created to provide solutions to not just businesses and consumers but the environment. The importance of this technology lies in its efficiency.
More SMBs Moving to the Cloud
With everything in society being technology driven, it’s only a matter of time until the need to utilize technology to the best of its ability becomes crucial. Small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) are deciding to migrate their legacy software to the Cloud to help grow their business in order to withstand the current competition. With the Cloud helping so many businesses and people become successful, keeping your organization relevant and setting yourself apart from your competitors is extremely important.
So what exactly is the Cloud? It essentially is a large network of inter-connected servers. It can be a handful, or thousands of servers running in one geographic location or across the globe. Each of these servers have a specific job to do, and some of those jobs are internal, but most are available with an internet connection. It’s less complicated than you think but probably one of the most complex non- physical entities that exists today.
Cloud migration will be a reality for most SMB’s- MultiSoft, a software company, reported that a critical reason for the massive growth of the Cloud is its affordability. “Small and medium businesses find it 40% more cost-effective to employ third-party cloud platforms than maintaining an in-house system.” Appealing to the masses, cost efficiency, security and flexibility make using the Cloud in your business process the most successful option. With “80% of companies reporting operation improvements within the six months of adopting the cloud technology” (MultiSoft)), it's clearly benefiting all those who utilize it.
“During 2020 and 2021, cloud computing exploded as work went virtual and businesses adapted to the global pandemic by focusing on the delivery of digital services. In 2022, we will undoubtedly see a continuation of rapid adoption and growth. Augmenting the abilities of remote and hybridized workforces will remain a key trend but we will see ongoing innovation in cloud and data center infrastructure too. Technologies like IaaS and PaaS and SaaS have now established themselves as the foundation of IT. Cloud and artificial intelligence are now deeply intertwined.” ITP (Learn more about cloud computing here)
It is now possible for SMBs to have enterprise level cloud solutions that fits their budget. Businesses not migrating to the cloud will lose their competitive edge- Not due to a lack in quality of service or product but because of the inability to elevate customer experiences and deliver the business results needed to sustain success. Cloud migration for SMBs can be a simple process with the right team and experts. It’s the effective choice to add to any company looking to stay competitive in the current technological landscape we’re in. If your company is looking to move to the Cloud, Front Range Systems is successfully helping all sized businesses expand and grow their competitive edge. Let us help your SMB be a part of the inevitable growth of society’s current digital transformation.
Expansion of 5G
Is 5G helping to make society a better, more sustainable one? With society’s reliance on our mobile devices and the internet, it’s expected of our networks to provide good connection. Ericsson, a leading provider of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to service providers refers to 5G being “the fifth generation of cellular networks. It’s up to 100 times faster than 4G and creates never-before-seen opportunities for people and businesses. With faster connectivity speeds, ultra-low latency and greater bandwidth it will advance societies, and help to transform industries and dramatically enhance day-to-day experiences.”
In 2022 we can expect 5G to be available to more people in more places, creating better and easier communication and accessibility to the world. It was created to sustain the amount of data society uses, shares, downloads and looks up while also being a more secure and reliable network connection- Devices will respond faster than ever and allow our digital society to continue to advance through our mobile technology.
Our connected devices' experiences will be that much better due to the abilities that 5G can conduct- It will allow us to do more than when we once could. Taking us beyond the capabilities of LTE, the amount of data that will be available to smart devices with 5G will be astronomically different from that of other generations of mobile networks.
Rise of Technology Based Jobs
How we work, where we work, what we do is shifting. Expectations of education are different due to the new capabilities and needs of our society. What we need now, wasn't what we needed 10 years ago. According to Cyberstates, an agency who reports tech workforce data analytics, report CompTIA, “Tech occupation employment is expected to grow at about twice the rate of overall employment across the economy. With many tech occupations growing at 4X to 5X the national rate- The tech industry ranks third in projected employment growth.”
Tech industry employment is on the rise due to the abundant amount of opportunities the industry has. Working in tech allows you the ability to grow within your position, to be a part of an innovative industry that is constantly changing and to seek creativity while also providing job security.
“Technology has gained so much impetus today that it has become the fulcrum of several industries today. The enormous dependence on technology keeps it at the center stage of every requirement for a business. It not only increases ease of doing business, but also improves productivity and efficiency. With the penetration of the internet, every business across the globe is fast migrating to the digital space. Moreover, the growing adoption of automation, penetration of 4G and 5G network services, and easy availability of connected devices, will revolutionize the technology space. What will matter the most for every industry is the development of new technology that could bolster growth for it. This is exactly why every company, irrespective of its sector, should be abreast of every detail about the technology industry. Besides industries, every person around the world today is impacted by technology. Therefore, it is more pertinent than ever for technology companies to keep track of market developments, factors of growth, unforeseen or projected challenges, growth trajectories, and overall distribution across the globe.” Transparency Market Research The accelerated growth of the industry is based on the increased need and want of technology as a whole.
We believe these trends will be heavily involved in creating a better tech industry. Everything mentioned helps establish a bigger, evolving picture. One that will create unique platforms of making money, advancing society into new plateaus we once didn’t think possible and connecting the world to each other- The future of tech is dependent on what we do with the technology we have now.
Change is something we all need to get used to experiencing in society. Technology is making change a part of the new normal- We're all learning to accept new ideas and circumstances. These past two years has shown the world that change is taking place everywhere, whether we’re ready for it or not. Without technology, dreams weren’t anything but potential suggestions. Now, because of it, dreams are a possibility. 2022 is the year of continuing rapid technological growth.
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