Industry expert Pete Hanlon, CTO of Moneypenny, predicts what we can expect for technology in 2021 including the involvement of artificial intelligence.
#1 Artificial Intelligence Will Find Its Place
Open sourcing for large tech companies supercharged innovation speed in 2020, specifically in the sector of Natural Language Processing. In 2021, this will move beyond academia and research labs. This includes working smarter, better data analysis solutions, streamlining supply chains, improving production processes and more, meaning less waste in our systems and increased sustainability.
#2 Digital Communications Will Increase
Businesses have had to embrace the use of digital communication technologies in order to ensure business continuity. This forcing of their hands will see the wider adoption and acceptance of technologies as both the technology advances and the new-normality resumes. This will not replace human communication but allow us to discover new ways to connect.
#3 Artificial Intelligence Will Become More Private
Concerns around privacy will force companies to move AI processing closer to the end-user. This change in approach will mean faster AI capabilities with increased privacy. We can see this move starting to happen with the release of Apple’s M1 chip which comes with a Neural Engine baked directly into the silicon, setting the groundwork for privacy first AI solutions.
#4 The Continued Advance of Smart Home-Working Technologies
With the pandemic proving that agility and flexibility will be the key to business success in the new-normal, more and more businesses will be embracing remote-working and so the further development of smart home working technologies will be the focus. Keep a look out for some of the smaller tech companies innovating in niche markets too, like more immersive and natural video calling.
#5 Technology Will Become Kinder to the Environment
There will be a greater focus on tech’s impact on the environment going forward, both for researchers and companies. Sustainability is the buzzword for many companies in 2021.
#6 Technology Will Become More Bespoke
Service businesses will continue to develop the ability to tailor their technology more so than ever to their clients’ needs and, more cost-effectively, meaning that smaller businesses will be able to benefit from those solutions typically only afforded by the larger multi-nationals. Technology will provide more personalisation in real time, predicting clients wants and needs with ever-increasing accuracy.
#7 Outsourcing Will Increase
2020 taught us that the key to the future of tech is bringing in experts where we need specific solutions. This will only continue next year as businesses realise the benefits and adopt this business model.
