Smarter devices, augmented reality or 3D printing. These are just some of the trends that are here to stay.
As a futurist, every year we look ahead and predict the key technology trends that will shape the coming months. There are so many innovations and breakthroughs happening right now, and we can’t wait to see how they help transform business and society in 2024.
Let’s take a look at my list of key tech trends 2024 everyone should be prepared for:
1. Computing power
Computing power will continue to increase in 2024. We now have a significantly better cloud infrastructure, and many companies are relocating to the cloud.
We’re also seeing a push toward better networks: 5G is rolling out, and 6G is on the horizon. This means even more power in our phones, in our cars and in our portable devices.
2. Smarter devices
Increasing computing power allows us to create smarter devices. We now have smart TVs, self-driving cars, and smarter robots that can work alongside humans to complete more tasks.
In 2024, we will see a continued push for this explosion of smart devices, including the introduction of smart home robots.
3. Quantum Computing
The quantum computing trend – the processing of information represented by special quantum states – allows machines to handle information in a fundamentally different way than traditional computers. Quantum computing will provide us with computing power a trillion times greater than that provided by today’s advanced supercomputers.
We anticipate that by 2024, quantum computers could fundamentally change the way we approach problems like logistics, portfolio management, and pharmaceutical innovations.
4. Datafication
Data is a key driver for all of these trends. All the digitization in our world today means that we have huge amounts of data available, and data has become the number one business asset for every organization. We may use the data to better understand our customers, investigate key trends, and gain insight into what works within our organizations.
5. Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Organizations and researchers are now using all of their data and computing power to provide advanced Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) capabilities to the world.
One of the key trends in the world of AI is computer vision. Now we have computers that can see and recognize objects in a video or a photograph. Language processing is also coming a long way, so that machines can understand our voices and speak to us.
Low -code or no-code will also be a big trend this year. We will be able to build our AI using drag and drop graphical interfaces, so that we can develop extraordinary applications without being limited by our coding skills.
6. Augmented reality
We now have more augmented reality (AR) capabilities on our devices (particularly our phones and tablets ) and we’re seeing an even bigger push towards virtual reality (VR). In 2024, we will see new lighter and more portable VR devices, so instead of having bulky headsets that require WiFi connections, we will have devices that are more like glasses that connect to our phones and give us superior VR experiences over the March.
These advances in AR pave the way for incredible experiences in the metaverse, a shared, persistent virtual world that users can access across different devices and platforms.
7. Digital trust
Blockchain technology, distributed ledgers, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are transforming our world, and we will continue to see advances in this technology in 2024. These innovations go beyond bitcoin like smart contracts that allow us to verify ownership with NFT’s. This year, we will see more companies and people enhancing physical objects with blockchain technology and tokens.
8. 3D printing
Now we can do things with 3D printing that we would never have dreamed of a decade ago. In 2024, we will see transformations in manufacturing and beyond, beginning with technological innovations in 3D printing, including mass-produced custom parts such as concrete for houses, printed food, metal, and composite materials.
9. Genomics
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to two scientists, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna, for their work developing a genome editing method. Genomics, gene editing and synthetic biology are one of the main trends of 2024 because these advances can help us modify crops, cure and eradicate diseases and develop new vaccines such as the one for covid-19, among other medical and biological advances.
Nanotechnology will also allow us to give new attributes to materials by manipulating them at a subatomic level, so this year we’ll be able to create things like foldable screens, better batteries, water-repellent and self-cleaning fabrics, and even self-healing paint.
10. New energy solutions
The last trend of great importance is the new energy solutions. As we face climate change, we will see continued advances in the batteries we use in our cars, as well as innovations in nuclear power and green hydrogen. These new trends will allow us to power our ships, our planes, our trains, and generate power for the general public.
