What Are the Most Influential Technology Trends Today? – Part 2

Digitization is transforming business and society. In my last article, I introduced four technology trends that NTT DATA has identified as the most influential. Here are another four groundbreaking developments that are set to disrupt entire industries in the near future.  

Trend #5: Hacking Life

Technology trends have already brought us huge advancements in healthcare, helping humans live longer than ever before. However, society will struggle to sustain an aging population. Could artificial intelligence help us “hack” life itself? The answer is yes and no. While we are still a long way away from preventing the aging process, artificial intelligence can analyze high-precision biological information to discover and predict future illnesses at an early stage. Combine this with other technology trends in digital healthcare, such as personal biometric devices, and we might just have a solution to the problems of an aging society.

For example, IT-based diagnosis can be used to spot signs of mental illnesses like depression and dementia earlier, thereby delaying the progression of symptoms. But emerging technology trends could even take us further than disease prevention and treatment. The next step would be to actually enhance the physical abilities of humans, increasing our productivity, even at older ages. A method of brainwave training called neurofeedback is one of the innovations already being used to train athletes and improve memory and language learning.

The world’s average lifespan is expected to rise from 71 years old in 2015 to 78 years old in 2050.

Source: United Nations – World Population Ageing 2017

Trend #6: Security Intelligence

One of the more concerning technology trends is cybercrime. As the world becomes increasingly digitized and connected, the risks and consequences of cyberattacks will continue to rise. Unless more robust cybersecurity measures are put in place, hackers will have a whole host of new opportunities to target businesses.

Fortunately, advanced technologies including AI can effectively respond to the growing threats. By including AI in a multilayered defense, companies can protect themselves more effectively. For example, AI can learn communication patterns and normal operating conditions to spot suspicious behavior and issue security alerts. AI is also helping businesses prepare against attacks by determining IT system vulnerability.

However, advanced cybercriminals are using AI for more sinister purposes, such as automatically generating malware and spam to target businesses. In order to win the AI battle, companies and security experts need to collaborate across nations and share intelligence.

Trend #7: Diverse IT Infrastructure

The staggering amount of data that comes with technology trends like AI and IoT will demand new types of IT architecture. Diverse hardware and software solutions are being developed to accommodate these new developments. The most prominent of these developments is cloud computing, allowing IT engineers to focus more on application development and less on IT infrastructure. However, blockchain is another important technology trend and should not be underestimated. Off-chain technology will add a high-speed, peer-to-peer network to the blockchain, broadening the technology’s applications.

Trend #8: Perpetual Design

Today, innovation is at the center of business success. It is now common for a company to use Application Programming Interface (API) and IoT platforms to accelerate the development of products and services. At the same time, there is increasing pressure for companies to deliver products and services that are personalized for individual customers. No business can afford to stay still. Continuous improvement is crucial and must be built on constant cycles of user feedback to continue innovating and direct progression towards customers. In terms of IT, this calls for DevOps and DesignOps: a process that will be indispensable for business designs in the future.

A Look Ahead at the Top Technology Trends

NTT DATA, NTT DATA Business Solutions’ parent company, has compiled an in-depth report on the technology trends that will impact business and society in the next three to ten years. To find out more about these trends and others, check out the latest NTT DATA Technology Foresight.

Stay tuned for the third and final article in this series, which will explore the top four information society trends.

Author: Thomas Nørmark, Global Director at NTT DATA Business Solutions Transformation Lab