Artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous driving will continue to occupy engineers hard next year. What developments should you look forward to?
Gartner, a US market research company, regularly examines new developments in technology and IT. For 2020, the experts identified 10 key trends that engineers should know. An overview:
Trend 1: Hyper Automation
Hyperautomation is concerned with the application of innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), to automate processes stronger than before. In this context, augmented reality provides new possibilities for simulating such processes.
Trend 2: Multi-Experience
The experts also expect new worlds of experience when shopping online. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and combinations, the Mixed Reality, change the way customers perceive products. This so-called user experience, i.e. the interaction with a product or service, will change completely. What does it mean? For example, anyone who orders a pizza not only operates an app, but also experiences how the product is created and delivered with an autonomous vehicle.
Trend 3: Democratization of Knowledge
All people – regardless of whether they are engineers or amateurs – have access to technical or economic expertise without training or expensive licenses. For example, democratization would allow developers to create data models without subject-specific scientists. Rather, they use AI tools to generate codes and automate tests.
Trend 4: Human Enhancement
Through the use of technologies, it is increasingly possible to improve cognitive and physical experiences (“human enhancement”). Wearables are already used in the automotive or mining industry to improve occupational safety. Such gadgets are used in retail to increase productivity. Gartner expects further developments in all areas, namely sensory (hearing, sight, perception), biological-functional (exoskeletons, prostheses), neuronal (implants for the treatment of seizures) and genetic augmentation (somatic gene and cell therapies for diseases) ,
Trend 5: Measures Against Distrust
Initially, consumers have little confidence in new technologies. You don’t know what data is being collected – and where the information ends up. In addition, AI and machine learning are increasingly used to make decisions instead of people, and skepticism is increasing. “This trend requires companies to focus on six key elements of trust: ethics, integrity, openness, responsibility, competence and consistency,” writes Gartner in the study.
Trend 6: Edge Computing in the Fast Lane
In contrast to cloud computing, edge computing means decentralized data processing on the edge of the network, the so-called edge. In this way, engineers try to place data collection and data processing closer to the information sources in order to shorten system times. With empowered edge, devices are networked to create intelligent spaces – and to bring applications closer to users. By 2023, there could be more than 20 times as many smart devices on the edge of the network compared to the status quo.
Trend 7: Distribution Clouds
With distributed clouds, cloud services are distributed to locations outside of physical data centers, but are still controlled by the provider. Providers are responsible for all aspects of the cloud service architecture, i.e. provision, operation, governance and updates. “The development from the centralized to the decentralized public cloud heralds a new era in cloud computing,” Gartner suspects.
Trend 8: Autonomous Devices
Cars, drones, robots, ships and other devices use AI to perform tasks that are usually done by humans. They work with a spectrum of intelligence that ranges from semi-autonomous to fully autonomous and spans a variety of environments, including air, water and land.
While autonomous devices have been operating in controlled environments such as a warehouse, they are increasingly being developed for open spaces. They can assemble into independent, collaborative swarms.
Trend 9: Blockchain Technologies In Practice
As is known, a blockchain consists of a continuously expandable list of data records that are linked using cryptographic methods. In the food industry, blockchain technologies could be important in the future to trace food and beverages, writes Gartner in the report. Due to a number of technical problems such as the lack of scalability and interoperability, the principle is not yet mature enough for company deployments.
Trend 10: AI security
Innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence offer potential for business models, but also create new targets for hackers. In this context, Gartner points out three aspects:
- Secure AI training data, training pipelines and machine learning models,
- Detect attacks with machine learning and automate parts of cyber security processes,
- Detect AI attacks and defend yourself against them.
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