We are acutely aware that with just under a decade to go, it is far too early to be predicting how the world will look in 2030. A lot can happen in a short space of time, especially where modern technologies are concerned, one breakthrough can lead to rapid developments of any number of new technologies.
So, instead of predicting what we think the world will look like in 2030, we are going to be examining 5 of the latest and greatest technology innovations that we have right now and predicting how these will look in 2030. The last few years have seen countless exciting technological innovations, and here we’ll be looking at AI (Artificial Intelligence) self-driving cars, cloud computing, The Internet of Things (IoT), and Nanotech.
AI
Artificial intelligence is already all around us, whether you realise it or not. From machines to robots, mobile voice assistance, and so much more, AI is already impacting how industries and societies operate, and this is showing no signs of slowing.
Virtually every new and emerging technology we have seen recently has AI at its heart, and this will remain the case for the foreseeable future. Spreading like the mycelium of a mushroom, with vast interconnected networks, AI is here to stay, and with high levels of productivity and fewer chances of errors, its popularity will only continue to soar as we move towards a new, modern world.
Cloud Computing
While you may find it odd that we’ve included cloud computing in our list of emerging technologies to watch out for in 2030, the fact of the matter is that we are still in the early stages of unlocking anywhere near the true potential it has.
It is only recently that the majority of businesses and corporations took to cloud computing, and in many cases, this was a reaction to the challenges of the pandemic rather than a proactive measure. And while they make use of the cloud, this is often only for a few select aspects of their business, with many tasks still being done the old fashioned way.
Clouds can be public, private, or a hybrid of the two depending on which information can be accessed, and by whom, but it holds significant benefits to those who use it. The ability to access information instantly, anywhere in the world, has made it very popular for businesses, and your everyday person, whether they realise it or not, will likely have their information stored on the cloud courtesy of their internet or phone provider. Have you set up a new mobile phone recently? All you have to do is enter your username and password, and like magic, all the apps from your old phone, all your pictures, everything, is ready to be accessed and stored on your new device.
We can only see cloud computing going from strength to strength for the remainder of this decade, as more and more people embrace it.
The Internet of Things (IoT)
Smart devices are becoming the norm in households and offices around the world. From your phone, tablet, speaker, and even your coffee machine, seemingly everything is connected to the internet now.
As more and more of us get more and more smart devices, these devices will expand their already huge network of connectivity, which has been dubbed the Internet of Things (IoT). Each and every one of these devices will be gathering data on a minute by minute basis, which is further fueling the expansion and growth of AI, and Big Data firms are a direct result.
Self-Driving Cars
You may find it surprising that Tesla is not the only company researching, creating and testing self-driving, autonomous cars. And while Tesla may be the name most synonymous with this idea, by 2030 these could well become commonplace in the future world.
Leaning heavily on AI, self-driving vehicles are largely in the advanced testing stage globally, but there are already 1500+ self-driving cars on the roads in the US. As AI gathers more and more data, these will become safer to drive, with intuitive technologies designed with the intention of removing the very notion of road traffic accidents.
We are leaning away from petrol, diesel, and other fossil fuels and embracing change, in this and many other aspects of our daily lives, and we are confident that electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles will be available in the future with self-driving technology. A report from the US estimates that by 2030, the autonomous car market will grow to 13.7 billion U.S dollars, with one in ten vehicles around the globe being self-driving.
Nanotech
While we are all familiar with the name, maybe even the concept of nanotech, largely thanks to various sci-fi films, we are much closer to unleashing the potential of it than many realise.
Increasingly we are able to understand more and more about materials on a tiny scale, and this understanding is beginning to give us the opportunity to control materials and matter on this scale. In turn, this is leading to exciting and quite frankly amazing material, and indeed products, that will surely become even more advanced in the run-up to 2030.
Commonly nanotechnology is already used in industrial and medicinal applications, while it is also of growing importance in the energy sector, with environmentally, higher density fuel cells for hydrogen in production.
In short, it is an exciting time to be involved in technology, and as we progress down the road of understanding and development, the advances we make as a species and our understanding of the tech we use are only going to lead to greater innovation.
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