Today’s world of technology is a little bit complicated, with Big Tech firms dominating our world and economy. The reality is constantly changing, and scientists, engineers and innovators are trying to design newer and better devices using more advanced technologies. Some are focusing on developing augmented reality and immersive technologies to create some kind of copy of our real world.
With technologies such as the digital immune system, 6G, metaverse and other innovations, this idea can sooner become a reality. What does it mean for companies? Will they improve their facilities thanks to these technologies, or would it rather be exposed to cyber risk and taking over by AI? Read on to find out.
What are the Decisive Technologies in 2023?
In recent years, many companies have been dealing with changing circumstances, including supply chain interruptions (find out here how to cope with supply chain issues with RND), high inflation, geopolitical unrest, and of course, an unprecedented worldwide pandemic and the following lockdowns. This led us to move into new communication systems and ways of working. In consequence, many people still work from home or in a hybrid model. It only means that industries are relying and will rely on online systems that will develop even more as companies do not try to come back to the pre-pandemic reality.
According to the study titled ‘The Impact of Technology in 2023 and Beyond: an IEEE Global Study’, the largest technical professional association in the world, the global impact of cloud computing will be 40%, followed by metaverse 37%, EVs 35%, and IIoT 33%.
Depending on if you are trying to improve your facility, cut costs or just change your business strategy, we present below some of the decisive technology trends that will impact our world and businesses in the coming year.
1. Digital Immune System
Already in 2021, security concerns were a major focus for many companies, especially during the pandemic when people were working from home. At that time, reality brought different threats. Instead of the ‘zero trust’ that we were writing about in 2021, now companies are focusing, and will be focused in 2023, on a term ‘digital immune system’ that combines multiple software engineering strategies to protect against risk. As the name suggests, it is simply the health of the virtual system that protects a company’s network security.
AI in cybersecurity
Cybersecurity concerns are increasing as more and more things are online. Today companies deal with more cyber attacks that often are supposed to be defended by AI as the AI is just more efficient and faster than IT technicians. Even when either AI or machine learning (ML) are unable to address every cybersecurity issue, they are tremendously helpful for quickly automating decision-making procedures and identifying trends in missing or altered data. Read more about AI and ML in cybersecurity in this article.
Blockchain and homomorphic encryption
Currently, besides AI, there are other innovations supporting cybersecurity, such as blockchain and homomorphic encryption.
Blockchain security is a comprehensive risk management system for a blockchain network that employs assurance services, cybersecurity frameworks, and industry best practices to lower risks against fraud and attacks. These solutions are applicable to a variety of data storage systems and are created to protect data stored on a specific blockchain. These tools work by assessing risks, analysing a blockchain ecosystem, and identifying dangers to data, applications, and digital assets.
Homomorphic encryption is the process of encoding data into ciphertext (plaintext that has been encrypted using a cryptographic technique) that can be analysed and used just like the original. It is used in order to perform intricate mathematical operations on encrypted data without compromising the encryption.
In the IEEE study, 90% of participants thought that homomorphic encryption technology would have the most influence in 2023.
2. 5G and 6G
Since 5G is regarded as one of the most crucial technological fields, 2023 will witness a fresh viewpoint on connectivity, given the rise in satellite numbers in recent years. According to Eleanor Watson’s, IEEE Senior Member, ‘space satellites to bring mobile connectivity to remote areas will be a game-changer because they enable leapfrogging off the need to build very expensive terrestrial infrastructure. They’re also the ultimate virtual private network – ‘VPN’ – for extra-jurisdictional content access.’
Therefore, the upcoming year will be interconnected thanks to innovations in 5G and cloud computing. Also tech companies will work on 6G that is supposed to arrive around 2030. 6G is the sixth generation mobile system standard for cellular data networks supporting wireless communications technologies. It is intended to replace 5G and will probably be much faster. Similar to the previous one, 6G networks are likely to be broadband cellular networks in which the service area is segmented into discrete regions known as cells.
However, before 6G arrives, 5G will still make an impact on vehicle connectivity and automation in 2023. 97% of the previously mentioned IEEE survey respondents agree.
3. Metaverse
Can you imagine a place where things, objects and places are interconnected and virtual? The metaverse is something like that. It is referred to as an immersive digital network of 3D interactive worlds. Some sources describe this tech universe more as a combinatorial breakthrough rather than a single technology that combines several technological trends into a common virtual setting where individuals may enhance the world around them with the help of VR and AR devices.
Metaverse is the main focus for Big Tech Companies from Silicon Valley, mainly for Meta. Meta is the new Facebook. The company changed its name to include other applications, services and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among others and possibly to let people know about their future plans related to the metaverse. In the promotional Meta video, Mark Zuckerberg described the new technology: ‘the next platform and medium will be even more immersive, an embodied internet where you are in the experience, not just looking at it. And we call this the metaverse’.
The opinions about metaverse are divided, and newspapers like The Guardian and The New York Times are concerned if the plan will work out; the metaverse is still in its early stages, and the viability of long-term investments is uncertain. Gartner predicts that 25% of people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse by 2026. It will be a platform for socialising, learning, working, shopping, and entertainment. Also, according to the study, more than 40% of big firms globally will combine Web3 (blockchain-based decentralised online ecosystem), AR cloud, and digital twins in metaverse-based initiatives focused on boosting revenue.
4. Adaptive AI
Adaptive AI, compared to traditional AI processes, can self-adapt in production or modify after deployment, utilising real-time feedback from previous human and machine experiences.
As mentioned earlier when describing AI in cybersecurity, the new implementations can adapt to specific environments, and for example, when fighting cyber attacks, AI are faster than humans and defend against potential threats more efficiently. Especially for tech, engineering and manufacturing industries, more things and machines become interconnected, so this becomes more and more crucial.
By 2026, Gartner projects that businesses who have implemented AI engineering methods to create and oversee adaptive AI systems will outperform their rivals in terms of the quantity and speed of operationalizing AI models.
5. Sustainable Technology
Many businesses started focusing on sustainable technology in past years. It is clearly a crucial aspect of lowering carbon footprint, especially for industries that are the biggest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. You can read more about it in our previous article on sustainability in the industrial sector.
To help change the environment, companies need technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, advanced analytics, shared cloud services, and other advanced solutions. Discover the top 10 innovative technologies in the sustainable energy sector to find out more.
6. EV Adoption
Nearly one-fourth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions is caused by transportation. The time has come to switch from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles (EVs). Many companies do so, but the adoption of EVs is fast only in some countries. Take a look at the Electric Vehicles Index 2022 to see the market growth.
To speed up the transition, mobility companies need to focus on developing infrastructures and investing in more charging points, electric car batteries and new production lines with a focus on more sustainable automaking.
‘Fully electric, shared on-demand driverless vehicles will have a positive impact on society in 2023 because they will give underserved and diverse communities access to fast and reliable mobility’ – Bilin Aksun-Guvenc, IEEE Member.
7. Cloud Computing
Delivering hosted services through the internet is referred to as “cloud computing”, and the three main types of cloud computing are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). We described these categories more in-depth in this article.
2020 and 2021 were filled with cloud solutions as many businesses started to operate online, and 2022 was the year of hybrid cloud (a combined computing, storage, and service environment composed of on-premises infrastructure, private cloud services, and a public cloud) and this technology is not stopping. 2023 might be the year when companies first start to see the benefits of distributing their services around a number of cloud providers. A multi-cloud approach is a method that should grow in 2023, and it has a lot of benefits, such as increased security and flexibility.
According to Gartner, global public cloud spending will increase by 20.7% to 591.8 billion dollars in 2023 compared to 490.3 billion dollars in 2022.
8. Platform Engineering
Platform engineering is a cutting-edge technological strategy that can speed up the pace at which applications are delivered and generate business value. The role of platform engineering is to enhance and optimise the developer experience while accelerating the product teams’ ability to provide even greater value to customers.
By 2026, platform teams will be established by 80% of software engineering firms, and 75% of those teams will have developer self-service portals, according to Gartner.
Are you ready for 2023?
The new year will be focused on even more technologically advanced solutions. To properly embrace the potential of some technologies, you need to trust AI, automation and other advanced analytics tools. Also, sustainability will be an important aspect to follow in 2023, similarly to the previous year.
Distrelec is a provider of automation devices with nearly 50 years of experience in the components industry. We are sure we can meet all of your automation requirements. Contact a member of our helpful and friendly staff immediately if you require additional information or guidance.
