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The world of technology never stands still – in fact, it seems to progress at an increasing evolutionary rate. This means it is sometimes hard to predict what is going to be the big thing next week, never mind next year. However, as we get into November, it is natural to start looking to the year ahead. Last year, Gartner accurately predicted that artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things would be hot topics for 2018. So let’s gaze into the crystal ball and take a look at some emerging technologies that just might be the talking point of 2019.
Taking printing in a new direction
The world of printing has almost taken a parallel road to other types of tech. In day to day life, offices are increasingly paper-free, and suppliers of both printers and peripherals are focusing more on the domestic markets. This Canon Pixima IP750 is a good example of how online sellers are looking to appeal to cost-conscious private buyers as opposed to the B2B market. But the biggest revolution of 2019 could well be in the world of 3D metal printing. HP will soon be releasing the Jet Fusion printer, and with industry giants like GE and Nike getting onboard the 3D printing bandwagon, 2019 might be the year this technology really takes a leap in the world of manufacture.
Mass blockchain adoption
Data integrity is something that concerns everyone, and any tech that can make a significant step in improving security will be a game changer. Blockchain has the potential to do exactly that and its time is surely here. The whole point of blockchain is to provide a system of record keeping that is robust incorruptible and secure. Evernym is making waves in the industry by offering this kind of platform to blue-chip clients, and if it proves successful, it seems inevitable that the floodgates will open.
Duelling Artificial Intelligence
This sounds like something from the world of science fiction, but it is a natural progression from where AI currently stands in its evolutionary arc. It essentially means setting one AI against another and getting them to improve through competition. It’s like Darwin for machines. Here’s an example of how it works: One AI attempts to “draw” a realistic image, and a competing AI has to decide whether it is real or has been artificially generated. If AI can essentially “self-improve” in this way, then its intelligence has the potential to increase exponentially. The possibilities that this presents in areas such as medicine, logistics, transportation and just about any other area of day to day life are truly mind-blowing.
Expect the unexpected
These are just three of the areas of tech that seem certain to make giant leaps in 2019. However, with the rate at which technology is advancing, who is to say what else might suddenly appear from nowhere? It will be interesting to look back in 12 months time and see just how much further technology has advanced.