Trends Identified
Automation, employment and productivity
Automation is an idea that has inspired science fiction writers and futurologists for more than a century. Today it is no longer fiction, as companies increasingly use robots on production lines or algorithms to optimize their logistics, manage inventory, and carry out other core business functions. Technological advances are creating a new automation age in which ever-smarter and more flexible machines will be deployed on an ever-larger scale in the workplace. In reality, the process of automating tasks done by humans has been under way for centuries. What has perhaps changed is the pace and scope of what can be automated. It is a prospect that raises more questions than it answers. How will automation transform the workplace? What will be the implications for employment? And what is likely to be its impact both on productivity in the global economy and on employment?
2017
A future that works
McKinsey
Automation
Automation may solve one problem by increasing productivity and powering growth but creates another by potentially eliminating millions of jobs and suppressing wages for many workers.
2018
Labor 2030: The Collision of Demographics, Automation and Inequality
Bain and Company
Technological breakthroughs
Automation, robotics and AI are advancing quickly, dramatically changing the nature and number of jobs available. Technology has the power to improve our lives, raising productivity, living standards and average life span, and free people to focus on personal fulfilment. But it also brings the threat of social unrest and political upheaval if economic advantages are not shared equitably.
2017
Workforce of the future The competing forces shaping 2030
PWC
Autonomous vehicles
Autonomous driving is another area of significant disruption. Autonomous vehicles are already tested on the road, with a significant degree of automation built into the Tesla software. Autonomous driving could thus be associated with limited lock-in effect as vehicles simply receive ‘softwareupdates’ as the technology matures. The range of estimates on the impact of autonomous vehicles is wide, from rebound effects actually increasing oil demand to positive estimates suggesting up to a 40% efficiency gain across all road transport.
2018
The bigger picture- The impact of automation, AI, shared economy on oil demand
The 2° Investing Initiative
Autonomous vehicles
Autonomous driving will be facilitated by the data-processing capabilities of machine learning, but its disruption capabilities are so widespread that Delaney considers it a separate category.
2017
5 big disruptive trends investors should watch
Morgan Stanley
Autonomous vehicles and drones
Autonomous vehicles are perhaps the most visible applications of advanced algorithms, sensors and powerful computing power. Five levels of automation exist for vehicles (excluding zero automation), ranging from basic driver assistance (level 1: “hands on”) to full automation (level 5: “steering wheel optional”) (see figure A.1). The most successful automation system currently available, offered by Tesla in its passenger cars, provides level 2 automation (“hands off ”), where the driver can rely on the vehicle to steer and control speed but must be attentive and ready to intervene when required. A significant amount of research is being conducted whose aim is to allow vehicles to operate at level 3 (“eyes off ”) and higher automation levels. While some automakers are announcing plans to market level 3 automation capabilities in the next two years, level 5 automation is, by some estimations, decades away.
2018
World Economic And Social Survey 2018: Frontier Technologies For Sustainable Development
United Nations
On phones and 5G
Avi Greengart, research director of consumer devices, globaldata. On phones and 5G: We’ll see some new form factors including folding phones and phones where instead of a notch you’ll see a hole punched off in the corner. The big question now though is around 5G . . . Whether or not we’ll see some of the the big promises of 5G in 2019 is still a big open question. Low latency mobile gaming is something I’m convinced we’ll see; it’s just whether it will be next year or the year after. Whether we’ll all be driving around staring at holograms inside 5G cars, I’m skeptical about that in the short term, but in the long term that’s something I’m sure we’ll see. I don’t expect a 5G iPhone next year.
2019
The biggest tech trends of 2019, according to top experts
Fast Company
On consumer adoption of AR glasses in 2019
Avi Greengart, research director of consumer devices, globaldata.On consumer adoption of AR glasses in 2019: I don’t think we get there next year. The idea that you’ll slip on a pair of glasses and all of a sudden you’re Iron Man is something you’re more likely to see in Marvel’s Infinity War: Endgame than in your local Best Buy. That said, I am hopeful that some of those scenarios are still coming but they may still be a few years out. We have companies like Vuzix and Microsoft that are working on those things for the enterprise, but also companies like Apple, which is already building AR experiences into pretty much every iOS device today.
2019
The biggest tech trends of 2019, according to top experts
Fast Company
Best-of-Breed Enterprise Applications
Back to the ERP future Enterprise applications are enjoying a resurgence of sorts – but with a fresh focus on agility and innovation. The days of a single-stop behemoth package to fulfill all of a business’ needs are fading fast. Instead, buyers are seeking to combine traditional packages for strategic standardization in parts of the business, without compromising the ability to use best-of-breed solutions for selective differentiation. They’re demanding the freedom to choose from legacy offerings, new custom capabilities, or other third-party products to satisfy their overall need for delivering results.
2010
Depth perception A dozen technology trends shaping business and IT in 2010
Deloitte
Culture Remains a Hurdle
Bad news: If your company is battling culture issues in digital transformation, they will struggle even harder in 2018. As the pace of change continues to increase — and the number of new technologies continue to grow — it will become even more imperative that companies move fast while moving forward toward growth. Companies that don’t embrace agility, or fail to knock down silos, will have an even more difficult time next year. You often hear that a leopard can’t change its spots, well culture isn’t that permanent and successful transformation are nearly impossible in a resistant culture.
2016
Top 10 trends for digital transformation in 2018
Forbes