Trends Identified
Cloud technology
Use of computer hardware and software resources delivered over a network or the Internet, often as a service
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Advanced robotics
Increasingly capable robots with enhanced senses, dexterity, and intelligence used to automate tasks or augment humans
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Autonomous and near-autonomous vehicles
Vehicles that can navigate and operate with reduced or no human intervention
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Next-generation genomics
Fast, low-cost gene sequencing, advanced big data analytics, and synthetic biology (“writing” DNA)
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Energy storage
Devices or systems that store energy for later use, including batteries
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
3D printing
Additive manufacturing techniques to create objects by printing layers of material based on digital models
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Advanced materials
Materials designed to have superior characteristics (e.g., strength, weight, conductivity) or functionality
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Advanced oil and gas exploration and recovery
Exploration and recovery techniques that make extraction of unconventional oil and gas economical
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Renewable energy
Generation of electricity from renewable sources with reduced harmful climate impact
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Demographics
Over the next century, changes in the world’s demography – the characteristics and composition of the global population – are likely to be dramatic. This is not just about gross numbers; it is also about the age, lifespan, distribution and activities of people. The world’s population has climbed from 1.6 billion in 1900 to around 7 billion today, and is projected to exceed 8 billion by 2025 and perhaps 9 billion by 2050. Over 60 percent of the global population is likely to live in Africa and Asia by 2050.19 Approximately 70 percent of the growth is likely to occur in 24 of the world’s poorest countries.
2013
Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations
Oxford Martin School