Trends Identified
Fake news
The 2016 election not only brought up concerns about cybersecurity, but there has also been widespread debate about the impact of fake news on social media – both in the presidential contest and beyond. Over the last year, social media companies have looked into new ways to address this issue.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
Discrimination in the tech industry
Diversity, inclusion and discrimination have become major topics in and out of the tech industry. Self-reported data from several leading technology companies show that women, blacks and Hispanics are often underrepresented in this fast-growing workforce.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
Driverless cars
Automation has the potential to reshape many facets of American life, including how people travel from one place to another. A survey conducted in May found that a majority of Americans – 56% – were more likely to say they would not want to ride in a driverless vehicle. When asked why, the most commonly cited major reasons were a general lack of trust and safety concerns.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
The future of work
Americans believe automation will likely disrupt a number of professions, but fewer foresee their own jobs being at risk.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
Net neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission voted in December to repeal net neutrality regulations put in place during the Obama administration. A Pew Research Center analysis of comments submitted online to the FCC about net neutrality found that during the four-month period (April 27 to Aug. 30, 2017) in which the FCC accepted comments on net neutrality, an average of 172,246 posts were submitted per day.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
How people watch TV
Younger adults are using online streaming services as their go-to platform for watching television. About six-in-ten Americans ages 18 to 29 (61%) report that online streaming is the primary way they watch television, according to Center survey data from August
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
Liquid biopsies
Liquid biopsies mark a step forward in the fight against cancer. First, they are an alternative where traditional tissue-based biopsies are not possible. Second, they provide a full spectrum of information compared to tissue samples, which only reflect the information available in the sample. Lastly, by homing in on circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA), genetic material that routinely finds its way from cancer cells into the bloodstream, disease progression or resistance to treatment can be spotted much faster than otherwise relying on symptoms or imaging.
2017
These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2017
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Harvesting clean water from air
The ability to extract clean water from air is not new, however existing techniques require high moisture levels and a lot of electricity. This is changing. A team from MIT and University of California, Berkeley has successfully tested a process using porous crystals that convert the water using no energy at all. Another approach, by a start-up called Zero Mass Water from Arizona is able to produce 2-5 litres of water a day based on an off-grid solar system.
2017
These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2017
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Deep learning for visual tasks
Computers are beginning to recognize images better than humans. Thanks to deep learning, an emerging field of artificial intelligence, computer-vision technologies are increasingly being used in applications as diverse as driving autonomous vehicles, medical diagnostics, damage assessment for insurance claims and monitoring of water levels and crop yield.
2017
These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2017
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Liquid fuels from sunshine
Can we mimic the humble leaf to create an artificial photosynthesis to generate and store energy? The prospects are looking increasingly positive. The answer lies in using sunlight-activated catalysts to split water molecules into water and hydrogen, and then using the same hydrogen to convert CO2 into hydrocarbons. Such a closed system - wherein CO2 emitted by combustion is then transformed back into fuel instead of the atmosphere - could prove to be revolutionary for the solar and wind industries.
2017
These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2017
World Economic Forum (WEF)