Consider how much has changed since 2002 as a result of technology advancements. The internet and mobile technologies have had the greatest influence, changing how we do business and live our personal lives.
What about the following two decades? It is difficult to foresee developments so far in the future, but thankfully, certain experts specialise in doing just that.
Ian Pearson is a futurologist who uses data and trends to make evidence-based forecasts. He has made several major predictions about how technology will affect our lives over the next 20 years.
Integration with Robotics at Home
We have already witnessed how reliance on electronics has gotten incorporated into our everyday lives during the previous 10 years. This tendency is expected to continue as more elements of our life become dependent on Smart technology.
Increasingly houses will have their heating, lighting, and other equipment controlled and reset by a home hub. This area of robotics is anticipated to develop as the necessity for energy conservation in the face of climate change becomes more pressing.
It is easy to see how, when Generation Z becomes homeowners, they will push for the integration of smart technologies in their houses, such as Google Home and smart metres.
According to Ian Pearson, robotics may be the next stage, with robotic gadgets working around the house. That might come as early as 2030, causing a revolution similar to how hoover cleaners and washing machines transformed household in the 1950s. With Samsung displaying their design for a robot that would help around the house and accomplish simple chores, this technology may be closer than you think. Please view the movie below, which was shown at CES 2022.
Artificial Intelligence
Being the cornerstone of computer learning, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly continue to have an influence on business and personal gadgets. As comparison to humans, AI enables computers to learn from data and make optimum judgements in a short amount of time.
We currently see AI in our smart gadgets, automobiles, healthcare systems – such as Viz.AI, a diagnostics AI designed to detect illnesses as early as possible – and popular applications like Siri, so future development will see it employed more efficiently across various areas. When increasingly advanced algorithms are used, AI will aid in cancer research discoveries and cutting-edge inventions across several industries. This growth within the industry has led to a rise in the number of contractor roles within AI, with the number of AI job roles increasing by more than 160% since July 2020.
The Future of Implants
Is there anyone who does not own a smartphone these days? In reality, 87% of adults in the UK owned a smartphone in March 2020.
Other personal gadgets, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, have seen tremendous development. It is possible that the next stage of this evolution will be the implantation of chips capable of performing similar procedures.
Elon Musk is a pioneer in this industry, and he has been experimenting with increasingly extreme applications of microchips. He is now studying brain chips to overcome paralysis, and he is also interested in working with mental health disorders and autism.
The issue with microchip implantation is that they are fraught with suspicion. In an experiment in which a Wisconsin corporation employed implants for easy security, the general public was extremely negative.
Medical implants are likely to elicit a more favourable response, especially if they result in a cure for paralysis patients. Yet, competing viewpoints may limit the spread of implants meant only for convenience.
Driverless Cars
Honda was the first manufacturer to deliver a legally recognised Level 3 driverless car in 2021, allowing the driver to take their eyes off the road. Toyota marketed a Level 4 automobile in Tokyo, where drivers could also take their thoughts off the road.
The taxi sector appears to be the key driver of this technology’s expansion, with Uber developing a new initiative that will shortly launch in Santa Monica, California. We are already seeing an increase in the number of driverless delivery robots in locations like Milton Keynes, UK.
The problem with driverless technology, commonly known as autonomous vehicles (AVs), is that people are concerned about its safety. Statistics are yet to reassure the 75% of people who would not feel safe in a driverless car.
With the industry marketing autonomous vehicles as safer for the roads, the present $54 billion investment in AVs indicates that they will soon take over. According to projections, there will be over 33 million autonomous vehicles on the road worldwide by 2040.
For many, the benefit is that it may lessen the need for people to buy automobiles, which will have a huge influence on climate change. Even in the next decade, self-driving vehicles as taxis will see significant increase, boosting accessibility and affordability.
Energy Production
Renewable energy is a topic that requires immediate attention. The world is committed to using renewable energy sources to counteract environmental harm.
Thankfully, technological advancements have aided in the discovery of alternate energy sources such as ITER, nuclear fusion, solar, and shale gas. Bill Gates is a driving force for the advancement of miraculous energy solutions.
With global fuel costs skyrocketing and the pressing need to transition to renewable energy sources, investment in this sector will undoubtedly continue. By 2050, all greenhouse gas emissions must be eliminated.
Breakthrough Energy is advocating for an unparalleled technological shift that will foster the innovation needed to provide everyone with access to clean, cheap, and dependable renewable energy.
Virtual Reality in 20 Years
Virtual reality is not a novel concept. Linden Labs launched Second Life, a virtual environment featuring avatars, in 2003. In its peak, it had up to 3 million members, albeit that figure has since dipped to 1 million.
Meta, which controls Facebook and Instagram, favours the creation of a metaverse. The push for VR has sparked a competition between tech titans Google, Apple, and Microsoft to develop low-cost mass-production headsets.
The expansion of virtual reality has resulted in a significant increase in the number of employment roles within the sector, with Statista projecting that VR will boost over 23 million jobs by 2030.
The vast investment in this area is almost sure to change the way we interact, certainly in gaming and leisure, but if Meta has its way, also in business.
Final Thoughts – How Will Technology Change Our Lives Over The Next 20 Years?
Information, communication, and the creation of a global society have pushed technical developments during the previous 20 years. Climate change and the need to create higher energy efficiency and access to renewable energy will most likely dictate the next 20 years.
Some areas of technology, such as space tourism, will only be available to the extremely wealthy in society, therefore they are unlikely to increase at the same rate as others. Since investment drives new technology, governments will invest on climate change over the next 20 years, while tech titans will continue to support technology that makes life easier.
Source: Lucid Support
