A FEW MORE THINGS
If Marty McFly travelled back from the future with a TechnoVision report in his back pocket rather than a sporting almanac – what would it say? Unfortunately, no one has a DeLorean time machine, so it seems impossible to envisage the future accurately. Yet, what we can see, is the emergence of key trends we believe will further shape our technological horizon. Maybe not this year, but soon. Very soon.
METAVERSE
The metaverse may just look like a newfangled version of Virtual Reality 2.0 (or even worse, a reload of Second Life) – but many consider it to be the future of the internet. A space where mixed reality augments our own selves, allowing us to socialize, learn, and collaborate in ways far beyond what we envisioned before. Bigger than just a single enterprise or industry, the distributed Metaverse may be created, used, and enjoyed by people all over the world, without exclusion. Yet, still very much in its infancy, no one can accurately predict where the Metaverse will take us, and when. What will our lives look like inside the Metaverse of the future? How can we trust its content and its participants? Will blockchain come back with a vengeance within this context? No one knows, there is no precedent. The one thing for certain: it is definitely one to watch. You hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability!
THE QUANTUM EQUATION
Quantum computing is maturing, arguably like a fine malt. A technology which is still giving off its angel share, unpredictably unstable, not yet operational for mainstream use. But as a solace, exploration and experimentation are ongoing (Capgemini deploys its own Quantum Lab in fact). No longer is the question a matter of “if”, but “when.” Or is it? Quantum computing is already a key consideration when thinking about the future of Cybersecurity and encryption. And hopefully, it will be pivotal to address some of our biggest societal challenges, such as the climate crisis and public health as well.
PERMACOMPUTING
Like the frugal qualities of Jugaad? Take a further look at “Permacomputing”: aiming to counteract the wastefulness of the computing world. Until now, only a fraction of electronic waste is recycled. Aside from the clear environmental burden, that’s tens of billions of gold, silver and other high-value, recoverable materials that could have been collected and reused – a sum greater than the GDP of most countries. Permacomputing extends the lifespan of hardware, reducing the carbon footprint of what is already produced. Reducing the energy consumption of software (both when building and using it) is another aspect, viewing resources as precious, to be used as effectively as possible, only when necessary. The circular economy is coming, make sure it also pertains to IT.
CREATIVE AI
Competitive language transformer models outgrow each other month on month, our fascination by the evolution of generative and creative AI grows even more intense. Yet there is much to consider. Soon, it could be almost impossible to distinguish real from fake – even more so within the Metaverse. Furthermore, training generative AI models consumes a lot of expensive and wasteful computing resources, in direct contrast to our pleas for frugal, upcycled computing (admittedly, applying the models once trained is much better for the carbon balance sheet). Finally, now creative AI has firmly arrived in the once human-only realm, the quest for staying human-centered becomes more relevant than ever.
PURPOSE INTENSITY
For a Technology Business to excel, organizations must now consider the importance of purpose directionality, continuing with their digital strategies while keeping a clear view on the shifting values of society, and what is deemed socially desirable innovation. The more technologically nimble – “born digital” – giant corporations may dominate the marketplace, but they also display a remarkable lack of understanding when it comes to purpose intensity. To outcompete these corporate colossi, incumbents are increasingly adopting a strong purpose directionality. Yet, it is the CIO’s responsibility to translate the corporate purpose statement into thought-provoking technology choices. Every technology needs to be tested against the purposeful objective of what role the organization chooses to play in the digital society that is being created. Impact on the environment, the inclusion of the digital have-nots, racial equality, and gender balance – to name only a few – suddenly become factors for consideration in decisions that were once purely technological.
In any case, a more sustainable world where no one is excluded may very well depend on our ability to augment ourselves with advancing technology. Now that sounds like a future you definitely want to go back to.