There is a fast upturn of emerging cutting-edge innovations shaping our present and the future and its impact comes down to our personal lives significantly. This includes everything that we do, from work, health, and lifestyle to consuming content, information, and processing payments – so much more is changing over time. 

Think about our digital footprint, we can now access data about anything and use it to make informed decisions across a vast majority of areas. But then some implications also come with it, such as data privacy, security, and identity. Tech innovators have to keep these implications in mind when designing technologies that have a positive impact in shaping our and the future of generations to come. 

Carry on ahead to find out how these emerging technologies are shaping digital transformation.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

• Emerging Technologies Explored
• Top 5 Emerging Technologies Shaping Our Digital Spaces
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Blockchain
• Big Data
• Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• The Significant Challenge: Points to Contemplate Over Human Impact
• How Will The Future Look For Emerging Technology?

Emerging Technologies Explored

Top 5 Emerging Technologies Shaping Our Digital Spaces

Here we will explore the top three emerging technologies in detail that are influencing our digital spaces as well as two technologies that are advancing and seeping deep into our lives digitally, especially with the usage of handheld devices and home/work-based technologies. Let’s get down to it:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is a machine that functions like a human brain but with a much more precise brain. It is “smart” due to the large amounts of data it processes, unlike humans. It works with precision to recognize patterns and make logical decisions, without needing any emotional aspect.

However, it lacks the  emotional intelligence and the ability to be creative like humans. AI can’t mimic the emotional capability of humans unless programmed to do so – in some cases. But, it cannot be creative with the way it works or add things beyond the programmed capabilities. 

AI is the top contributor for tasks that require precision like assembling a car or making a 3D model of an architecture. However, when it comes to a more emotionally present task like providing customer support, AI can only help with the technical bits.

According to an article by PwC, AI will nearly contribute a whopping $15. 7 trillion to the global economy by the year 2030, which will be higher than the combined current output of China and India. 

Following are some ways AI be improving our digital spaces –paving a path for transformation. 

Healthcare: AI has taken the healthcare sector by storm. With rapid data processing for diagnosis, developing healthcare systems, and the genius AI helping with the surgeries – this is just a start. Future progress with AI in healthcare would work to set up remote health monitoring and process huge datasets to match patients with promising clinical trials. 

AI’s Major Achievement: Providing Assisted Living For The ElderlyAI advancement has made a breakthrough for the elderly and disabled people. We’re talking about everyone who has limited mobility. These people can now use AI and other emerging tech for self-sustenance in their every lives.  For instance, by controlling their automated wheelchairs with voice commands, the smart tech in their homes with voice assistants, etc. AI has helped bridge the gap for people with disabilities to live.  One other key aspect that has made this happen is the internet, which is vital for the connectivity of technologies. My lovely grandpa (75) and grandma (69), who live in another state, have found using smart tech to get about their day – a new feat. The internet is a saving grace for them in these times especially with Comcast Xfinity due to its reliable and consistent services.  They now believe, the internet is not all bad and it’s the people that define the way tech can be used.

Education Sector: AI is transforming how education is being consumed, personalizing learning, real-time feedback, and assessing individual progress, while also making an effective game plan for individuals to ace their educational goals. In the future, the education structure may shift with the help of AI. 

Entertainment: AI is used to create new content, give impactful experiences, and engage users. This would lead to better video-quality streaming. You can also use AI to integrate it with your apps to play music according to your mood.

Software Development: AI is now advanced enough to help developers code with the right prompt. Moreover, it can help with project management, enhanced code generation, bug detection, de-bugging, smart testing, predictive analysis of the code, and so much more.  

Customer Support: Businesses can now get help with technical support issues and handle a majority of queries using AI technologies. This, in turn, leaves time for human support to cater to issues that need more personalized care with emotional backing. This allows the brand perception to be improved and thus customer retention.

All in all, AI has had a significant impact across many other forums and industries. Some of these are digital art, e-commerce, strategy support, usage in decision-making through predictive analysis, etc. These are just a few of the many ways AI is helping with routine tasks in life and business digitally. This will gradually be integrated further and affect our near future.

• Blockchain 

With Blockchain and its cryptographic functions, the transfer of sensitive data is more secure. Due to this, there is control in breach of emerging technologies. Blockchain is securing the data and protecting private information. Around 55% of businesses are implementing the use of blockchain, primarily due to these functions.  

Also, a report by Gartner has given blockchain technology plus points for providing safe, transparent, and secure networks allowing for the reduction in data stolen or hacked in. The overall fraud and error cases have reduced too. Gartner has emphasized how financial transactions will greatly benefit from blockchain, especially with online payments and going cashless becoming the new trend of today and the future. 

Moreover, artificial Intelligence and blockchain will work hand in hand to transform our digital spaces from online shopping, access to data, and other vastly expanding online activities. Some of these areas would be:

Supply Chain: Most supply chains in the e-commerce industry, food industry, and all production facilities are making use of blockchain to increase efficiency. An example is Walmart having experienced a 20% decrease in the time taken to trace the product source or  IBM seeing an increase in the efficiency of its business operations due to streamlining the supply chain.

Healthcare Sector: Blockchain is in demand in the healthcare sector due to its ability to record, securely transmit data, manage the medical supply chain, and for transactional purposes. One more benefit of blockchain lies in its ability to help medical researchers decode genetic data efficiently. 

Some Amazing Work That Blockchain Engineers In Healthcare
Akiri	Akiri operates on network-as-a-service. This allows verified information from healthcare data sources and destinations in working to develop trusted applications for patients, physicians, providers, pharmacies, and other healthcare enterprises.
Novo Nordisk	They have an Electronic Patient Interactive Device that helps with the clinical trials. It keeps patient data secure and safe from any breaches, maintaining the integrity of clinical trials.

• Big Data

Collecting and sorting data is not possible with the traditional methods that were being used in the past. Since modern data comes from multiple sources, big data is an ideal emerging tech to save and sort large amounts of data sets. Since it is a world of electronic media and devices, the data sets have an excessive amount that can be harnessed for use by big data.

Moreover, with big data analytics, these data sets are analyzed into usable formats for business operations. For example, with the use of predictive analysis, a lot can be determined and strategies with the highest return are transformed into actionable insights. 

Read ahead about how big data as technology influences our lives through evolving these sectors:

E-commerce:

The e-commerce industry is vast and so is the accumulation of data. Big data and predictive analysis can help sort consumer data to determine the exact target market for products. Other benefits of this data would be to create beneficial strategies that bring a higher return on investments.

Healthcare Sector:

In the healthcare sector, patients can be matched with clinical trials that are the most effective according to their requirements. Some other ways that big data can help the industry is through data analysis to find the best ways to reduce costs and overheads by enabling efficiency. 

It can also help the researchers to perform diagnostic analysis to determine signs of a chronic illness so the patients have faster solutions to tackle them –saving more lives. Big data also helps to sort and sift data for healthcare professionals faster so they can provide the right care needed at the right time.

There are many other areas impacted by big data, due to its significance in data collection and sorting. As a result, big data will further spread across all business and public usage forums with time and advancement.

• Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)

AR and VR have significantly made a comeback with how their usage influences digital spaces. The tech is revolutionizing multiple sectors. This includes education, healthcare, gaming, and large-scale industries for cars and infrastructure, among many others. 

AR and VR is making an impressive change through immersive digital experiences, interactive environments, simulation, and promoting engagement. It is futuristic in approach and this turnaround will generate a sizeable revenue. If we take the example of the gaming sector only, we will see this massive impact.

 In an article by Fortune Business Insights, gaming has already seen a huge increase with the market size valued at $17.96 billion in 2023, projected to grow to $22.63 billion in 2024 and nearly 189.17 billion USD by 2032. 

Here are some ways AR and VR are influencing the following areas to shape our future digital world.

Education:

Education is an area that has not encountered significant change in the 21^st century. But with the emergence of VR, AR, and generative AI this has seen a change in the present and will do so in the future. One example of the change could be the VR goggles that could project an interactive world to the one wearing them. This could mean a transformation of the traditional schools and classrooms. 

Healthcare:

AR and VR would greatly impact healthcare and its deliverance. The major changes will be seen in the way surgical simulations will change how the procedures are performed. There will also be help with virtual therapy sessions for the patients and keeping in check on them virtually where it can work. 

Both AR and VR are helping to form innovative solutions for the diverse challenges in healthcare that providers face. This would lead to more time on the healthcare provider’s hands to research further effective solutions regarding human health.

Customer Engagement:

How amazing would it be if you could try on the clothes you like, but virtually? AR and VR harness that power to bring you a second world. The biggest impact would be on customer engagement, how customers interact with businesses online, and the perception that has on them and their buying patterns. 

• Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a specialist at creating smart environments with machines, sensors, and cameras that transform the way we live our lives every day. 

By 2025, there is expected to be a rollout of nearly 41 billion IoT devices according to the International Data Corporation.  IoT is changing all spheres of our life from home to our workplaces and everything in between. But one thing is common, it is bringing everything online.

Digital Lifestyles:

IoT has changed how we live and work. Smart gadgets at home let us have an easier and manageable lifestyle at home daily. The cleaning, cooking, and every other task has been simplified and automated. At work, there are so many gadgets helping to make things efficient and others to keep human health in check. For instance, smart desks that help you focus and then give a signal for a break or a stretch. 

Smart Cities:

IoT has done much more than help with control of the traffic. It has managed to make the cities safer and monitored. Digital innovation will be the next best thing for urban cities and if implemented well, even the rural cities. Smart cities will make the daily lives of people easier, and control traffic jams and accidents while working on safety systems. 

Manufacturing & Production

This factor may not affect our digital lives directly, but IoT tech plays a huge role in increasing the manufacturing and production sectors so people have more options than before as consumption of products and services has taken new heights. There is a wide variety of tech that can help speed up processes and can be used to manage time and plans. 

The Significant Challenge: Points to Contemplate About AI & Its Impact on Humans

The benefits of emerging technologies are immense; we must not overlook the impact they have on humans. Are we even ready for the rapid change? There are many different schools of thought projected by experts on how all the changes will be accepted or not. A union of all those into key pointers to note are: 

• Digital technologies are more of an “on-demand” culture. People want the change to just happen without the implications tested out.
• If everything is easily done by technology, where does the ability to challenge human limits go? Where will further learning develop? 
• The more technology is thriving to help people create better lives; the same tech is also becoming a destructive force.
• The other major impact would be on how we receive and process information. Will the ever-controlled algorithms let us see the full picture? We never know whether the content is based on lies, deception, or the truth –social media of all forms is becoming a land of no rules. 
• Lastly, globalization and mass social connectivity were supposed to bridge gaps instead it is heading towards isolation, closed communities, and niche groupings –leading to large gaps in global society.

How Will The Future Look For Emerging Technology?

One thing is for sure – tech is advancing fast and here to stay. Technology is shaping our lives from industries, to our societies, and down to individual levels, like we discussed about AI helping the differently abled. This helps us understand how tech will be influencing our future. Here are the three key takeaways about the emerging tech for the future:

• 360 Degree Integration: 

Future tech is not going to be isolated. They’ll become integrated deep into our lives. From integrating our fridge to the grocery list, helping plan the finances of a company for a higher return on investments, to bringing efficient supply chains that will reduce wastage and overhead costs. Governmental planning may even use tech to integrate voting, departments, and so much more.

• Personalization with Technology:

Tech of the future will know you and work according to your preferences. From healthcare that caters to each individual’s needs, personalized learning, and entertainment made for you. Tech just might be the one, who knows you best.

• Sustainable and Ethical Issues

At present being a major concern, the tech will evolve to include practices that align with climate-positive practices. Some examples of that could be:

• Renewable energy
• Green transport
• Circular economies

Last Thoughts

Technology won’t be for the few only. In fact, future tech will be integrated into all our lives and available widely. Plus, as tech grows so will the concerns of security. Future tech will have to incorporate threats to ensure that data and user’s personal information stay safe. It is also the responsibility of the people to use the technology positively.