What will be the next big thing in technology for the year 2022 and why?

It’s been a while since my last post. 2021 has been the year of new beginnings for me, from launching Footwork to becoming a father. Those roles and responsibilities have been all-consuming, but I do hope to get back to regular writing in 2022. Though it’s unlikely to be weekly, I’d love for you to follow along, and I so appreciate your continued dialogue and encouragement every time after I hit “publish.”

I wanted to end 2021 the same way I ended 2020: by asking fifty top thinkers in technology to finish the sentence: “The next big thing next year is…”

Last year’s post still has the most views of anything I’ve written, and I found myself looking back at it several times over the past year to see what felt prescient. There was perhaps too much optimism a year ago about a post-COVID society, but many of the predictions around the growth of entrepreneurship, the movement towards decentralization, tailwinds in consolidation and bundling, and more were spot on.

Though web3 and crypto are popular themes in this year’s contributions, there is a long tail of interesting and nuanced ideas for what 2022 has in store.

I’d love to hear your responses, too, in the comments. I wish all of you a healthy and happy holiday season, and the very best for the new year.

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What will be the next big thing in technology for the year 2022 and why?

… in web3.

The next big thing in 2022 is higher expectations. The pandemic really changed us as a society, because everything is a little more meaningful and fragile at the same time. I think there are higher expectations across everything — across product experiences, companies, institutions, transparency…and how we spend our time.

For instance, to tackle the global pandemic, AI’s demand has made its way into the healthcare industry with models and tools capable of improving and supporting traditional analytics and decision-making frameworks.

Developing your skills in this area can pay you well in the coming years. New employment will be generated in development, engineering, analysis, tech support, and maintenance, as the need for AI and ML grows across industries.

2. Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT is an essential technology for the creation of a network of connected devices that can continuously share data and information with other devices in real-time. As of 2021, the global IoT market had a valuation of over $260 billion.

We will be witnessing a massive increase in the amount of data volume pertaining to IoT connections in the coming years with the overall IoT data reaching over 79 zettabytes by 2025. The extensive adoption of the technology presents plenty of career opportunities across a variety of domains including the automobile sector, smart home devices industry, telecommunications, wearable fitness devices domains, etc.

3. Cybersecurity

Unlike other technologies mentioned in this article, cybersecurity has already established a robust base in the tech world. Some of the most typical cyberattacks that enterprises face are AI-enabled phishing and network infiltration, which can lead to severe consequences such as data or revenue loss. So, a career in cybersecurity is a lucrative one but requires you to constantly upgrade your skills to keep up with the evolving developments in the domain. 

As of 2021, the global cybersecurity workforce consists of more than 4 million professionals. And, as the current information age progresses and more and more devices get connected, cybersecurity will continue to remain an increasingly pressing topic.

4. Quantum Computing (QC)

Quantum computing employs quantum mechanics laws such as superposition to perform problem-solving. You can rely on QC to answer queries such as how to sort out the ideal routes for a couple of hundred tankers in a global shipping network. As of 2020, the global QC industry revenues stood at a valuation of $412 million. Given its current pace of growth and adoption, the .

5. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

RPA is being employed by organizations across several business sectors to automate multiple organizational functions. Like AI, Robotic Process Automation or RPA can also be viewed as a threat to jobs as automation using specialized software programs is at the heart of the technology. However, global revenues from the RPA market are expected to reach over $10 billion by 2023. This provides a robust footing for knowledge workers in career opportunities such as RPA analysts, developers, and programmers, to name a few.

6. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

AR and VR are known for providing an upgraded experience that combines virtual and real-world with enhanced 3-D images. 

Gaming, e-commerce, marketing, education, and a variety of other sectors will all benefit from AR and VR in the future. The global VR gaming industry revenues alone are estimated to reach $2.4 billion by 2024.

7. Edge Computing

Edge computing is a distributed computing system that brings enterprise applications and data sources like IoT devices closer together. With increased accessibility to data, this technology is emerging as a means of gaining significant business benefits and actionable insights. Furthermore, as the number of IoT devices rises, edge computing use will also accelerate.

8. 5G

This particular technology has received its fair share of publicity by now. The fifth-gen wireless is currently the most advanced mobile broadband tech and has already roped in tech giants such as Samsung, Apple, QualComm, and Huawei. We can expect approximately 3 billion 5G subscriptions by 2025 within an industry having an active consumer base of over 6.5 billion subscriptions (as of 2021)

5G demonstrates plentiful potential, not from a career perspective alone, but the viewpoint of a regular consumer as well. Consumers expect improved mobile data speeds with 5G and enhanced coverage among other benefits.

9. Blockchain

From Dogecoin to NFTs, blockchain technology has taken the world by storm. Casually termed an electronic “ledger,” blockchain is a decentralized list of connected records and verified records.

The global spending on blockchain solutions is forecasted to touch $19 billion by 2024. Even at this early stage in its development, blockchain has become a major market in its own right, owing to the technology's potential and extensive financial interest in the possibilities it may deliver. 

Parting Thoughts

With major advancements in technological trends in the last couple of years, you can expect faster and greater developments in the foreseeable future. Safe to say, keeping an eye out for these trends no longer remains the sole necessity for IT professionals. 

So, to remain relevant in this fast-evolving business world, it is imperative to continually learn and upskill as the demand for trained professionals with the right skill sets will never go out of trend.

What technology is next in 2022?

Here are some of the Latest Top Technology Trends for 2022 - 2023: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Edge Computing.

What is the next big thing in technology?

The Hyper-Connected, Intelligent World This is what is known as the Internet of Things (IoT), and its impact on our lives will continue to be felt strongly in 2023. The focus will continue to grow on enabling more useful and complex machine-to-machine interactions.

Which technology will be trend in next 5 years?

Artificial intelligence (AI) will grow by leaps and bounds in the next few years. Recently, the idea of AI technology has advanced as researchers and data scientists have found more innovative ways to use the tech trend. We think one area that will expand rapidly for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is for consumers.