The rapid emergence and evolution of new technologies have the potential to create new opportunities for the world’s innovators and improve the quality of life for everyone, regardless of their preferences, be it gaming at Vave or creating games themselves. However, they can also expose us to unprecedented risks. Some of these include the rise of geopolitical conflicts and the threat of climate change.
As technology accelerates, it is critically important that leaders take advantage of the opportunities it presents to improve the lives of people.
Green-tech at a Tipping Point
The cost of renewable energy has significantly decreased over the past decade due to the technological advancements that have occurred. According to some estimates, the switch to renewable energy could save the global economy up to $12 trillion by 2050.
In 2023, leaders from various industries and governments will be working on developing new and improved green technologies.
A promising technology to watch in the next decade is nuclear fusion, which recently demonstrated that it could produce more energy than needed to start the process. Although it is still years away from being able to provide energy at a commercial scale, the results of this study are expected to spark further research.
Hyper-connectivity and Cyber-resilience
The geopolitical and economic developments that have occurred over the past decade have caused many countries to retreat into a more closed and fragmented cyberspace. Despite the various threats that have affected the global economy, the technological progress that has occurred over the past few years is still expected to continue. In the next few years, it is estimated that over 15 billion devices will connect to the Internet of Things.
The rapid emergence and evolution of 5G will be one of the main factors that will drive technological progress in the next decade. This new cellular technology will allow devices to perform better and communicate faster.
Due to the increasing number of connected devices and the risks they pose to the global economy, governments and regulators are expected to step up their efforts to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary protections. This includes establishing regulations that will allow them to identify and implement effective cybersecurity measures.
Gene Editing Goes Mainstream
The developers of the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. Until recently, it was mainly used as a tool for studying the importance of certain genes. Through gene-editing therapy, the technology has been able to treat various diseases, such as sickle cell disease and blindness.
Although gene editing has been mainly used for treating diseases with a single gene mutation, it has also been shown that it could be useful in treating other conditions such as chronic pain and Alzheimer’s.
In 2023, the field of gene editing is expected to expand beyond medicine and into other sectors, posing various ethical dilemmas along the way.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
Over the past decade, the popularity of AR and VR has increased significantly. While their applications have primarily been used on social media, they are also being used in various industries such as military training.
In 2019, over 14 million AR and virtual reality devices were sold. The global market for these advanced technologies is expected to reach $202 billion by 2023. This will provide numerous job opportunities for people in this field.
In the next decade, VR and AR are expected to become more prevalent in our daily lives. They have the potential to transform various sectors, such as education, marketing, and rehabilitation.
If you are looking to start a career in this field, focusing on basic programming and optics can help you easily land a job.