Today’s technology trends are evolving swiftly, allowing for rapid change and expansion and accelerating the rate of change to the point where it will become exponential. However, technology trends and essential aspects of research are not the only things that are changing this year; much more has changed due to the breakout of COVID-19, which has helped IT professionals recognise their place in the contactless world of the future will be different. An IT specialist will continuously study, unlearn, and relearn in 2020-21. (out of necessity if not desire).
What does this imply for you precisely? It requires keeping up with technical advances. Additionally, it requires keeping an eye on the future to decide what talents you’ll need to secure a job tomorrow and understand how to get there. Due to the global pandemic, most of the global IT workforce remains at home. And if you want to make the most out of your time at home in 2021, here are the top nine new technological trends you should be aware of to acquire one of the jobs that these trends will generate.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has generated considerable interest in the past decade. Nonetheless, it continues to be one of the hottest rising technology trends and breakthroughs due to its profound effects on how we live, work, and play. AI’s domination in image and navigation apps, speech recognition, mobile personal assistants, ride-sharing apps, and vast array of other applications is now well-known.
Aside from that, AI would be used to analyze interactions to discover underlying links and observations, forecast demand for facilities such as hospitals, enabling users to make better strategic choices, and identify evolving trends of consumer behavior by analyzing data in near real-time, leading to increased revenues and personalized experiences.
By 2025, the market for artificial intelligence will be worth $190 billion, and global spending on cognitive and AI systems will top $57 billion. As AI advances across industries, new employment will be created in development, programming, testing, support, and maintenance, to mention a few. On the other hand, AI offers some of the highest earnings available today, with rates ranging from over $1,250,000/year (machine learning engineer) to $145,000/year (AI architect), making it one of the most critical emerging technologies to watch.
Machine Learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, is utilized in numerous industries, resulting in a strong demand for qualified personnel. According to Forrester, AI, automation, and machine learning will generate 9% of new jobs in the United States by 2025, including robot control specialists, data scientists, automation specialists, and content curators. This is another new technology trend to be aware of!
9. Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity might not appear to be an emerging technology given its extensive history, yet it is advancing at the same rate as other technologies. This is mainly due to the constant evolution of threats. Hackers seeking unauthorized access to data will not give up easily and endeavor to circumvent even the most robust security measures. It is also owing to the introduction of new defense technologies. Since cybersecurity will continue to safeguard against hackers as long as we have them, this technology will remain popular.
Cybersecurity employment is growing three times faster than other IT jobs, illustrating the tremendous demand for cybersecurity specialists. In addition, the demand for adequate cyber defence is so enormous that $6 trillion will be spent globally on cybersecurity by 2021.
It would be helpful to keep in mind that, as challenging as the profession is, it also pays well, with positions ranging from the ethical hacker to security engineer to chief security officer, providing a promising career path for those interested in entering and remaining in this evergreen technology trend.
2. Robotic Processes Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation, is a technology that automates AI and Machine Learning-like tasks. RPA automates corporate activities such as application translation, even email response transaction processing, data management, and the use of the software. RPA automates activities that required human intervention previously.
According to Forrester Research, RPA automation would endanger the employment of 230 million or more knowledge workers or around 9% of the global labor force. Nonetheless, RPA also creates new jobs while transforming old ones. Around 5% of employment and 60% can be partially mechanized.
Developer, project manager, market analyst, solution architect, and consultant are just a few of the career prospects offered by RPA to IT professionals looking to the future and grasping emerging technology trends. And these are lucrative professions. RPA developers will earn more than $534,000 annually, making it the next and newest technology trend to watch.
3. Edge Computing
Once a cutting-edge technology trend to watch, cloud computing has become customary, with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform as the market’s dominant competitors. If more businesses migrate to cloud-based solutions, cloud computing adoption will increase. It is no longer a novel technological trend, however. It is known as the edge.
As the amount of data dealt with by organizations grows, specific organizations have recognized the limitations of cloud computing. Edge computing aims to alleviate some of these issues by reducing the delay imposed by cloud computing and allowing data to be transmitted directly to a data center for processing. It can exist closer to the location where computation is required. Consequently, edge computing can handle time-sensitive data in remote locations where access to a central site is limited or nonexistent. In this situation, edge computing will serve as a small data center.
The prevalence of edge computing will increase as the Internet of Things (IoT) devices increase. By 2022, the global market for edge computing is anticipated to reach $6.72 billion. This most recent technological development will continue to expand, creating several positions, primarily for software engineers.
4. Quantum Computing
Quantum computing, a type that takes advantage of quantum phenomena such as superposition and quantum entanglement, is the subsequent significant and novel technological development. This outstanding technology trend is also involved in avoiding the spread of the coronavirus and generating viable vaccinations due to its capacity to instantly query, track, understand, and act on data from any source. Quantum computing is utilized in banking and finance to manage credit risk, high-frequency trading, and fraud detection.
Quantum computers are currently quicker than conventional computers, and major corporations including Splunk, Honeywell, Microsoft, AWS, and Google focus on quantum computing technologies. The global quantum computing market is anticipated to exceed $2.5 billion by 2029. In addition, you will require knowledge of quantum mechanics, linear algebra, probability, information theory, and machine learning to distinguish yourself in this emerging industry.
5. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
The following major technology trends are virtual reality, augmented reality, and extended reality (ER). AR enhances the user’s environment, whereas VR immerses them in it. While this technology trend has primarily been utilized for gaming, it has also been used for training, such as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used by the United States Navy, Army, and Coast Guard to teach ship captains.
By 2021, we may anticipate that these advancements will be significantly more integrated into everyday life. AR and VR offer enormous potential in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and injury recovery. They typically operate in tandem with a number of the other upcoming technologies described in this section. Both can be used to teach surgeons how to conduct surgery, to provide museum visitors with a more immersive experience, to enhance theme parks, and even to better marketing, like in this Pepsi Max bus shelter.
Around 14 million augmented and virtual reality systems were sold in 2019. By 2022, the global market for augmented and virtual reality is anticipated to reach $209.2 billion, resulting in increased employment possibilities and the number of experts preparing to engage in this game-changing industry.
Even though some employers may require optics as a skill set, keep in mind that getting started in VR does not require much-advanced expertise – simple programming skills and a forward-thinking mindset are sufficient to land a job; another reason why this emerging technology trend deserves your attention!
Check out: Top 10 Most Important HR Tech Trends in 2021
6. Blockchain Technology
While most people identify blockchain technology with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, it also protects several other ways. In its most basic form, Blockchain is immutable data that can only be added to. Because you are constructing a data chain, the term “chain” was created. It is so secure because prior blocks cannot be updated. Moreover, because blockchains are built on consensus, nobody can monitor the data. Blockchain does not require a reliable third party to supervise or verify transactions.
Several industries are utilizing and implementing blockchain technology, and as the demand for experienced practitioners increases, so makes the demand for blockchain technology. From a bird’s-eye view a blockchain expert specializes in designing and integrating blockchain-based architecture and solutions. The average annual income of a junior blockchain developer in the United States is around $120,748.
If you are interested in Blockchain and its applications and wish to pursue a career in this rapidly expanding technology, now is the time to begin. Blockchain requires hands-on familiarity with programming languages, OOPS fundamentals, flat and relational databases, data structures, web application development, and networking.
7. Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things is another of the most promising emerging technology developments. Numerous “things” are now equipped with WiFi connectivity, enabling them to connect to the internet. The outcome was the Internet of Things or IoT. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the future wave, and it has already made it possible for computers, home appliances, vehicles, and many other devices to connect to the internet and share data.
As users, we are already utilizing and benefiting from IoT. We can remotely lock our doors if we forget to do so before leaving for work, and we can preheat our ovens on the way home from work, all while monitoring our fitness with Fitbits. However, businesses have plenty to gain immediate and shortly. As data is gathered and analyzed, the Internet of Things will assist organizations in enhancing their safety, performance, and decision-making. It has the potential to enable predictive maintenance, improve medical care, and bring unanticipated advantages.
And we’re just beginning this new technological trend: By 2030, an estimated 50 billion IoT devices will be in use worldwide, resulting in an extensive network of interconnected gadgets such as smartphones and household appliances. The global Internet of Things (IoT) investment will reach $1.1 trillion in 2022. Future advancements like 5G are anticipated to stimulate market expansion.
If you want to work in this lucrative profession, you’ll need knowledge of artificial intelligence, security, machine learning fundamentals, hardware interface, networking, data analytics, automation, a grasp of embedded systems, and computer and design skills.
8. 5G Technology
5G is the subsequent technology development to emerge, following IoT. 5G services are anticipated to completely revolutionize our lives, whereas 3G and 4G technologies allow us to access the internet, use data-driven applications, improve bandwidth for streaming on Spotify and YouTube, and much more. Support services for new technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, as well as cloud-based gaming services such as Google Stadia and NVidia GeForce Now. It will be utilized in factories with high-definition cameras that assist with traffic management and protection, intelligent grid control, and smart retail.
Virtually all telecommunications companies, including Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple, Nokia Corporation, and Qualcomm, are developing 5G applications. Global deployment of 5G networks is expected to begin in 2021, with more than 50 companies offering services in approximately 30 countries by the end of the year, making this a new technical breakthrough to keep an eye on and prepare for.
Final Thoughts
Even though technologies are constantly evolving and emerging worldwide, the following nine technology trends offer exciting work opportunities now and in the future. And since most of these trending inventions seek skilled practitioners, now is the time to choose one, prepare for it, and jump on board while they’re still in their infancy, placing you in a position to flourish now and in the future.
Check out: Top 10 Latest Technology Trends for 2021