2022: Predictions from tech experts
2021 has been a year full of challenges and innovations in technology, which have had an impact on all aspects of our lives, from the office and entertainment to the way we communicate with each other. To better understand how technology is going to evolve in the coming year, and what its repercussions will be, we ask our community of experts to share their forecasts and predictions of technology trends in 2022.
Immersive technology in the workplace… and beyond
Global lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the importance of effectively integrating technology into workplace activities. Roland Broch (@rolandbroch) suggests that video conferencing, today a necessity for teams working and collaborating remotely, will experience significant development: “Larger screens. Immersive 3D experience. Greater comfort”.
However, these innovative experiences will not be limited to the workplace: users will also enjoy the benefits of immersive technologies in their interactions with brands. “Improvements in #hardware capacity and #software advances achieved in #AI and #VirtualReality, which enable immersive experiences for users, will be increasingly used by brands,”. “Capturing customers has never been so technological.”
In the last two years we have seen that technology has become more and more integrated into people’s daily lives. According to the Office for National Statistics, as of May 2021, 37% of British adults were doing at least some of their work from home. Obviously, this comes with its own risks, especially when it comes to privacy and data security – “There is a need to protect remote work, to use home devices, and to unify VPNs and IoT. Also in this aspect it is necessary to protect the storage and sharing of data”, explains Tara Taubman-Bassirian (@clarinette02).
Rafael Bloom (@rafibloom73) stresses the importance of putting people first as technology becomes more prevalent. “I hope that technology now evolves to help us, whether it’s direct AI assistance or simpler things like the new ‘focus modes’ on Apple devices.”
Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
Artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced some remarkable advances in recent years , allowing us to use more complex applications in various areas. AI may have applications in sustainability, using “sophisticated sensors in connected vehicles and infrastructure, which will allow our cities to be less congested and polluted,” according to Rob May (@robmay70). And, obviously, we will also see the repercussions of AI in more mundane aspects of everyday life: David Clarke predicts “more AI in vehicles to assist drivers and home devices”, while the Dutch Cloud Community (@dutchcloudcomm) He takes a more light-hearted view, explaining that “having your AI fridge tell you that’s your last beer of the day isn’t a very good idea”.
In the past year, cybersecurity has especially been an issue of growing concern , with the number of reported data breaches already surpassing 2020 numbers, according to the Identity Theft Research Center. To combat this growing threat, Nigel Tozer (@NigelTozer) predicts that AI “will be a cybersecurity target in 2022”, the year in which “Cybersecurity as a Service offerings” will skyrocket.
On the other hand, Ellie Hurst (@Advent_IM_Comms) emphasizes that cybersecurity technology must support its users: “We know that the most successful breaches are caused by the human factor, so we have to support the user through technology. . But it has to be proportionate, because invasive technology can sacrifice people and enable shadow IT.” Rafael Bloom adds that “cybersecurity should focus first on people, processes and proper governance, rather than relying on technology to provide a panacea”.
By 2022, storage and memory products will be critical to underpinning emerging technologies, from AI and 5G to cybersecurity. Kate Sukhanova (@ThisIsKateS) predicts that “more organizations will choose the cloud over physical servers, and individuals will turn to more #VPN providers” in response to growing concerns about data protection and cybercrime. Bill Mew (@BillMew) notes that “advancements toward encrypted storage will be necessary as cybercrime becomes more prevalent, not just in the cloud, but across ALL devices.”
Challenges and trends of 2022
In the coming year, logistics and supply chain issues will be significant challenges for the tech sector. Geoffrey Petit (@Kingston_GPetit) highlights that “one of the biggest challenges of 2022 could be the global shortage of components, likely to delay new innovations and the development of new infrastructures”.
Although working from home has become commonplace, organizations will need to address the issues stemming from remote or hybrid work: “The continuing need for remote work means that organizations can pick up storms if they are improperly configured and trained, so we cannot consider that The danger of new remote working methods has passed,” warns Ellie Hurst.
Cybersecurity will continue to be a hot topic in 2022 as technology trends reflect a growing awareness of cyber threats; Rob May predicts that one of the main trends in IT in 2022 will be “Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture, #CSMA, and Privacy Enhancements in Computing, #PEC, in the fields of privacy and data protection.
Technological sustainability will also be a hot topic . Roland Broch predicts that “sustainable hardware that consumes resources efficiently and green codes will be the dominant trends in 2022”; the concept ‘green code’ refers to programming codes written to generate algorithms with minimal emergent consumption, both in terms of structure and behaviour. As global awareness of climate change and environmental risks grows, it will be interesting to see the role technology will play in improving sustainability.
At Kingston Technology we see ourselves as trusted advisors and enablers of technology, perfectly up to date with advances in technology, AI and cybersecurity. Kingston is with you no matter what you do to support your business needs. Although 2022 will abound with unforeseen challenges and opportunities for organizations, we are confident that our solutions will help you with any of your technology challenges.
