2017 has been fairly eventful for technology and we expect 2018 to carry this trend on, as we approach the last month of the year, we can look forward to what technology 2018 might have to offer us.
One reoccurring topic in the tech world that seems to be topping everyone’s list is the Internet of Things (IoT), Gartner estimates more than 8.4 ‘things’ are on the internet already today, an increase of over 30% from just a year ago.
Another aspect of technology to come to life in 2018 is 5G, the move to 5G will not happen overnight and will most likely take up a good portion of 2018 but it is on its way. Worcestershire in particular are to be at the forefront of this technology, the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) have announced plans to build the UK’s first 5G test bed in partnership with the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC). The LEP announced the new test bed will focus on the 5G commercial applications with the founder members and leading companies, QinetiQ, Worcester Bosch and Yamazaki Mazak in order to enable innovation in the cyber security industry.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to go from the Newbie to Mainstream in 2018, with toddlers to seniors using devices such as Alexa, Siri and Google Home, the conversation around AI might seem a bit old hat. However, the potential for AI within business remains powerful, from customer service, robotics to analytics and marketing, the opportunities are wide spread. This includes faster, cheaper and smarter automation of everything from emails, content generation to industrial manufacturing, we are only at the forefront of what AI can offer the business environment.