The six and a half most promising technology trends for 2022


Technology develops at such a fast pace, that sometimes it is hard to keep track of everything. Therefore, we identified and listed 6.5 of the most promising technology trends for the next year for you. In your next chat with your friends at the bar, you can brag about your state-of-the-art knowledge 😉. Jokes aside. Staying up to date is crucial in a fast-paced global environment and identifying the latest technology trends and learn how to use them, helps to make decisions and predict future successes on the market.

1. Digital Twin

Having a twin is probably fun. Maybe you have a similar taste in clothes and have fun dressing identically. Or you are the absolute opposite and wonder how you can share 99,999 % of your genes (for monozygotic twins). However, a digital twin is definitely something completely different. You could rather speak of it as a digital clone. A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object - no matter if it is already existing or will exist in the future. It serves the purpose to be able to understand the performance of a machine and be able to improve it before it even exists. This is a real game-changer as resources for building hundreds of prototypes to find the ideal version are saved and the development process accelerated.

For example, the European Union offered a workshop, in which digital twins of cities were created. Now, pressing problems like mobility, urban planning or citizen engagement can be solved by modeling different scenarios including all stakeholders beforehand.

2. Next generation computing

In 1945 the first computer was put into operation. Now, 76 years later, it is about time to introduce the next generation computing. The requirements for hardware and software are constantly increasing and the industries reach limits when it comes to tackling them in the short amount of time set by the market. But how might next generation computing look like? Next generation is an umbrella term including all fields allocated to computing. According to a road map of the EU, next generation computing contains three key fields: “parallelization” of software, innovative and new technologies for all fields of application, and the internet of everything. These emerging and all-encompassing technologies have the potential to revolutionize our digital world.

New technologies could look like neuromorphic and quantum computing. Neuromorphic computing, on the one hand, are computers based on artificial neural networks taking the human brain as a role model. Quantum computers, on the other hand, can solve complex big-data problems much faster than conventional computing technology. But next generation computing can also cover many more tech fields with true innovations.

According to a recent study from McKinsey, next generation computing has extremely high industry applicability, however, the technical maturity is in a late stage of fundamental research right before the market-entry stage. The momentum compared to 2015-18 is lower. This might increase again as soon as it enters the stage of market-readiness.

3. Applied Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is often still seen as science-fiction technology without wide usability options. But AI can also be used within workflows, supporting the user with suggestions based on recognized patterns. Artificial Intelligence does not necessarily mean robots will take over 100% of a job. At CELUS for example, AI-based algorithms are used to save time for highly skilled electronics engineers. This does not make the expertise of engineers obsolete. The opposite is the case: the machine is supporting them to not waste their valuable time on searching for fitting parts. Rather, they can invest their time into optimization and layouting to achieve a top-notch result. AI-solutions and machine learning can be game-changing in many huge industries.

At the McKinsey report, Applied AI is highly industry applicable while being at an already advanced market-entry-stage. The momentum over the last view years is equal. Therefore, this is definitely something to focus on in order to stay on the pulse of time.

4. Future of clean technologies

The climate change is the biggest global challenge of your time. Without a habitable environment even the biggest economic achievements lose their worth. Of course, it is worth it to take a look on the technological progress in terms of climate neutrality.

Clean techs cover multiple different kinds of technologies. They are related to technologies aiming for CO2-neutrality, for example via recycling, renewable electricity, or sustainable building. McKinsey explicitly mentions technologies like nuclear fusion, smart distribution/metering, battery/battery storage, and carbon-neutral energy generation. McKinsey expects these technologies to be in the market-entry stage, however, the industry applicability is rather low at the moment.

5. Bio Revolution

The bio revolution trend is a rather new field at the stage of market-entry and the industry applicability is moderate. Nevertheless, bio revolution is a field of major interest as it has it has the potential to strongly influence our daily lives. Biomachines, biocomputing, and augmentation are to be mentioned here. Once again, technology uses nature as a role model – generally called biomachines. Biocomputing, for example, uses the effective method of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) as a medium for storage and processing. Augmentation in this case means the improvement of natural human capabilities by technological help.

McKinsey considers it to be at a moderate stage of tech-maturity and industry applicability. What sounds like science-fiction can be the next cutting-edge tech trend.

6. Future of connectivity

Connectivity is the basis of our future economy. Connecting devices with and without wires creating giant networks are key for improvement and applicable in manifold use cases. Having one overview with all data in place, allows us to identify growth options. Emerging from the pandemic, this is even more relevant for companies in 2022. Analyzing these new and growing masses of data will lead to new insights, which can be the basis of decisions of bold innovations as well as positioning on the market. Interesting technologies are obviously IoT and 5G, but also cloud computing plays an important role.

McKinsey came to the conclusion that the topic of future connectivity is shortly before an industry adoption while being applicable for multiple industries or horizontals. The momentum compared to 2015-18 is higher, which indicates that it is worth having it on sight.

6 and 1/2) Trust architecture

Trust architecture is not a “fully” new and current trend. The topic already came up in the 90s and is gaining speed again. With continuous progress in digitalization and data collection, cybersecurity equally increases importance. One of the latest trends in the field is the “zero trust architecture” with the motto to let trust disappear in the digital world. Everyone has always to verify themselves for access to data, no matter who this person is.

McKinsey considers the trust architecture to be at an industry adoption level with rather high industry applicability. The momentum in comparison to 2015-18 is lower, which might change with a growing mass of data that can be attacked in the future.


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