The Wall Street Journal recently pegged Harvard Business Review’s “8 Tech Trends to Watch in 2016” as one of their must-read stories. As WSJ writer James Willhite summarized, “ Good news. The predictions are better than most, avoiding the old saws of cybersecurity (zzzzz) and Big Data (yawn), in favor of bots, backdoors, Blockchain and something called drone lanes, described as designated zones for hobbyist and commercial unmanned vehicle pilots.”
With digital innovation accelerating — not just in tech — but in every industry, business leaders across sectors would benefit from tuning into these off-the-radar predictions. Check out Amy Webb’s eight tech disruptors bound to make an impact in 2016:
Algorithmic personality detection — “Algorithms will harness personal data in order to assess an employee’s predicted success at work: for example, how likely she is to bounce around jobs.”
Bots — “Software applications that run automated tasks are called “bots.” 2016 will bring a host of creative bots that will supercharge our productivity, keep us company, and help us track what others are doing. What’s new: you’ll have the opportunity to use and program them yourself.”
Glitches — “While there have always been software bugs, what we’re seeing now is so much new technology coming online so quickly — without the usual testing — that we don’t know what the interactions will be in advance….This is not an argument against technology — it’s a recommendation for increased systems monitoring and regular conversations with IT managers.”
Backdoors — “Backdoors are lines of code developers intentionally install in firmware so that manufacturers can safely upgrade our devices and operating systems. It’s a way for manufactures to get into your system to fix a problem without interrupting your experience….Some government officials will be advocating for a set of “golden keys,” which would allow law enforcement to use backdoors as they wish.”
Blockchain — “The blockchain enables people to participate in “trustless” transactions, eliminating the need for an intermediary between buyers and sellers. And it potentially eliminates the need for all intermediaries in most transactions, even those outside finance.”
Drones — “From the Valley to DC, everyone will be talking in 2016 about whether or not the airspace should be regulated for hobbyists and commercial drone pilots, which will prompt difficult conversations between technologists, researchers, drone manufacturers, businesses and the aviation industry, since each has an economic stake in the future of unmanned vehicles.”
Quantum Computing — “While you won’t be able to buy a quantum computer in 2016, it’s a trend worth watching. Researchers at IBM’s experimental quantum computing group have begun to unlock difficult problems in quantum computing, such as detecting errors….Now, IBM, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Google, as well as D-Wave, are trying to figure out how to advance and commercialize the technology.”
Augmented Knowledge — “Scientists at the University of Southern California have been working on a cognitive neural prosthesis that can restore and enhance memory function….Rather than having to relearn, they need only reload those memories. But this implies that someday you might be able to augment your mental ability — much like robotic suits allow us to enhance our physical strength — with a computer device.”