Adopting new technologies can help businesses transform their business processes to increase productivity and profitability. Gartner has identified five technologies that companies should consider adopting to achieve these new business capabilities.
The five technologies identified by Gartner are:
- The digital man
- Satellite communications
- The miniature and ambient IoT (Internet of Things)
- Secure computing
- Autonomous robots
These technologies were chosen because of their broad reach and ability to transform the digital future of organizations.
“These five technologies are potentially transformative and should be studied now because of their broad scope and ability to create significant new business models or capabilities,” said Nick Jones, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner.
Gartner
Satellite communications
Satellite communications refers to technology like SpaceX’s Starlink that provides low-latency connectivity to Earth from low-orbit (LEO) satellites. Low Earth Orbit).
There is growing interest in LEO technology because it can revolutionize the way people and businesses communicate.
“The industry is still nascent and is expected to evolve a lot, so a cautious approach should be taken before embarking on LEO technology as it is an emerging technology in a complex market,” Mr Jones said.
Gartner identifies potential LEO use cases for businesses, such as direct satellite connection for small IoT devices and broadband coverage for remote locations.
Miniature and ambient IoT devices
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the communication and sharing of data between physical devices in real time to create an ecosystem of interconnected and continuously operating devices, and therefore powered not by batteries but by constant electric current.
The concept of “Tiny ambient IoT,” as described by Gartner, “enables tagging, tracking, and detection of any object without the complexity or cost of battery-powered devices.”
Notably, moving away from battery-powered devices allows for more information about more things at lower cost, which can lead to benefits such as new ecosystems, new business models and more innovative products, according to Gartner .
The research firm cautions, however, that before adopting the technology, companies should evaluate social and regulatory issues.
Secure calculations
Data protection is more critical than ever as the interconnectivity of devices continues to grow, as do the risks of sensitive data disclosure. Secure computing is a technology that allows users to perform calculations on data while keeping the nature of the calculations encrypted and therefore secure.
According to Gartner, implementing secure computing is a challenge for businesses due to cost, skills and performance, but emerging technologies such as optical accelerators will be crucial to enabling deployment.
The digital man
Although the generic term generative AI is not specifically on the list, the concept of digital human, a subset of generative AI, is. Digital humans are human representations created by AI that embody a real person in different aspects, such as personality, physique, humor, knowledge, etc.
Many companies have adopted some form of digital human to drive engagement and respond to the current interest in AI. One example is Kuki, an AI character created by ICONIQ who has been used as a brand ambassador for H&M, posed for Vogue, has her own Roblox game, and even partnered with Viber.
Gartner cautions businesses when implementing digital humans because they may be prone to inappropriate behavior (bias and stereotyping), as demonstrated by the rise of AI chatbots. Therefore, the establishment of rules is necessary.
Autonomous and adaptive drones and robots
This term refers to robots or drones that can perform functions on their own with little or no human intervention and adapt to different environments.
These devices will be able to help businesses in many ways, including lifting objects, monitoring, data entry, supervision, and more. Several attempts have been made to create these types of robots, including Tesla’s Optimus and Apptronik.
Of course, Gartner warns of the many challenges associated with these types of technologies, such as the limits of what they can or cannot do and the business, legal and ethical consequences.
Source: “ZDNet.com”