Cyber security

A large-scale migration to remote working practices has forced big questions of cyber security capabilities outside of organisations’ networks. It is perhaps no surprise that over the course of the last year 41%of organisations have experienced incidents such as spear phishing and malware attacks as employees working from home become easy prey.

Few expect the 5-day office week to return once the pandemic subsides. Securing networks and educating the workforce about cyber security remains a top priority for 2021. 70% of businesses now engage in personal data archiving, making information more valuable than ever and in greater need of protecting. With advancements in potentially vulnerable AI and IoT systems, the cyber security challenge remains even more crucial.

Artificial Intelligence

The inevitable march of AI will continue in 2021, as its influence spreads across nearly all sectors. It is estimated, that 54% of financial services are planning to increase AI spending this year. By 2025 it is expected that the AI market will grow to $190 billion, with global spending on AI systems reaching over $57 billion in 2021.

As data volumes explode to levels humans can simply not process, the need for raw computing power run by AI is desperately needed. Machine learning will become crucial, as algorithms are built not only to process this data, but also to learn and program themselves. The explosion of AI in nearly every sector will create opportunities for skilled professionals such as data scientists, automation specialists, and robot monitoring professionals.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality, virtual’s more advanced cousin, has been a little slower to develop than perhaps some had anticipated a decade ago. Whilst this technology has seen its greatest manifestations in the gaming world so far, it has also started to show its merit in simulation software, used in the US military for training purposes.

In 2021, we can expect other industries and sectors to discover how AR can benefit their development and become more integrated with consumers’ daily lives. Its potential for training, education, marketing, and entertainment is still in its infancy but won’t be for long. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022 and will be excited to welcome skilled professionals to the field to assist its growth.

Blockchain

Blockchain remains understandably associated with the emergence of cryptocurrencies, which continue a slow but significant march into the public consciousness. However, in 2021, we can expect to see the truly impressive blockchain technologies climb from the vault of crypto and be utilised to serve broader purposes.

It has the potential to enhance user trust by providing transparency, which is a valuable consumer proposition in the modern age. Some of blockchains most relevant uses could lie in identity management, asset tracking, and payment systems, as organisations seek ways to incorporate the much-desired safety blockchains provide to bolster cyber security. Blockchain developers and professionals with the ability to implement infrastructure using his technology could see their stocks rise this year.

IoT

Consumers are already benefitting from the early developments in IoT: we can lock our doors remotely, preheat an oven from another place, check the fridge to see what we need, and track our daily movements with chips in our shoes.

For businesses, IoT promises the opportunity to enable predictive maintenance, a more tailored and better customer service experience, improve times of medical care, and an infinite number of yet-imagined ideas. This will all be supported by the roll out of 5G services globally. By 2030, it’s estimated that around 50 billion IoT devices will be in use around the world, and by 2022 global spending on IoT is forecast to reach $1.1 trillion.

This massive web of interconnected devices will also present cyber security vulnerabilities and place another reminder on not only developing secure networks but educating the population about how to stay safe from cyber-attacks.

Sources:

www.simplilearn.com
gcn.com
www.forbes.com
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