Analysts at Deloitte have unveiled their predictions for what they believe will be the most important tech trends of the next 12 months. To do this, they have framed core trends, including machine learning, cloud computing, and blockchain, against the dynamically shifting industry backgrounds where they operate, aiming to focus on real-world use cases rather than just high-level technology concepts.
I took the chance to review the selection with their chief futurist, Mike Bechtel, in order to gain some insights into why the consulting giant believes they will be so influential, and how we are likely to see them impacting our lives as we move into 2023 and beyond.
The Metaverse
Predicting the impact that the much-talked-about metaverse will have on our lives, Deloitte’s report focuses on the concept of “Immersive internet for the enterprise.”
The true value of the metaverse, it is suggested, will be the new business models that it makes possible. This, they rationalize, will occur as part of the ongoing natural progression towards simpler ways of interacting with machines. This was a journey that started with punch cards – quite literally requiring an understanding of advanced mathematics and the fundamental workings of computer science in order to operate. Iterative advances such as desktop icon-driven interfaces and mobile touchscreens have enabled more intuitive interactions, bringing us to where we are today – at the dawn of an age of immersive virtual worlds and experiences.
Bechtel tells me, "What we’re starting to see with metaverse is that we’re ready for a new chapter of the world wide web – a new chapter of the internet … think of it perhaps as an immersive internet.”
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Just as with earlier iterations of the internet, those who get involved will fall roughly into one of three groups. These are "promoters" who really just want a website as a big, new-age business card that basically just says, "call us." Then there are the "plussers”, who use the technology to add new ways for their customers to engage with them – Betchel uses the example of a food business that adds online menus and ordering to their website. Finally, there are the true pioneers that will use the new technology to break out entirely new business models and products – the equivalent of the “hyperscalers” that have grown into the web giants of the internet age.
Artificial Intelligence
The key trend around AI in 2023, Deloitte suggests, will involve trust. Specifically, “Learning to trust our robot colleagues.”