The year 2022 is already behind us, and what a year it’s been! Not only did it justify the technology predictions about it, but it’s gone well beyond our wildest tech dreams and delivered real breakthroughs.
From AI and NFTs to all sorts of realities, the year 2022 has been nothing short of amazing. Let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest wonders and trends it delivered!
Advanced connectivity and data sharing
If there was ever a year of maximum availability and connectivity for people, it must be 2022. There are many digital opportunities to connect both in business and private lives.
Social media has made us more accessible, and having an Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook account is just as valid as a Twitter account. Multiple platforms for online meetings and conferences abound. Even mixed reality comes into play for a more personal touch in online boardrooms.
This only adds to the already astonishing amount of data we can share thanks to cloud services. Internet users share about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every single day! That’s logical if we’re aware that there are 4.66 billion worldwide web users today.
AI and machine learning have become standard
Another tech trend that certainly left its strong mark on yet another year is artificial intelligence. This year, the global AI market crossed the $136 billion mark, and this is just the beginning. By 2030, the AI market will reach the head-spinning $1.81 trillion figure, all thanks to different industries, businesses, and us as individuals.
The AI industry has become an integral part of 83% of businesses, with AI listed as one of their top priorities. That means AI has a vast spectrum of uses, to say the least, many of which we’ve taken for granted in 2022. For instance, there are smart searches in e-commerce, enhanced face and voice recognition tools, automated web design, personalization and recommendations in marketing, etc.
It’s virtually impossible to list all AI uses in 2022. Still, we can confirm that artificial intelligence has permeated all pores of both our business and private lives to become a staple of everything we do.
The emergence of extended reality
Are there limits to extended reality? It’s hard to say, as it crossed so many boundaries in 2022 and should grow by 45% in the next couple of years.
XR also keeps adding more and more realities to its definition. Right now, extended reality comprises of:
- Augmented reality (AR),
- Virtual reality (VR)
- Mixed reality (MR)
All of them are focused on merging the physical world with virtual ones to create a more immersive experience for their users. Similarly to AI, the scope of usage is enormous.
For instance, VR can be useful in the healthcare industry for education, training, and diagnostics. Cognitive distraction methods by VR are recommendable for pain management, while telesurgery helps save people’s lives. Similarly, mixed reality can create a better connection between a potential client and the final product via a mixed reality experience, i.e., enhanced simulation.
This year, XR has shown no signs of stopping but continued to bring revolutions into both physical and virtual worlds.
Increased tech presence in renewable energy
How much space does technology have in renewable energies? Let’s say that the US government’s goal for 2022 was for renewable energy to be responsible for a quarter of the overall electricity generation. The upcoming figures after the year's end will confirm whether the US has reached its goal, but this doesn’t change the fact that it’s pretty impressive. And how can we achieve such success? Via cutting-edge technologies, of course.
Technology makes it easier to extract or convert renewable energies. One of the most obvious examples is the rising number of electric vehicles and EV charging stations. There are over 56,000 EV charging stations across the US, and with the increasing numbers of Teslas on the roads, they’re becoming necessary.
5G turns ubiquitous
We can’t discuss tech trends in 2022 without mentioning the 5G network. We’ve embraced the 5G technology with open arms.
For example, according to the forecast, 118.1 million 5G smartphones will enter the US by the beginning of 2023. If you don’t think that’s impressive, you should know that in 2021 “only” 92.8 million 5G smartphones crossed the border.
Therefore, the exciting 5G tech trend is taking over the world, and the figure should rise to 161.2 million by 2026, with businesses having their own private 5G networks.
NFTs on the rise
Last but not least, non-fungible tokens had their sweet spot in 2022 as more global population has become open to possessing unique cryptographic tokens. 23% of American millennials are already passionate collectors, while Singaporeans, Chinese, and Venezuelans are even more dedicated to NFT possibilities. The total NFT market cap should hit a shocking $231 billion by 2030.
All things considered, the tech trends that ruled 2022 are going to get even stronger in the year ahead. The only question is whether we will witness their evolution or even a tech revolution!
