Mobile Internet – Increasingly inexpensive and capable mobile computing devices and Internet connectivity
Automation of knowledge work – Intelligent software systems that can perform knowledge work tasks involving unstructured commands and subtle judgments
The Internet of Things – Networks of low-cost sensors and actuators for data collection, monitoring, decision making, and process optimization
Cloud technology – Use of computer hardware and software resources delivered over a network or the Internet, often as a service
Advanced robotics – Increasingly capable robots with enhanced senses, dexterity, and intelligence used to automate tasks or augment humans
Autonomous and near-autonomous vehicles – Vehicles that can navigate and operate with reduced or no human intervention
Energy storage – Devices or systems that store energy for later use, including batteries
3D printing – Additive manufacturing techniques to create objects by printing layers of material based on digital models
Advanced materials – Materials designed to have superior characteristics (e.g., strength, weight, conductivity) or functionality
Advanced oil and gas exploration and recovery – Exploration and recovery techniques that make extraction of unconventional oil and gas economical
Renewable energy – Generation of electricity from renewable sources with reduced harmful climate impact
From the Futurist
“Of the above, the Mobile Internet, which could change the lives of more than 5 billion people around the globe, the automation of knowledge work, and the Internet of Things would have by far the largest economic impacts, according to McKinsey. All together, the above technologies could generate $14 to $33 trillion. But the authors caution that much of that growth will be at the expense of older technologies and even entire industries falling into obsolescence.
“When necessary, leaders must be prepared to disrupt their own businesses and make the investments to effect change,” the report’s authors write. “By the time the technologies that we describe are exerting their influence on the economy in 2025, it will be too late for businesses, policy makers, and citizens to plan their responses. Nobody, especially businesses leaders, can afford to be the last person using video cassettes in a DVD world.””
