《Forbes》 Ranks Top 10 Tech Trends of 2020: 5G First, Blockchain Fifth

Over the past few years, most discussions of digital transformation trends have started to sound somewhat alike. Cloud services, IoT, AI, blockchain... It seems like every time the same dishes are served, just in a different order.

But 2020 will be different.

According to Forbes, while the mentioned technologies will determine the foundation of human digital transformation trends, 2020 will be defined by a new tier of technologies, shifting slowly from the stage edge to the center stage. This includes classic topics like AI and robotics, as well as the currently hot technologies like 5G, blockchain, and more.

Here are Forbes' selected top 10 digital transformation trends for 2020:

1. 5G Benefits Everyone: 2020 Will Be the Year of 5G

Major players in the telecommunications industry such as Qualcomm, AT&T, Verizon, Nokia, Ericsson, and Huawei are accelerating their global 5G deployment. The world's top Android smartphone manufacturers have already released 5G phones, and 5G will be up and running in 2020. Aside from providing us with faster broadband speeds and the most reliable mobile network, the proliferation of 5G will accelerate advancements in smart cities, smart vehicles, smart manufacturing, and a plethora of industries eager for 5G IoT integration technology. In other words, the true value of 5G will not be limited to just smartphones. Every industry relevant to our daily lives will be transformed - for the better - through this technological evolution that will define 2020.

2. Faster Wireless Networks, Faster World

Although Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are entirely different technologies, both will bring faster processing and wireless connection speeds in 2020. The synergy between 5G and Wi-Fi 6 will create a perfect end-to-end ultra-fast connection for homes and offices. The download speeds are expected to be three times faster than using Wi-Fi 5, but this is not the best measure of the new standard's value. The true value of Wi-Fi 6 lies in its increased capabilities over Wi-Fi 5, extending faster data speeds to more devices. There are two key reasons for this: first, in the next few years, the average number of connected devices on wireless networks will increase from the current 10 to 50, requiring faster, more efficient, and smarter wireless capabilities. The second reason is that both the quality and quantity of data consumed over wireless networks are growing, a load that Wi-Fi 5 struggles to handle. Wi-Fi 6 will address these pain points in 2020.

3. Analytics as a Competitive Advantage

Companies that have not heavily invested in analytics in 2020 may find it challenging to operate in 2021. There will be a wealth of valuable consumer data to collect, process, and turn into insights that any company can leverage to remain competitive without fully utilizing modern analytics tools. When other companies are using sophisticated analytics tools to uncover problems, opportunities, and solutions, flying blind and following the courage is no longer an effective option. This is why in the tech world, from Salesforce's acquisition of Tableau to Microsoft's creation of its Power Platform, we have seen the integration of analytics capabilities. Every major tech company has realized that the future lies in data---especially real-time data processing. Therefore, no matter which industry you are in, analytics will once again be the most decisive focus of digital transformation in 2020.

I have noticed that companies such as Alteryx, Splunk, SAS, Qlik, Tibco, and others have been continuously acquired or invested in. These major platform players, just like Salesforce did with Tableau, are also seeking acquisitions, joint ventures, and/or strategic partnerships.

4. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have become force multipliers for Data Analytics

If you plan to invest in analytics, you also need to invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning so that you can navigate the vast whirlpool of information and data and put data to better use. The value of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics can be summarized in three distinct value propositions: speed, scale, and convenience. Speed and scale refer to the advantage of automatically analyzing large sets of data rather than assigning the task to human data analysts. Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, complex data sets can now be analyzed in a fraction of the time it took two years ago. This is not because computers have become faster or better, but because artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms excel at data analysis, and these analyses can easily be scaled in the cloud. In terms of convenience, unlike traditional data analysis, adding artificial intelligence and machine learning to analytical tools makes them more intuitive, easier to use, and more reliable. In 2019, they have become increasingly better, and in 2020, their speed and accuracy will significantly improve.

5. Blockchain Moves Beyond Cryptocurrency

Last year, I said blockchain was overhyped and would see a downturn in 2019. As we enter 2020, I believe we will finally start to see blockchain move beyond cryptocurrency use cases. We've seen Amazon Web Services democratize blockchain with their blockchain service platform, and they're not alone in this effort. Many other global leaders are also playing a role in this space, including Samsung, Microsoft, IBM, and China's Alibaba. Furthermore, we're starting to see real-world use cases of blockchain beyond payments and cryptocurrency. For example, look at how blockchain will be used in food safety, intellectual property and copyright, as well as real estate/asset management. 2020 will mark the true rise of blockchain.

6. Robotic Process Automation Sees a Resurgence

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is not new; it's often considered the lowest-hanging fruit on the AI tree. However, it has been far from the hot topic at every tech and manufacturing conference I've attended over the past 8 months. Conference sessions on RPA have been leading the way, but with growing interest and investment, RPA has proven its worth. I believe 2020 is set to be a big year for RPA investment, much like 2019 saw a flood of money into companies like Automation Anywhere, UiPath, and Blue Prism. Similarly, companies like Cisco are leveraging RPA to create a flywheel effect, enhancing skills, increasing the value of existing employees, and this model is sure to rapidly evolve into a winning strategy.

7. Conversational AI Becomes a Legitimate Interface

I know, Siri still sucks (most of the time), and it's still nearly impossible to use voice-to-text to create coherent chat messages. However, I have always believed that we would see some form of conversational AI become useful in 2020. On the software side, projects like Microsoft's conversational AI have been working hard to build platforms that not only listen correctly but also track complex conversations, understand subtle nuances of emotion, and improve over time. On the silicon side, chips and systems-on-chip designed specifically for smart devices excel at separating human voices from noisy backgrounds and can accurately process natural language in real time. Will we see fundamental advances in everyday consumer technology in 2020? Probably not. But I believe the foundation for the next generation of reliable conversational AI will be strengthened in the future.

8. ACPC Permanently Alters the Laptop Market

We have always been connected, so our computers need to stay connected as well. This year, we will see the expansion of ACPCs with embedded 5G and LTE connectivity, and of course, we will see some smart enterprise collaborations follow suit (Lenovo and Qualcomm come to mind first, but I also anticipate more companies emerging, enabled by ARM-based technology).

ACPCs boast nearly all-day battery life and may bring multi-day battery life to laptops next year, truly making computers portable devices.

9. Connected Cars, Autonomous Drones, and Smart Cities Have Become a New Reality

I know we've been talking about it for years, and we haven't quite gotten there yet, but I think the combination of edge computing and 5G might bring us closer in 2020 to truly automated cars, drones, and smart cities. Tesla was the first company to bring this to the market, but this is not what Elon Musk is trying to solve for. Through tight strategic alignment between automation manufacturers and tech makers, this will become feasible. Partnerships like Intel/NVIDIA/Qualcomm and BMW/Volvo/Ford are cooperating, while Uber is building their autonomous fleet, and Amazon is using automated drones to deliver every need to your doorstep. Finally bringing these long-promised technologies to the market.

10. XaaS, UX/CX, and Privacy

How technological digital transformation trends will enter the center stage in 2020. I focus on many aspects of technology, but let's face it now: digital transformation is not just a sum of the technical parts. Change itself is at the heart of digital transformation, and change almost always transcends the tools that make it possible. It is for this reason that I need to emphasize trends that are adjacent to technology, which I believe can dominate the digital transformation discourse in 2020: my list includes XaaS (Everything as a Service), UX/CX (User/Consumer Experience), and digital privacy.

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