Technology sector predictions 2022

The ‘Metaverse’ hype train will accelerate even faster

“2022’s word of the year will be ‘Metaverse’. If you listen closely, you won’t hear sleighbells ringing at this time of year, you’ll instead hear the Metaverse hype train careering out of control as everyone and their dog tries to make sense of what it is, what it means, when it’ll happen, and if anyone actually needs or wants it.

“Next year will only see that train get faster. For my money, 2022 won’t see much progress made, but just as we’ve seen with 5G, the speed of hype travels faster than the speed of light in tech land (and travels much faster than the speed of concrete action too). It’ll still be a few years before we’re all headsetted-up, flying around in a parallel virtual world while sat in our undies on the sofa, but 2022 is the year you’re going to hear about pretty much nothing else.”

Declan, campaign director

 

Law enforcement will catch up with ransomware

“2022 will be the year that law enforcement finally catches up with ransomware gangs. The arrest of several members of the notorious cybercriminal group, REvil, earlier this year is a sign of things to come, as the walls continue to close in on the prolific ransomware actors that have been so brazenly exploiting their targets over the last two years.

“With the help of increased vigilance of organisations that are finally grasping the extent of the risk they face, global efforts to track down and snuff out malicious cyber actors will lead to more high-profile arrests. The tide will at last begin to turn against ransomware.”

Ed, campaign director

 

More value from hyperscalers – and more anti-trust action

“The hyperscalers continued to gain massive ground this year and will continue to do so next as they reap the benefits of a cyclical model that sees them deliver more value the more customers they sign on.

“The core benefits of leveraging public cloud have already begun to shift in CTO/CIO minds, and more organisations will turn to AWS and the likes to unleash innovation, rather than just unlocking operational efficiencies. Going even further, the cloud will be the main platform for value creation, and the hyperscalers will be at the heart of these emerging business models. My prediction is that there’ll be even more anti-trust action to come…”

Ash, campaign manager

 

Global rivalries will play out in the tech space

“Technology is once again at the epicentre of an arms race. While I hate to be doomsaying, I can’t help but think that, in 2022, technology will become even more weaponised and further exacerbate geopolitical tensions between East and West.

“Last century, nations competed to put the first man (or dog!) on the moon or to develop the biggest and baddest nuclear weapon. Now, countries are competing to have the biggest 5G (soon-to-be 6G) footprint. This may not seem like a weapon to be wielded, but in 2022, AI and surveillance technology (powered by 5G) will play an even more important geostrategic role. We are living in another Cold War-esque era, where global rivalries are playing out in the technology space.”

Amelia, consultant

 

Focus on current tech for climate action

“I think next year we’ll see a surge in technological innovations aimed at battling climate change, and more research into how existing technologies can achieve greener use cases.

“As collective consciousness evolves, I predict that more investment will be made into exploring the full potential both current and emerging tech will have. We’ve already started to hear rumblings about the potential impact of 5G on climate targets (both good and bad), so I look forward to hearing what’s next.

Holly, campaign manager

 

The bizarre will become commonplace in the IoT

“The world of IoT and how it impacts society still fascinates me. I anticipate that 2022 will see its use grow further, permeating more unexpected sectors and becoming commonplace in areas previously considered bizarre.

“We have already heard about IoT’s use in agritech for monitoring soil conditions and livestock etc, and even healthcare, where connected inhalers and ingestible sensors are being rolled out. What I am particularly interested to see in the year ahead is how IoT will be used further to address pressing environmental issues.

As an agency – and as individuals – operating in the tech sector, we’re aware that digital services have a massive impact on the environment and there are already IoT solutions helping to redress this balance, but in 2022 I anticipate we’ll see this roll out further to deliver more broadscale efficiencies in the way businesses and the world operates.”

Pippa Cranham, director