6 Automation Technologies that will COMPLETELY TRANSFORM the WORLD from NOW to 2030

The 2010s saw an advent of a degree of automation all around us, in all aspects of life, that was thought only to be the stuff for fiction in the 2000s. As the exponential evolution of technology continues into the 2020s, despite the hindrance brought about by a new major pandemic, by 2030, the human experience, as well as expectations, will be very different by 2030, compared to that in 2021.

As of 2021, the concepts of the Internet of Things, Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence are widely known and understood - something that would have been too much to expect out of most people in just 2016. However, nothing happens in a silo. Things converge, and so do technologies. Evolution does not stop, and it is non-linear. Out of the chaotic convergences and cross-impacts, 6 technologies are gradually, subtly, making their way into common application in the world around us, to completely transform it, within 10 years.

Cloud Robotics

Don't imagine. Know. That someday, robots will be instructed remotely through distances, and they will perform complex tasks, with "intentionality", intelligently, without intervention or supervision beyond the initial instruction, drawing on streaming real-time dynamic data. In fact, this is already happening, in the case of Google's self-driving cars, hospital robots, early stage domestic robot butlers, and in factory and warehouse operations at companies that are early adopters. What will different 10 years from now, is that more average individuals will be utilizing cloud robotics resources, on a routine basis, than most folks will imagine in 2021.

Internet of Robotic Things

The key difference between Cloud Robotics and the Internet of Robotic Things, is the original source location of the data that the robotic object responds to. While Cloud Robotics is a concept where the machine responds primarily to data at the heart of the cloud (or flowing through it), in the Internet of Robotic Things concept, the machine responds to data originating at the parameter edge of the cloud or internet network to which it is connected - meaning in simple terms, to data generated where a sensor is, which may quite possibly be on the robot itself. The distinctive added value of this, is the greater degree of the robot's "ability" to interact, collaborate and respond, dynamically, with human beneficiary of its very purpose. In a way, the robot becomes an intelligent, autonomous, contributor, for a flow of data, including instructions, to the network, and other objects connected to the network. This sets up a situation, for a network of connected objects to make "decisions", independently of human beings, to some degree, to solve problems, perform tasks or execute functions.

Artificial Intelligence of Things

Since 2013, when I began my career as a Professional Futurist, I have consistently been iterating on a routine basis: Nothing happens in a silo. There are always domino effects, reactions, cross-impacts and convergences. The Artificial Intelligence of Things is just the sort of thing why I have been doing that, to the point, that I have become known for "nothing happens in a silo" being my tagline.

The convergence of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things enables technology to do independently of human involvement what for long has been dismissed as impossible outside of fiction - by bringing the network to "life". With an "intentionality", the whole network "senses" for information, through its "nodes" or "limbs" or "parts of anatomy" formed by the devices. The network then starts "behaving" like a "conscious" entity, to respond to information whether auditory, visual, etc, that it picks up.

For example, the Artificial Intelligence of Things becomes pretty useful, in crime fighting, by detecting facial features through cameras, to identify instantly, information about suspects through the network, and alert other articles of technology to respond, to facilitate apprehension of the suspect. It can be used to identify, monitor and analyze consumer behavior of shoppers in a physical retail environment, to enable machines on the ground to dynamically interact with the shoppers to assist them or to pitch products or promotional offers. You can imagine, that this would mean, technology will surpass the human salesperson's competency, in executing the retail task.

For almost a decade, a strong valid argument for not automating in the service sector, has been the merit of the "personal touch". With the Artificial Intelligence of Things, technology can now enable a degree of personalization not possible for a human worker.

Industrial Internet of Things

Most people today are familiar with the Internet of Things, because their smartphones now "speak" to them, in response to what they pick up around them, such as a sales promotion at a sporting goods store they are walking past. Most people are unaware that there are many different types and avatars of the Internet of Things, which do much more, and the Industrial Internet of Things is just that, rapidly transforming factories and manufacturing facilities around the world. This has been ongoing for sometime now, and the Industrial Internet of Things is hardly something that is actually new. Just because something is not widely known, does not mean, that it hasn't been around.

What the Industrial Internet of Things specifically does, is enable machines to communicate each other for coordination, with the human in the loop, to efficiently and safely execute industrial tasks, often complex, sensitive or highly hazardous, cutting the need for direct physical presence of the human employee.

My own forecast, is that the Industrial Internet of Things will enable companies, to fully bring about lights-out automation to their entire logistical and manufacturing processes, from start to finish, by 2030. Being a Professional Futurist, I am in the business of saying, "I told you so." When 2030 arrives, that is exactly what I will be saying.

Unmanned Vehicles

In Singapore, unmanned vehicles are being trialed as of 2021, to deliver groceries, to the doorsteps of consumers.

Unmanned vehicles will be the most visible manifestation of automation for a long time to come, even beyond the 2020s.

Most road accidents result from human error, and this is an important case for accelerating the unmanned vehicle adoption and deployment. For safety alone, apart from other gains, such as efficiency in traffic management, route planning, punctuality, etc, it is important that our taxicabs, buses, delivery vehicles and even personal vehicles are driven by autonomous technology, rather than by human drivers.

Unmanned vehicles mean that eventually, persons will no longer be able to make a living as drivers and delivery-persons, but consumers will get time-efficient services and the disappearance of the low-skill laborious jobs will mean greater appreciation and pursuit of education, greater enterprise, innovation and industry. It is the sort of hi-tech evolution necessary, to nudge the human to perform more and better.

Augmented Analytics

It is not just technological evolution that is accelerating. Changes to business, industry and consumerism, are happening rather rapidly, relatively to the past. Changes are happening on a far more frequent basis with each passing year. It is not just information that is important. Fast information is becoming increasing critical for enterprise survival.

To the rescue comes Augmented Analytics, the machine learning enabled data acquisition, storage, retrieval, processing, analysis and relay cycle. Long term implication, to be concise and precise, is that your standard analyst roles, or white collar jobs mostly occupied by graduates within the first two years of their corporate careers today, will no longer exist, because much of the data, information, analysis, decision making "leg work" will be fully automated, widely, for instantaneous level speed, high accuracy and cost savings.

It is not conclusive, but here is a conclusion

No, it is not the "blue collar" worker that is endangered. It is the worker who is neither a Knowledge Worker, nor a Wisdom Worker, that is at risk of redundancy.

There are many other technologies driving the advent of unprecedented degrees of automation all around us. There is a very long list of them, omitted herein. For example, the Internet of Mobile Things and the Autonomous Internet of Things, to mention drops out of a lake. What I have included herein though, are the 6, that will effect the most direct and visible changes to the human experience and condition, in a variety of ways, over the next decade.

Nothing happens in a silo, and this must be constantly repeated. None of the technologies mentioned herein, or omitted from herein, cause as much of an impact on their own, as they do, in convergence with each other.

About Harish "The Singapore Futurist" Shah

Harish Shah is Singapore's first local born Professional Futurist and a Management Strategy Consultant. He runs Stratserv Consultancy. His areas of consulting and Keynote Topics include EmTech, Industry 4.0, HR, Digital Transformation, Product Development, X Reality, Marketing, Strategic Foresight, Systems Thinking and Organisational Future Proofing. In an Open Letter in 2019, Harish has called on his fellow Futurists around the world to raise the emphasize upon the need for Environmental Salvation, in the course of their work. He is also currently working on a series of essays which will culminate into a free eBook titled Life in Techtopia.