As the new year begins, we’re looking into 2019 and what’s in store for the tech world. We’ve predicted five technologies that will make their mark on the industry next year. Find out what they are below:

Artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technical advancement that’s received a lot of attention over the past few years. Although it’s not a new trend, the impact AI has on us is increasingly growing. AI is encroaching on every aspect of our lives, with robots, drones and autonomous vehicles being trialed to carry out tasks including transporting food, delivering packages and even preparing medical treatments – but it won’t stop there; 2019 expects to see AI taken to a new level. The future of AI lies with making human lives easier day to day, so when you order a takeaway next year don’t be surprised to find a drone at your door.

Digital twins

A digital twin; it sounds pretty creepy. Believe it or not, digital twins could be the answer to all of your problems. As described by its name, a digital twin is a digital version of a physical asset including a process, person, place or system. According to Gartner, in the next year there will be more than 20 billion connected sensors and end points that have the potential to digitally pair with around one billion ‘things’. It’s predicted that digital twins will become widely used by organisations in 2019, making use of the tech to react automatically to changing conditions across a huge range of areas. In an office environment, a digital twin has the ability to react immediately and alert you on anything ranging from a leaking tap to an ink shortage- useful right?

Cyber security

Cyber security isn’t exactly a new technology, but with organisations becoming increasingly under threat from attacks to their systems and data, cyber security is expected to advance greatly over the next year. As attackers become more sophisticated and find ways to get past even the toughest of security measures, there’s a constant need to develop new systems to prevent hackers from accessing confidential information. The need for development in the tech comes with an expected increase in cyber security jobs which are growing at triple the rate of other jobs in tech. Three of the main advancements within cyber security include hardware authentication, cloud technology and deep learning. By keeping up to date with these new technologies whilst maintaining current security controls, it’s hoped that in 2019 we’ll gain a tighter grasp on our cyber security.

Blockchain

Blockchain operations and other cryptocurrencies have been in the limelight for a while now, but 2019 is set to be the year that blockchain goes mainstream. Blockchain networks made significant headway this year as businesses began to adopt them in attempt to capitalise on their speed, security benefits and low cost. In 2019, we’re expecting to see a large surge in businesses using blockchain networks particularly within the finance, healthcare and government industries. A lot of the leading tech companies have already taken the leap into the blockchain game and have started introducing their own platforms based on the technology. IBM launched its blockchain platform last year, so we’re expecting other companies to follow suit in 2019.

Biometrics

Is it the ultimate method of security or just an unnecessary fad? For smart phone users, unlocking your phone with your fingerprint or even your face is already common practice. Biometrics use biological traits for security including your voice, iris, fingerprint, and even the way you walk. The biometric tech that makes this body-activated security possible is set to catapult into 2019 and take responsibly for security across a variety of platforms. With 93% of consumers stating they’d rather use biometric security over passcodes, it’s not hard to see why the tech is taking off. Anything you need to protect ranging from your possessions in a changing room locker to your car has the capacity to be adapted and protected by a biometric security system. So keep an eye out (without accidentally unlocking your smartphone) for the rise of biometrics in 2019!

So there you have it, five trends that you can expect to sweep the tech industry next year.

This post first appeared on the ISL Recruitment blog.