Seven tech trends determining the future of jobs and business

If you pay attention to which direction the technological ship is sailing, it's clear that market disruptors will be tech-based industries. [iStockphoto]

Technological innovation is seeing the expansion of horizons as new industries come into being.

In a few years, the choice of careers to pursue or which business one will invest in will be shaped by the technological trends of the day.

If you pay attention to which direction the technological ship is sailing, it's clear that market disruptors will be tech-based industries. Here is a look at a few of the coming industries of the future.

Internet of Things (IoT)

Back in the day, cyber cafes were popular joints where one would browse the internet. Then phone makers began investing in data as technology evolved. This has rapidly changed. In the coming years, everything we use both indoors and outdoors will be connected to the internet - from fridges and power supply to washing machines and security systems, among others.

The risks here are if one is able to access one of your interconnected devices, they can hack into the others. Investing in the knowledge of networks, data, communication and software will be the new frontier. Every industry out there such as manufacturing and construction will be seeking specialists for internet-based mechanisms to incorporate in order to be relevant in the market.

Artificial Intelligence

Tech giants such as Google study your behaviour while Meta (Facebook) studies your preferences. Machine learning has quickly evolved over the years.

We are closer to working with robots, taking a backseat to self-driving cars, reading books authored by machines or listening to music created by the same. For computer scientists and psychologists, this will be a field of speciality.

Cyber security

As the world is more dependent on computer systems, there is a vulnerability in form of cyber attacks. Hackers can disable systems, steal classified state data, access bank accounts, disable a company's operating system and access your own personal data. Cyber security experts will be in demand as the industry grows.

Virtual reality

Those skilled in being able to simulate certain situations and environments will be in for luck as virtual realists. And the added advantage here is that it'll come without the costs and risks of working in real-life situations.

This technology is already being employed by the military in the developed world to train soldiers in simulated battle situations, those taking driving lessons without really driving on real roads as well as in video games. Some companies have adopted the technology to train their workers on workplace safety.

E-learning

The future of learning will depend on innovation than attending physical classes. The value of knowledge will depend on what you can create, and not those certificates or degrees that you hold.

E-learning will be the future of education in the era of the IoT. When you rope in AI and virtual reality, you will begin to see why creating engaging and effective learning experiences for learners out there will make e-learning the primary means of education similar to homeschooling learners.

Big data

Almost all industries are dependent on data one way or the other. AI systems are dependent on data and so the efficiency of our economic decisions will be influenced by data.

Acquiring and analysing data will place you as a central player in the future economy as a data scientist. The latter are already essential players in areas such as marketing, healthcare and crunching numbers in politics.

3D printing

This is a growing area of technology. Think of presenting a car maker with your own design and the company delivers the real thing.

This is the future of 3D printing and manufacturing which makes you the individual to create your own products in the comfort of your home while cutting a large portion of a company's manufacturing or construction costs.

3D printing will usher in a different industrial era. But there can be a downside to this for big companies, say the manufacturers, who only rely on orders instead of innovating to come up with a new product.