Introduction
Technological advancement occurs when there is an increase in precision, accuracy, efficiency, and capabilities of technologies. Advancements in science and technology have led to several significant changes that have been adopted throughout history to serve various purposes. In the current society, emerging technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and industrial robots are evolving at a rapid pace posing various positive and negative concerns. Various technological advancements such as Edge AI are aimed at positively impacting the future of computing positively for the betterment of society.
Technological Advancements in the 21st Century
Robotics and Space Exploration
Robotics and Space Exploration will make it possible for human beings to dominate and inhabit space. With the great deals of activities that still exist in space, several advancements have been made to explore it further. For decades, the US government has been investing in developing a system of global positioning satellites. The technology has led to increased availability of GPS navigation, especially in mobile phones and cars (Torresen). Space exploration is no longer for the superpowers; other private companies have advanced to explore places such as Mars, where various tests are done to ascertain it can be inhabited.
Engineering and biomechanics have helped devise various types of robots that serve different purposes. The invention of robots has made it possible for advancement in space exploration, where they have been used to explore areas of extreme conditions (Torresen). Revolutionizing the robotic prosthetic projects has enabled the availability of an alternative option for wounded soldiers where they can carry out their activities with the use of robotic arms and limbs. Scientists are still advancing their discoveries on making the exoskeleton be linked to the coordination of the mind.
Gene Editing
The Gene editing concept has been taking strides rapidly since its existence. In 2012 a team of researchers from Harvard, the University of California, and the Broad Institute discovered a powerful gene-editing tool, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), which could be used to make changes to human DNA (RodrĂguez‑RodrĂguez et al. 1560). The discovery proved that several inheritable diseases and other gene-altering could be eradicated. In June 2021, successful treatment was done when an editor known as the CRISPR Cas-9 gene was injected into the bloodstream of a patient with an inherited disease.
Blockchain
In the 21st century and beyond, blockchain technology will continue to be one of the most astounding advancements. The gaming business, for example, is benefiting greatly from technological advancements now. In order for this trend to continue, people must concentrate on exploring the incredible possibilities that blockchain technology offers. The system involves information recording in a way that makes alteration, hacking, or system cheating impossible. With cryptocurrency, one can perform several transactions that can be done in hard money as long as the involved parties have cryptocurrency. There are some slight differences between hard money and crypto; the central bank does not have control over crypto, so one cannot hold it as in the case of hard cash. Additionally, the technology has been adopted by several companies and industries using it for various purposes like money transfers. The media’s popularity and availability of technology have made it easy to buy multiple cryptos (Biryukov and Tikhomirov). There exist some other popular crypto like XRP that aims to enable financial transactions worldwide because of their decentralized nature. The technology is currently gaining popularity, and most financial institutions have recognized it.
Social Media and Invention of Smartphones and Tablets
Social media is recognized as one of the recent advancements globally, with a formidable influence on the current society. Instead of requiring individuals to spend a long time reading their app, perusing feeds, or viewing creator content, new consumer social applications like BeReal, LiveIn, and Locket engage their users with a combination of home screen widgets and push notifications. This home screen-based type of social networking has gone mainstream in part due to Apple’s decision to develop a widgets platform for the iPhone with the introduction of 2020’s iOS 14 (Ambersey). In doing so, it invited a new ecosystem of apps to emerge (Taylor, Joanna, and Pagliari). In the future, through modification of the widgets, there is a creation of the prime real estate that is the phone’s home screen, through the creation of most personal space on a mobile device.
Edge AI: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing
Particularly in the light of the emergence of 5G, new use cases for edge computing are receiving a lot of attention. The edge computing infrastructure market will be worth more than $800 billion globally by 2028 (Wang et al.). At the same time, businesses are heavily investing in AI. Despite the fact that the majority of organizations are utilizing this technology as part of their digital transformation, forward-thinking companies and cloud providers see new opportunities in the integration of edge computing and AI.
Edge AI
Data transport and the use of sophisticated machine learning (ML) algorithms are key components of AI. A new computer generation known as edge computing brings AI and ML to the network’s edge, where data production and computation take place. The upshot of their combination is a new direction called edge AI (Wang et al.). Edge AI enhances data security, calculation speed, and business continuity management. As a result, it can reduce operating costs and improve the functionality of AI-enabled apps. Therefore, in the future world, Edge AI could be of help in overcoming other AI-related technological obstacles.
Drone Technology
Consumer drones and smart commercial drones have revolutionized warefare, photography, and the film industry. Smart commercial drones have a computer inside, are easy to fly, can be maneuvered remotely, and have sensor logic (Chaudhary et al.). All smart drones in the near future will be equipped with computer-driven collision avoidance technology, making the flight more dependable. Smart commercial drones are employed in industries like entertainment, government, and agriculture. Some, such as consumer drones, will act mainly as artillery spotters, while others will be used to help nature heal through high-tech tools and the ability to track DNA. Through their abilities to fly, maneuver and take quality aerial view videos, drones will be powerful remote navigators.
Future Impacts of Advanced Technology
Opposing Views
Even though most of the technologies will play significant roles in the future world, some are likely to negatively impact society. With germline gene editing to eradicate genetic conditions that are not harmful, there is a high chance of interfering with the human diversity that may negatively impact future generations. The introductions of AI robots are likely to reduce human capabilities and, at the same time, alter human capacity for love, altruism, and friendship (Torresen). Additionally, AI technology will replace repetitive tasks with bots, leading to the loss of 375 million jobs at the turn of a decade (Torresen). Drawbacks and risks of social media include body image insecurities, cyberbullying, depression, online harassment, and the fear of missing out (FOMO), all of which keep worsening.
Refutation
Drone technology will positively impact several sectors currently and in the future. Drones will be used in healthcare to deliver medical equipment to various remote areas where there is no or limited access to healthcare (Chaudhary et al.). Some of the essential deliveries include time-sensitive prescription refills. AI will be used in new interventions in almost every domain of human life to solve complex problems. Using smartphones’ social pages will enable direct customer response without creating potential brand damage. Additionally, with the advancement of the wearables, there will be an ease in the creation and sharing of the media.
Conclusion
The future world is safe and more advantageous with the various scientific advancements that are majorly geared towards efficiency, capabilities, and accuracy. The introduction of AI will greatly benefit the industry through the creation of AI-enabled apps that will use machine learning to maintain the healthy lifestyle of future generations. The apps also will ensure there is increased speed and accuracy in the management and analyzing financial records. In the field of warfare, consumer drones will be used to quickly survey war zones. Even though there exist several few future negative impacts, such situations are outweighed by the benefits that would be experienced.
Works Cited
Ambersey. The next big social platform is…the smartphone’s homescreen. Neweys News. 2022. Web.
Biryukov, Alex, and Sergei Tikhomirov. “Deanonymization and Linkability of Cryptocurrency Transactions Based on Network Analysis.”IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy (EuroS&P). IEEE, 2019. Web.
Chaudhary, Amir Rashid, et al. “Unmanned Autonomous Ababeel System for Seed Plantation Utilizing Spectral Camera Analysis Using Drone Technology.” Book of Abstracts of the International Conference on Energy, Water and Environment (ICEWE-2021). 2021. p.1-468
RodrĂguez‑RodrĂguez, Diana Raquel, et al. “Genome editing: A Perspective on The Application Of CRISPR/Cas9 to Study Human Diseases.” International Journal of Molecular Medicine vol.43. no.4, 2019, p.1559-1574.
Taylor, Joanna, and Claudia Pagliari. “Comprehensive Scoping Review of Health Research Using Social Media Data.”BMJ Open, vol.8, no.12, 2018, e022931. Web.
Torresen, Jim. “A Review of Future and Ethical Perspectives of Robotics and AI.”Frontiers in Robotics and AI vol.4, 2018, p. 75. Web.
Wang, Xiaofei, et al. Edge AI: Convergence of edge computing and artificial intelligence. Singapore: Springer, 2020.