The technology industry moves fast, with new companies and products emerging seemingly out of nowhere and taking the business world by storm in record time. While this new reality may be exciting, it can also make it difficult to keep up with the latest innovations. Here’s your chance to get ahead of the curve on 9 emerging technologies for 2022, from Artificial Intelligence to Virtual Reality to biotechnology and more.

1. Internet of Behaviors

The internet of behavior is a term coined by Gartner Inc. to describe the convergence of human and machine data, resulting in a vast digital ecosystem that enables new insights into behaviors and interactions. This concept emerged in the early 2010s. It is an extension of the internet that includes people’s behavior and emotions as well as their physical environment.

This emerging technology has the potential to transform our lives, businesses, and society. The internet of behavior is not only about technology that interacts with humans but also about humans interacting with machines. There are many use cases for this technology, from marketing to healthcare and education. Examples include analytics for marketing data, gathering patient data with care providers, and digital learning materials in schools.

2. Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is an artificial environment that can be experienced using devices, such as virtual reality headsets, 3D viewers, or simulation software. It incorporates various elements like auditory and visual feedback, and it may also include other types of sensory feedback, such as haptic.  

This immersive environment may be a bit similar to the real world, or perhaps, it can be fantastical. In practice, it is created using stereoscopy, a technique for creating a sense of three-dimensional depth.

Not every company is ready for VR. But as developers learn how consumers like to use VR and costs come down, those challenges will likely fall away.  

If you haven’t yet experienced virtual reality, it’s worth checking out. The technology can provide an almost overwhelming sense of presence; even more so as prices come down and game content expands.  

3. Artificial Intelligence

According to a global survey conducted by McKinsey,  more than 60% of business leaders are already deploying AI technology in their business. This bodes well for AI as a whole.  As more businesses begin using it, they will also become more comfortable with new technology, allowing them, and society as a whole, to push into new frontiers. For example, chatbots are quickly growing in popularity and with each new breakthrough, such as being able to hold a conversation, AI becomes more refined and available for a greater number of applications.  

Interestingly, Artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming increasingly important in a number of areas, from technology to medicine. In fact, AI-based robots have received a lot of attention recently. Robots are now able to perform many jobs that were previously considered too dangerous or difficult for humans, such as fighting fires and clearing landmines, as well as new roles created by advances in robotics technology itself.  

The great thing about this emerging technology is that no one truly knows what’s possible. That means there are countless possibilities for AI—and any other technologies you’re interested in learning about—for years down the road! Who knows? Perhaps Steam games will get a dramatic enhancement, making our gaming experience smooth and error-free.

4. Blockchain Technology

If you’re not quite sure what blockchain technology is, don’t feel bad. Blockchain technology has recently gained massive traction and is set to disrupt many industries.  

In general, blockchain technology is a growing list of records that can never be modified or deleted as time goes on. This distributed ledger makes it easier for information to be publicly shared between parties without being copied or altered.  

A blockchain can be used in a number of ways; it can serve as a simple database or an entire financial system based on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination, but one thing is for sure: blockchain tech is an emerging technology worth learning about.

5. Autonomous Vehicles

There’s no doubt about it – autonomous vehicles (AVs) are on their way into our lives in big ways! If you’ve ever dealt with traffic, road rage, or a bad cab driver, autonomous vehicles might be worth paying attention to.  

Self-driving cars as driving assistants have been in development for years and are becoming increasingly mainstream. However, we’re still many years away from when most of us will be able to use one for our daily commute.  The technology is evolving quickly, but there are still some issues that need solving like regulation and consumer acceptance. As for estimations, it is predicted that autonomous vehicles will account for more than 23% of the market by 2027.

6. Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is an umbrella term that refers to any live view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, or GPS data. It is related to two emerging technologies: virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR).  

As described above, Virtual Reality is an artificial environment that simulates the physical presence of places in the real world or imagined worlds and lets users interact with that world. Mixed Reality, on the other hand, takes place when both real and virtual objects are blended together so that they are perceived as part of one experience. 

It’s probably not a surprise that augmented reality is near or at the top of almost every futurist’s list of emerging technologies. In 2018, AR appeared in our homes with Amazon’s Alexa. It also became visible in the healthcare sector via Google Glass Enterprise Edition.  

But things will be different for AR in 2022; even though these technologies may still exist, they likely won’t get much play beyond professional environments, such as hospitals. When it comes to augmented reality technology in 2022, we can expect consumer-ready solutions—and lots of them—in areas such as gaming and entertainment but also for a slew of everyday activities, including education and productivity.  

7. Biotechnology

Biotechnology refers to any technology that involves living organisms or substances produced by them. This could include everything from new drugs to new food sources—even materials we don’t normally think of as living, such as paper made from wood pulp instead of trees. It also includes methods for genetic engineering (changing DNA) in humans and animals—and sometimes plants, too!  

The field of biotechnology is producing some amazing innovations these days. From artificial blood that can perform functions like real human blood, to 3D-printed bionic organs that function better than their natural counterparts, it’s an exciting time for science. That said, biotechnology can still be complicated, and its implications may remain a bit difficult to understand.   

8. Fintech Technology/Finance Technology

Fintech is a catch-all term for technology that is used in financial services. As mobile banking and other digital innovations continue, fintech automation technology is expanding rapidly.  

Fintech has been credited with making retail banking more efficient and appealing, with innovations such as wireless payments and application programming interfaces (APIs) improving customer service while also simplifying transactions. These developments are expected to increase competition in traditional financial services areas and have been predicted to have a major impact on banks’ business models in the coming years.

9. Robotics

Robotics is a technology that has been on the rise for decades. In the past few years, it has seen exponential growth. It is predicted to be one of the most influential emerging technologies in 2022. In fact, some of your favorite features on smartphones—voice search, and facial recognition technology—can be attributed to work done by robotics firms!

Robotics is the branch of engineering and technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. Robotics deals with both physical robots and virtual software agents. This emerging technology will become more prevalent in consumer products over time as its price points drop. Expect robots to gradually appear in more industries, as well. 

In Summary 

Emerging technologies are arising every day, bringing an increased level of convenience and efficiency to our lives. And we’re already living in a world of self-driving cars, drones, and digital assistants like Alexa and Siri. What kind of future technologies are on the horizon? We’re excited to see more of these emerging technologies in 2022 and beyond.