Here are Gartner’s 10 technology trends that will have the greatest impact in the next five years:
1. AI agent
Agentic AI systems autonomously plan and take actions to meet user-defined objectives.
Today’s AI assistants and large language models (LLMs) perform tasks including generating text, summarizing content, or basic use of tools, but they have not been able to take action on their own “initiative.” Instead, they have acted on user prompts or followed orchestrated processes, but agent AI is changing that. It offers the promise of a virtual workforce of agents who can assist, offload and augment human labor or traditional applications.
The goal-based planning capabilities of agent AI also promise to deliver more adaptable software systems, capable of completing a wide variety of “undefined” tasks, rather than just those designed into the software.
Agentic AI offers the promise of a virtual workforce that can offload and augment human labor. Gartner predicts that by 2028, at least 15% of daily work decisions will be made autonomously through agent AI, up from 0% in 2024.
2. AI governance platforms
AI governance platforms are part of Gartner’s evolving AI Trust, Risk, and Safety Management (TRiSM) framework that enables organizations to manage the legal, ethical, and operational performance of their AI systems. These technology solutions have the ability to create, manage and enforce policies for the responsible use of AI, explain how AI systems work, and provide transparency to build trust and accountability.
Gartner predicts that by 2028, organizations that implement comprehensive AI governance platforms will experience 40% fewer AI-related ethical incidents compared to those without such systems.
3. Disinformation security
Disinformation security is an emerging category of technology that systematically discerns trust and aims to provide methodological systems to ensure integrity, assess authenticity, prevent impersonation, and track the spread of harmful information. By 2028, Gartner predicts that 50% of companies will begin adopting products, services or features specifically designed to address disinformation security use cases, compared to less than 5% today.
The wide availability and advanced state of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools being exploited for nefarious purposes is expected to increase the number of disinformation incidents targeting businesses. If left unchecked, disinformation can cause significant and lasting damage to any organization.
4. Post-quantum cryptography
Post-quantum cryptography provides data protection that is resistant to the cracking risks of quantum computing. As quantum computing developments have progressed in recent years, several types of widely used conventional cryptography are expected to be put to rest. It’s not easy to change cryptography methods, so organizations should have a longer lead time to prepare for strong protection of anything sensitive or confidential.
Gartner predicts that by 2029, advances in quantum computing will make the use of more conventional asymmetric cryptography insecure.
5. Invisible ambient intelligence
Invisible ambient intelligence is enabled by small, ultra-low-cost smart tags and sensors that will deliver affordable tracking and detection at scale. In the long term, invisible ambient intelligence will enable deeper integration of sensors and intelligence into everyday life.
Through 2027, the first examples of invisible ambient intelligence will focus on solving immediate problems, such as retail stock verification or perishable goods logistics, by enabling real-time, low-cost tracking and detection of items to improve visibility. and efficiency.
6. Energy efficient computing
IT impacts sustainability in many ways and in 2024 the primary consideration for most IT organizations will be their carbon footprint. Computing-intensive applications, such as AI training, simulation, optimization, and multimedia rendering, are likely to contribute the most to organizations’ carbon footprint as they consume the most energy.
Several new computing technologies, such as optical, neuromorphic and novel accelerators, are expected to emerge from the late 2020s for special tasks such as artificial intelligence and optimization, which will use significantly less energy.
7. Hybrid computing
New computing paradigms continue to emerge, including central processing units, graphics processing units, application-specific integrated circuits, neuromorphic, and classical quantum optical computing paradigms. Hybrid computing combines different computing, storage, and networking mechanisms to solve computational problems. This form of computing helps organizations explore and solve problems that help technologies, such as AI, work beyond current technological limits. Hybrid computing will be used to create highly efficient transformative innovation environments that operate more effectively than conventional environments.
8. Spatial computing
Spatial computing digitally enhances the physical world with technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. This is the next level of interaction between physical and virtual experiences. The use of spatial computing will increase the effectiveness of organizations over the next five to seven years through optimized workflows and improved collaboration.
By 2033, Gartner predicts that spatial computing will grow to $1.7 trillion.
apple US$3500 Vision Pro – yet to be launched in New Zealand – gave us a taste of spatial computing in 2024.
9. Multifunctional robots
Multifunctional machines have the ability to perform more than one task and are replacing task-specific robots that are custom designed to repeatedly perform a single task. These new robots improve efficiency and provide a faster return on investment. Multifunctional robots are designed to operate in a world with humans, which will allow for rapid deployment and easy scalability.
Gartner predicts that by 2030, 80% of humans will interact with intelligent robots daily, up from less than 10% today.
10. Neurological improvement
Neurological enhancement improves human cognitive abilities using technologies that read and decode brain activity. This technology reads a person’s brain by using one-way brain-machine interfaces or bi-directional brain-machine interfaces (BBMI). This has huge potential in three main areas: human skills enhancement, next-generation marketing and performance. Neurological enhancement will improve cognitive abilities, allow brands to know what consumers think and feel, and enhance human neural capabilities to optimize results.
By 2030, Gartner predicts that 30% of knowledge workers will upskill and rely on technologies like BBMIs (both employer and self-funded) to remain relevant with the rise of AI in the workplace, compared to less than 1% in 2024.
Chris Keall is a member of the Herald’s commercial team based in Auckland. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is a technology editor and senior business writer.
