Dramatic political changes and other external factors will destabilize long-standing global relationships and agreements between countries in 2017. Donald Trump’s presidency, Brexit, and the trend toward isolationism will lead to more cautious nations and industries. These changes, coupled with technological disruptions due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) personal assistants, evolution of Internet of Things (IoT) to sentient tools, and launch of level-3 autonomous vehicles, among others, will threaten the position of many existing players. However, they will also prompt companies to become smarter and more efficient in business models and practices.
Following the U.S. presidential election and Brexit, Frost & Sullivan’s experts are taking an even closer look at possible outlier future scenarios, analysing the effects these unexpected events may have on markets and companies.
Top 17 Trends for 2017 is part of the Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation (Mega Trends) Growth Partnership Subscription. The research explores trends spanning geographies, industries and applications to offer a comprehensive view of the change agents of 2017. As platforms, business models and technologies collide in nuanced ways, and categorization becomes challenging, these insights can be an essential reference tool for companies looking to devise short-term strategies as well as set long-term implementation goals.
Some of the key technological trends highlighted in the study include:
- Artificial Intelligence personal assistants race for dominance
- Level 3 autonomous vehicles hit the road
- Connected living transforms the home
- Cognitive is the new smart
- Augmented reality becomes mainstream for B2B
- Internet of Things pivots to sentient tools
Some of the implications of these trends were set in motion in 2016, such as the advances and launches of AI personal assistants and smart home platforms. Businesses may also have to prepare for a winner-take-all competitive environment and impending social disruptions brought about by the spate of innovations.
“Long-awaited drones, autonomous vehicles, space capabilities and robotics are all poised to notably affect the commercial market this year,” noted Lauren Taylor, Principal Consultant, Visionary Innovation Group, Frost & Sullivan. “These technologies, while enhancing efficiency, productivity, accuracy and filling employment gaps, could lead to combustible labor dynamics. Such colliding interests will change the course of revenue streams and pricing segmentation, as well as encourage a thorough evaluation of trade-offs.”
