Futurist Amy Webb launches the 2024 Tech Trends Report, discussing AI advancements, societal impact, and future scenarios. Topics include brain wave to text conversion, AI bias, and innovative devices like Rabbit 1. She explores AI integration in daily life, sensor technology in face computers, and the challenges of semiconductor chip shortages.
AI ethics and accountability are crucial in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence development.
The integration of AI-first devices and ambient AI signals a shift towards connected ecosystems in everyday life.
Advancements in sensory data and visual inputs are reshaping user-device interactions, leading to a future of interconnected technologies.
Deep dives
The Foundation of the Tech Super Cycle: Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, from large language models to generative AI, enabling real-time creation. Companies like Google and Meta face challenges with accountability and responsible AI use. Progress in AI is shifting towards concept-to-concrete models, allowing users to brainstorm with AI for flexible outputs. The trend of unsecured AI presents vulnerabilities and risks when models are openly available, raising concerns about ethical use and accountability in AI development.
Connected Ecosystems: The Network of Devices and Sensors
The development of connected ecosystems, termed 'Connectables,' is expanding with wearables, IoT devices, and smart technologies. Large action models are the next wave, focusing on predicting actions rather than language. AI-first devices are being designed for continuous learning and real-time interaction. The rise of AI-enabled devices like the Rabbit 1 and Apple's Vision Pro signals a shift towards ambient AI integration in everyday life.
Emerging Trends and Future Implications: Data Expansion and Technological Convergence
The need for diverse data sources beyond text is driving advancements in sensory data and visual inputs for AI learning. A shift towards large action models is reshaping user-device interactions. The convergence of AI, IoT, and wearables signifies a technologically interconnected future. Scenario planning reveals challenges in AI ethics, professional AI licensing, and the potential risks of unsecured AI models, highlighting the complexities and uncertainties of future technological developments.
Emerging Technologies: The Rise of XR Devices and Face Computers
The episode delves into the development of extended reality devices like Vision Pro, likening its progression to that of the original iPhone's evolution. Companies like Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm are collaborating to introduce XR devices integrated into Android platforms. These face computers are equipped with numerous sensors, including cameras and infrared technology, to create immersive spatial computing environments. The narrative emphasizes how these devices are designed to perceive user intentions through pupil movements, marking a significant shift in human-computer interaction.
Tech Super Cycle and the Future of Biotechnology in Computing
The podcast also explores the convergence of artificial intelligence, connectables, and biotechnology, shaping the future of computing. It predicts a transition from silicon-based systems to bio-computers, leveraging organoids for advanced information processing. By combining AI and biology, these biological computers may outperform traditional systems in terms of efficiency and energy consumption. The episode raises thought-provoking scenarios on personalized bio-computers made from human cells, highlighting the profound impact of biotech advancements on the tech landscape.
Join Amy Webb for the launch of the Future Today Institute's 17th edition of its Tech Trends Report and a deep dive into all the tech trends you'll need to follow in 2024. In this mind-bending session, futurist Amy Webb, CEO of the Future Today Institute and professor at NYU Stern School of Business, will provide a data-driven analysis for the emerging tech trends that need to be on your radar this year––and she’ll show you scenarios that will change your perspective on the futures. For those who have attended this session at previous SXSW festivals and already know what to expect from this session, you'll be in for an extra-special treat this year.
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