24 Technology Predictions for 2024
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the year 2024 promises to be a pivotal chapter filled with groundbreaking advancements that will reshape the way we live, work, and interact. From the integration of AI into education and virtual shopping experiences, to personal robots, to personalized synthetic biology treatments, to the untapped potentials of blockchain & web3 technology; let’s dive into 24 predictions that could define the technological landscape of 2024. These predictions have been informed by private discussions, news articles and a wonderful community on LinkedIn that continue to share relevant, timely information in an ever accelerating world. Thank you to Professor Adrian Bulzacki and the MondAI Mastermind for teaching me through a firehose.
Here’s how I did on my 2023 predictions, I got 18/23 (78%) right!
Here is a link to more detailed technology predictions from my friend and fellow futurist, Dr Mark van Rijmenam.
Follow my blog AIvsHumans.ai for ‘what could possibly go wrong’ with AI — shocker…a lot!
Here are my Top 24 Technology Predictions for 2024…
1. The Rise of AI Retailer Influence Bots
Imagine a shopping experience where AI knows your preferences even before you do. In 2024, AI-driven retailer influencer bots will take centerstage, offering personalized recommendations and transforming the way we engage with products and services. (Inworld.ai) (Update Jan 9, 2024: Walmart partners with Micrsoft to provide new generative AI-powered capabilities for shoppers and associates (aka bots)
2. AI-Specific Hardware for Real-Time Local Processing
The advent of AI-specific hardware will revolutionize data processing, enabling real-time local computations and enhancing data privacy. This shift marks a significant stride towards more efficient and secure AI applications. There’s increasing interest and community in moving past closed source architectures like NVIDIA’s CUDA for various AI development in 2024. All major consumer chip manufacturers are racing to embed more and more AI hardware, like Intel’s NPU (neural processing unit), AMD’s Ryzen AI NPU, and ARM’s Ethos NPUs (NVIDIA, Intel). In addition to large computers, we could also start the age of local AI on Mobile devices for personal assistants, social and shopping in 2024…because who wants their personal data leaving their device anymore? (Update Feb 14, 2024: NVIDIA RTX Chat will run on your personal device). (Update Feb 27, 2024: Qualcomm announces on-device chip for AI). (Update April 15, 2024: Limitless Wearable Pendant)
3. Evolution of the Turing Test
For all intents and purposes, the Turing Test needs to be updated to reflect our newfound understanding of power, speed and imitative abilities of modern hardware and software advancements. As AI continues to advance, a new and improved Turing test will emerge in 2024, challenging the boundaries of machine intelligence and human cognition. The new definition of artificial general intelligence (AGI) or artificial superintelligence (ASI) — ‘a computer program that it’s smarter than any human at anything/everything’ or in other words ‘an autonomous system that surpasses human capabilities in the majority of economically valuable tasks’ or “A super-intelligent AI might be smarter than a given individual human, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be “smarter than the sum of all humans.” Fully expect that a new ‘Turing Test’ will come online in 2024 to track the progress of AI and to verify AI content…expect that progress to be exponentially fast! (Update June 2023: Mustafa Suleyman proposes a new Turing test for AI to ‘make $1m’).
UPDATE March 29, 2024 — Juan M. Lavista Ferres is the corporate vice president and chief data scientist of the AI for Good Lab at Microsoft . “One of the tests is the IKEA test. We used to have the Turing test. And of course a lot of LLMs will pass the Turing test. The IKEA test is when a [robotic AI] agent will go to your house, open a box and assemble furniture. I would not pass that test.”
4. Blockchain for Tracking AI-Generated Content
2024 will see blockchain technology, public key infrastructure (PKI) and distributed ledger technology (DLT) find new applications in tracking AI-generated content, ensuring transparency and authenticity in an era dominated by artificial intelligence. In a recent executive order, US President Biden directed the Department of Commerce to develop standards for watermarking AI-generated content, addressing the need to evaluate such content and protect consumers so this will be a ‘must have’ soon. Hopefully this will come in time to prevent AI election interference, but I doubt it. (Forbes). (Update: Jan 19 2024 — AI Certification Program for ‘fair trained AI’) (Update: Jan 31, 2024 — Fox News using Blockchain to track AI)
5. Legal Challenges and Lawsuits Amidst AI Regulations
The absence of comprehensive AI regulations will lead to legal challenges and lawsuits, raising crucial questions about accountability and responsibility in the development and deployment of AI technologies. I predict that NY Times will win (or settle) their case against OpenAI & Microsoft over using their content to train their large language models (LLMs) and the LLMs will be forced to figure out how to compensate copyrighted sources — probably using blockchain for transparency (see above). (NY Times). The EU has stated that AI Systems deployed in Europe will be limited to less than 1⁰²⁵ FLOPs training compute to stay under the EU AI Act threshold. (Update: OpenAI introduces ‘publisher deal’ — Jan 10/24). (Update: SAG-AFTRA signs landmark AI voice agreement — Jan 10/24). (Update Feb 27, 2024: China officials rule in favour of copyright holder over LLM platform)
6. Global Use of AI in Various Political Landscapes
Politicians, parties and leaders around the world will grapple with artificial and strategic content creation quickly influncing people, and catching this type of content could become difficult. Luckily, most AI generated content is rather easy to detect through software, despite how convincing it may seem to regular people. Artificial content creation isn’t new, nor are deepfakes (audio, image and video), what’s new is how fast, easy and without technological knowledge it is to create and spread such content. US politicians have already used an AI like voice imitating another politician (Ron DeSantis, CNBC). Content like this is not just a challenge domestically, but also between nations. (Update: OpenAI directly addresses it’s use for elections in 2024) (Update Jan 12, 2024: UK PM Deepfakes Released.) (Update Feb 12, 2024: Former Pakistan Prime Minister uses Deepfake from Prison) — You can’t even make this sh*t up anymore! (Update Feb 14, 2024: OpenAI shutting down political accounts misusing their AI)
(Update Feb 19, 2024: 20 Platforms form AI Election Accords to protect against deceptive uses of AI for political influence)
(Update July 2, 2024: ChatGPT is giving wrong advice on where to vote in battleground states)
7. Personalized AI Bots, Scams and Deepfakes.
In 2024, personalized AI enhanced call bots (voice and dialog) will become prevalent, delivering unique and personalized sounding messages to consumers. Various forms of customer support people will be replaced with such systems, saving companies much of the cost of employing people for these services. This will have massive effects on some economies (AI vs. Humans). Scammers, Spammers and Scoundrels will run rampant using AI for all sorts of scams — like someone calling their grandmother (deepfake voice) telling her they immediately need $5000 sent to this email or else…or someone taking 10 seconds of training video and making them say things they would never say. Or using AI to turn a photo of a teenager naked and selling these on OF. (Update Feb 5, 2024: Hong Kong firm loses $25M in Deepfake Scam). (Update Feb 12, 2024: FCC Bans AI voices in Robocalls) Update March 22, 2024: 4500% increase in deepfake fraud, Statistica)
8. Virtual Meeting Spaces
In the post-Covid era of remote work, virtual meeting spaces, like those in VR, AR, or virtual worlds, could becoming more commonplace, even redefining the way businesses conduct meetings while collaborate remotely. Virtual representations of yourself in the form of avatars will get more immersive, more fun and more collaborative in 2024. But there’s still some way to go, one of my teams endevours; Meetopia, is bringing technology like this to all modern devices today. Host your own virtual meeting at Meetopia.io
9. Humanoid Robots for Home Tasks
The year 2024 will showcase why so many comanies are interested in designing humanoid robots for various home tasks, as demonstrated at CES 2024, making everyday chores more efficient and convenient. One reason humanoid bots are an interesting design choice is because it creates a standard shape and configuration to design more and more coded tasks for. From cleaning to brick laying, robots are coming to take our jobs or make our lives easier — not sure which yet. (MIT News, Hadrian X Robotic Brick Layer). 2023 saw a massive exponential improvement in humanoid robotics (Tesla Robot, Boston Dynamics), I expect this trend to continue into the new year. (Update Jan 11, 2024: Robot startup 1X gets $100M in funding) (Update Jan 22, 2024: Elon Musk estimates 1 billion humanoid robots by 2040's). (Update Feb 13, 2024: MagicLab announces humanoid robot for folding laundry and more)
10. AI in Elderly and Loneliness Care
Thanks to technology, we’re living longer, but having fewer children. With more seniors and fewer workers, the challenge is evident. Despite alarm bells in long-term care, 9 out of 10 seniors still prefer aging at home, indicating an ongoing trend towards finding AI-powered robots and bots to provide care for the elderly and combat loneliness, addressing critical social and healthcare challenges. AI algorithms can be a great tool for psychotherapy and as a nurturing listener. (ABC News, SensiAI) (Update: New AI wearable for seniors introduced at CES, Jan 9/24)
11. Trillion-Dollar Market Cap for Tesla and Bitcoin
The $1,000,000,000,000 technology club is small indeed, with only Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and NVIDIA hitting this so far. Based on what’s happened in 2023, and the growth potential of both, I predict that Tesla ($248.48/share or $778.60B market cap) and Bitcoin ($42,264.33/BTC or $827B market cap) will hit trillion-dollar market caps in 2024, as major players in the automotive and cryptocurrency industries respectively. (BTC-Coinmarketcap, TSLA-NASDAQ). Note: BTC @ $1T is $51,000 — BTC will halve around April 2024. (Update: BTC Hits $1T on February 14, 2024)
12. Early Adoption of AI Wearables
Early influencers and tech enthusiasts will get access to AI wearables, marking the beginning of a trend that will redefine personal technology and connectivity. 2023 saw the launch of the Humane Pin and I predict we will see many companies in this space through 2024. Finding product-market fit will be the challenge for these products, but I am certain this new type of platform will gain traction as they free us up from the need to look at our phones, providing a new interaction with computing that holds the potential to make us more human — it feels like this should be the goal. (Update: New startup introduces Rabbit R1 AI wearable at CES, Jan 10/24) (Update: Tab AI wearable introduced at CES, Jan 10/24)
13. Generative AI powers the Metaverse
The Metaverse is the future of the internet, but spatial and including a lot of the technologies mentioned in this article. The biggest problem is building virtual spaces, worlds and experiences take specialized skills, time and a ton of effort. With the advent of NeRFs and Gaussian Splats, the sky is the limit when bringing the real world into the virtual moving into 2024. Generative AI will make leaps in the realm of text-to-3D and 2D-to-3D applications, providing new tools and possibilities for creative expression and design — this will give everyone the ability to participate in the Metaverse. (Anything.world, 3DFI, LumaLabs, Blockade Labs). Another of my products is the METAVRSE Engine, a web-based and low-code 3D creation platform (game engine) that makes it easy to build and deploy solutions instantly to all modern devices globally. You can start building today for free at: metavrse.com
14. Spatial Computing & XR Renaissance in Enterprise Applications
In the upcoming year of 2024, Apple is poised to unveil its groundbreaking Vision Pro headset, heralding a new era in Spatial Computing, 3D, Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality (XR). Anticipation surrounds the release as tech enthusiasts eagerly await the immersive experiences that this cutting-edge device promises to deliver. Simultaneously, the Meta Quest 3 is poised to break free from the confines of anticipation, marking the commencement of a skyrocketing trajectory. I predict that XR will experience a renaissance, particularly in enterprise applications, including digital twins, collaboration, retail, and training, revolutionizing how businesses operate and innovate. (METAVRSE, Tailspin, Meetopia)
15. Continued Dominance of Video Games
The global number of video game players reached approximately 3.38 billion in July 2023. The dominance of video games in 2024 is not merely a trend; it’s a cultural shift that transcends traditional notions of entertainment. Spearheaded by industry giants like Roblox and Fortnite, the landscape of gaming is evolving at an unprecedented pace. The metaverse, a digital universe where users can interact in real-time, will become increasingly intertwined with video games, creating a seamless blend of virtual and real-world experiences. I predict the global gaming industry to be worth $275B in 2024 (up from $249B in 2023).
16. Launch of the First Virtual Retail Mall
The year 2024 will mark a pivotal moment in the evolution of online commerce with the launch of the first virtual retail mall, a new third-dimension to online shopping experiences. Physical and Virtual goods will be sold via fiat ($, €, ¥) and crypto (₿, Ξ, ℏ). These new social ‘vCommerce’ platforms will become the new way to shop with friends, and become a gateway for over 3 billion gamers to meet, shop & play together from any device, anywhere on earth. (TheMall)
17. Swarm Intelligence and Hive Mind Create Better Predictions
In 2024, the convergence of swarm intelligence and hive mind dynamics will revolutionize predictive capabilities. At its core, swarm intelligence harnesses the power of decentralized, self-organized systems, drawing parallels from the synchronized movements and decision-making efficiency exhibited by swarms in nature. This approach stands in stark contrast to traditional centralized decision-making models, offering a more adaptive and resilient system that taps into the inherent wisdom of interconnected entities. Drawing inspiration from the collective behaviors of swarms in nature and the collaborative decision-making of hive minds, this amalgamation of technologies will usher in a new era of enhanced forecasting. By leveraging the diverse insights and knowledge of a networked community, whether in business, finance, or scientific research, these intelligent systems will tap into the collective wisdom of crowds. (Unanimous AI, Metaculus)
18. AI-Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures
The current surge in generative AI capabilities has profound implications for cybersecurity, introducing a triad of challenges that demand heightened vigilance. Firstly, the rise of advanced AI-generated content facilitates more effective social engineering attacks, enabling cyber adversaries to craft highly convincing and personalized deception. Secondly, the accessibility of sophisticated AI tools lowers the entry barrier for less skilled actors, emboldening script kiddies and novice hackers to engage in more effective and damaging cyber intrusions. Finally, the mass production of AI-generated content raises concerns about the proliferation of honeypots — deceptive traps designed to lure and identify cyber threats.
The exponential growth of data from connected devices, expected to reach 79 zettabytes (1 billion terabytes) by 2025, renders manual analysis impractical, necessitating the use of AI in combating cybercrime. In response to the growing sophistication of cyber threats, AI will play a pivotal role in enhancing cybersecurity measures. Predictive analytics and adaptive defenses will become standard, fortifying digital infrastructures against evolving risks. (TechMagic)
19. Integration of AI & Robotics in Agriculture & Distribution
Precision agriculture will see widespread adoption of AI-driven, and robotic technologies, optimizing crop yields, resource utilization, and sustainability practices to address global food security challenges. 2024 will see a massive rollout of these technologies at scale providing the world with more healthy, sustainable and scalable food production for the 8 billion humans on Earth. (Intellias, DevX). The global food security challenge is a complex one of markets and supply chains, not of production. Environmental impact, however, is absolutely a full-spectrum problem that I predict will start to be addressed by AI next year.
20. AI-Powered Journalism and Content Creation
Newsrooms and content creators will continue to leverage AI to generate high-quality articles, reports, and creative content efficiently, transforming the way information is produced and consumed. The lack of transparency by media creators could lead to additional mistrust of media and a challenge to democracy globally in 2024. Google is already testing an AI that can write news articles and Sports Illustrated was caught using completely AI generated editors and articles. Personally, I use ChatGPT to help articulate my ideas, then edit, then send for more editing (thank you Alex Colgan and Adrian Bulzacki). We need to demand more from content creators, news outlets and sources of information — Democracy dies in the face of mistrust. (Update: Duolingo fires employees to use AI for translation, Jan 10/24)
21. Expansion of Synthetic Biology and Personalized Medicine
The concept of personalized medicine will expand beyond genomics, incorporating AI-driven insights and synthetic biology to tailor treatments for individuals based on their unique health profiles, further advancing healthcare outcomes. I predict we will see synthetic biology lead to at least 1 disease completely cured in 2024 and many more beyond. These miracle treatments will not come without risk though; I also predict that a synthetic pathogen will be developed and deployed in 2024 — morbid, I know, but with DNA synthesizing kits available to anyone for about $30,000, this is going to be a problem we will have to daeal with. (National Library of Medicine, The Scientist)
22. Collaborative AI in Scientific Discovery
Expect an increase in collaborative AI initiatives within the scientific community, accelerating research and discovery processes across various disciplines, from materials science to medicine, and unlocking new frontiers of knowledge. AI will be used to discover new drugs, materials, protein folding, and perhaps we will even discover new elements. I predict we will see a major breakthrough in AI for scientific discovery in 2024 that makes all previous innovations seem ancient (room temperature superconductor anyone?). A new biomaterial was just introduced that could create synthetic bone and teeth. (OCED). The work being done to help us communicate with other species (whales) is also of particular interest. (Update: Microsoft and PNNL team up to create to use AI for new battery materials.)
23. A New Education System Will Emerge Leveraging Technology At Scale
You may already know that my personal mission is ‘to inspire and educate future leaders to think and act in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible way’. It is with this lens that I am proud to announce that we are working on a new education system called the ‘Unlimited Awesome Academy’ (UAA) in which we use technology and data to improve the lives of billions through a unique learn-to-earn model focusing on success principles such as empathy, gratitude, positivity, deep breathing, marketing, sales, financial planning, investing, futurism, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The mission of UAA is ‘education and economic prospertity for everyone, everywhere.
In an age of abundance, there is no reason we cannot make this a reality for the world. If you are interested in being a student, mentor or investor, register HERE.
24. 2024 will be your best year, EVER!
Many of us only just caught our breaths (literally) after Covid and then 2023 brought massive crypto scandals, SVB going under, many wars and political tensions that could be cut with a knife. In 2024, many democracies around the world will vote on the future of their region and with the US Presidential election this year, the future of humanity lies in the balance.
One thing I know for sure is that despite all of this perceived negativity and fear, the world has never been more incredible for more people. We have pulled billions out of poverty and will continue to do so. We will leverage innovation and technology to create a better world for everyone, and that means you and I included. Let’s continue to build the world we want for our children and grand children. May 2024 be your best year, ever!
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About me:
My life’s purpose is to inspire and educate people to think and act in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible way. (Unlimited Awesome Academy)
I help make creator tools and experiences: Emulator , METAVRSE, Your Director AI, Meetopia and TheMall. I have a blog that looks at the possible negative outcomes of AI technology (AIvsHumans.ai).
I was a DJ for more than 20 years performing for millions of people winning DJ Mag’s Innovative Product of the Year in 2011. I was Named one of the 50 most prominent Digital Futurists to watch out for in 2022 and a Top Retail Influencer, 2023 and 2024. I am a TEDx Speaker, Podcast Host and was featured on Dragons’ Den.
If you think my bio is impressive…my daughter Abi, invented sandals that leave a heart-shaped tan line on your feet called Love Sandal. Abi has been featured in Inc. and won Top 20 Under 20 at only 10 years old.
Not to be outdone, my wife and Co-Founder Julie Smithson, in addition to running operations at METAVRSE, also runs XR Women, the world’s largest XR industry meetup for Women.
