“Necessity is the mother of invention”. This English-language proverb suggests that the primary driving force for new inventions is need. We’ve seen proof of this in 2020 as business leaders scrambled to minimise disruption caused by COVID-19. Not only did the pandemic dramatically accelerate corporate digital transformation, it also accelerated technological innovation in a way that we have never seen before.
According to Forbes, major disruptions — whether it be a pandemic or an economic downturn—reveal opportunities for technology to advance society forward.
Below, we list some of blog posts we wrote about emerging tech trends this year.
#1 Business functions set to benefit from artificial intelligence
Since 2009, South African organisations have invested R23.5 billion in artificial intelligence (AI). These are the findings of the AI Maturity Report in South Africa, commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by Ernst & Young, which was released in the middle of 2019. According to the report, 46% of South African companies are actively piloting AI within their organisations
Read more, here.
#2 INFOGRAPHIC: Data savings tips while working from home
The time for data savings is now. With remote work establishing itself as our new reality, mobile data has become a scarce resource. Managing your mobile data enables you to work optimally and avoid wastage and high costs. We have put together some simple data savings tips to be smarter with data during this time.
Read more, here.
#3 5G and the cloud: enabling the next wave of digital transformation
Cloud computing has long been hailed as a technological disruptor like no other, enabling rapid digitalisation across businesses of all sizes and across all industries. 5G is the next evolution in mobile network technology, building on the already significant benefits of the 4G/LTE networks that proceeded it. In fact, the capacity of 5G is so immense, it is likely to render several technologies obsolete.
Read more, here.
#4 Data usage and costs in the new remote work reality
At the beginning of April, Japanese telecoms experts confirmed that the volume of Internet data used in the country jumped 40% in a month. The reports prompted concerns that the country’s network may become overwhelmed. The influx in data use is the result of an increase in telecommuting and video streaming as more and more employees are being asked to work from home due to the coronavirus.
Read more, here.
#5 A South African perspective on the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is set to have a dramatic impact on all aspects of our lives. How aware, prepared and enabled is South Africa to handle everything this exciting technological era has to offer? In an attempt to answer some of these questions, the Kagiso Trust conducted a research study to explore citizen awareness around the fourth industrial revolution and its potential impact on South African society.
Read more, here.
As companies hurry to develop new digital capabilities, keeping up with fast-moving tech trends is critical. We regularly write about the latest tech trends and innovations on the Nebula blog. If you’d like to have these resources delivered to you for free, every month you should consider signing up for our monthly newsletter. Simply complete the form below.