Page 7 - index

RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS

“We are already nearing the pivot point where very few
ideas seem to actually remain in the realm of science-
fiction for a long time. In a world where connectivity
flows like water, we can expect intelligent software and
machines of all kinds to play an increasingly larger role
in the future of communication, and drive gargantuan
growth in the video and radio streaming industries. In
the coming years we will see OTT become the new nor-
mal, and computing become invisible”, he envisions.

Limitless and ubiquitous: Connectivity will ‘flow
like water’

Leonhard takes his prediction of the age of ‘ations’ a
step further by stating that with the world becoming in-
creasingly hyper-connected, technology will become
omnipresent – it will become normalized and a part of
the very fabric of our environment. He emphasizes that
this will change the nature of our interactions and fun-
damentals of our environment whereby, “everything
that can become digital will indeed become digital – Gerd Leonhard
coining this era as one of “smart-everything”.
He stresses that a ‘Global Treaty on Ethics and Secu-
This will have, of course, a monumental impact upon rity’ (including Artificial Intelligence) will be essential
society, culture and business in the near future. The as technology is moving from outside of us to ‘on top
future presents us with the means to revolutionize in- of us’ to finally, ‘inside of us.’
dustrial processes and increase efficiency through ad-
vances such as “smart farming”, “smart logistics” and In a nutshell, Leonard says, “the future is about iden-
“smart transportation”, he explains. On the other hand, tifying and managing the balance between maintain-
with artificial intelligence feeding big data and the Inter- ing our humanness in a highly automated and tech-
net of Things, Leonhard cautions that our new age of nologized world”. “Embrace technology, but don’t be-
hyper connectivity will also exponentially heighten the come it”, he concludes.
present challenges, such as piracy and cyber-security,
and it will become of utmost importance for us to tackle As a top-rated futurist, with over 1500 engagements
the unintended consequences of this hyper connected, in the past 15 years and a combined audience of over
borderless world. The age of digital ethics is here! 1.5 million people, attendees can expect Leonhard’s
visionary address to highlight near-future, ‘nowist’
Digital captives in a limitless world observations and actionable foresights in the sectors
of humanity, society, business, media, technology
Security will become a priority. With technology becom- and communications. He will also share his view on
ing part of our everyday lives, society will be even more the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for
susceptible to threats such as cyber warfare. The impli- ICT professionals in the Asia Pacific region, as we
cations of data losses or breaches will reach new continue our path towards a hyper connected world.
heights as cyber criminals become increasingly savvy
and technology begins to play an even greater role in In addition to Leonhard’s visionary address, more
personal enterprise, business and government. The than 280 C-level and senior executives will deliver
vast movement of data will be further catapulted by key updates and share case studies on a wide range
high speed, cheap devices and easier access to tech- of the latest trends and technology advancements,
nology. such as Over-the-Top (OTT), Internet of Things (IoT),
Smart Cities, Big Data Analytics, and more.◊
The future of cyber security, predicted by Leonhard, will
also lie in combining solutions and efforts to achieve an By MediaBUZZ
‘International Agreement on Data Standards and Digital
Ethics’.

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