For to change is the only constant…
Future of work
Just the first two decades of this new millennium have changed our entire thought structure around work and workplaces. The trend will only continue and the orthodox model of work might just go away one day, if not change in ways we can’t relate anymore. Here are the top 5 trends that are very much possible by 2030.
IoT automation of major industrial production lines: Synonymous with Industry 4.0, automation will be the new normal. Say running raw material inventory of a production line is a data point that sends a procurement alert to a backend system which indeed will place an order with order intake system of a supplier which in turn accumulates the aggregate demand data, plans intelligent supply chain intervention or limits/increases its own production accordingly to meet the demand. In the event of a machine breakdown, it can troubleshoot its own problem or send a diagnosis report to a remote computer which sends back possible solution or escalate it to a service mechanism which can come to rescue or provide backup necessary. All of this can seamlessly happen over blockchain and doesn’t need anyone looking after. It is truly a machine-to-machine internet which reduces human labour and error. So, production jobs may see a drastic fall in numbers in years to come.
AI everywhere: Artificial Intelligence will supplement a lot of our cognitive efforts in the future years. It will be seen pretty much everywhere in R&D field right from pharmaceuticals, aerospace to law, quantum physics and beyond. We can see more advanced learning models and ChatGPT or Bard are only the tip of a much larger iceberg. It can even occupy board rooms and make major business decisions like mergers and acquisitions, pivoting/restructuring of businesses. It can do it without wearing a suit and tie and without drinking expensive coffees. So, the impact is multi-faceted and would not dent or improve any one industry’s condition over the rest.
Gig economy: The current employer-employee relationship may change very much in the next few years. Most of the developers may actually opt for a gig model in a stack marketplace . This is even more true with the advent of Web 3.0 where internet itself is a more equal platform and you will be in full control of each of your data points over a blockchain based protection. This would mean everyone will be a freelancer and unlike now, one may need to commit for the lifelong learning even more and upgrade to the newest and hottest thing in the market as and when that comes.
Metaverse: It means so many things to so many people. From remote work to more real gaming experiences to lifelike social media but the truth is it has infinite new possibilities. With improved bandwidth access across the world and the continuous R&D in 5G, 6G spectrum, there is seamless connectivity. This means even healthcare delivery or the most complex surgery can happen remotely over the metaverse. It is gaining ground in becoming more real world like and by 2030, one may confidently assume no one can tell the difference between the two worlds we live in. We are our digital twin and vice-versa. So, you will work, travel, catch a movie, chill with friends, all while you’re home.
DAOs: Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) is not a new term for Ethereum developers or crypto enthusiasts in general. But it is not a concept that is certainly reserved for blockchain market. It is the way we collaborate. In this VUCA world, startups budding and withering is a daily affair. So, the business model itself could be like there will be no hierarchy or reporting line in any form and all are bound by a common goal and such agreements could be signed over the cloud with someone you don’t know at all in real life. One can always have the flexibility to enter or exit any number of times as per the business requirements and one may also be that person in so many other companies simultaneously. Yes, moonlighting is normal and you gotta live with it.
Comment if you think of any other trends that I would have missed.
