Technological innovation has been happening for a long time, but the rate at which we’re seeing new devices, services and applications coming out today is mind-boggling. And it’s only going to accelerate in the years ahead.

Here are some of the trends I’m seeing right now that will shape our world in the years to come:

The Internet of Things (IoT). We’ve already started connecting everything from cars to refrigerators via WiFi or Bluetooth, but now we’re moving into an era where almost everything will be connected (from clothing to toothbrushes) — and this will happen faster than you think. By 2020, Gartner predicts there will be 26 billion connected devices worldwide and $1 trillion in spending on IoT solutions.

Big data analytics. With more data being collected every day and analyzed by computers, we’ll be able to predict customer behavior with greater accuracy than ever before — which could help businesses increase revenue by as much as 10 percent a year by 2020, according to McKinsey & Company research. This isn’t just about knowing what people buy; it’s about understanding why they buy it and what their preferences are based on their past behavior

Last modified: September 20, 2022