The f(x) = e^x | The Top Five Strategic Technology Trends for 2021

Good Day! This is my weekly newsletter, with a dose of insights into the future. The topic of this newsletter is the exponential times we live in, hence the title of f(x) = e^x, which is the (natural) exponential function.

Recently, I launched my new concept The Digital Speaker and you can now book me as an avatar or hologram. Also, my tech trend prediction for 2021 is out, read it here!


The Top Five Strategic Technology Trends for 2021 – The Year of Digitalism


My latest article:

The year is nearly over, and it is time to look ahead what 2021 will have in store for us. With 2020 being the Year of Convergence, technology has geared up to have a profound impact on our lives. The five strategic technology trends for 2021 will brings us closer to a global system of social organisation called Digitalism. Surveillance will increase while at the same time, antitrust laws will be put to work in 2021 to fight the monopolies of today.

Advancements in machine learning and quantum computing will enable computations at the speed of light, resulting in several significant breakthroughs in 2021. At the same time, thanks to an explosion in Decentralised Finance, blockchain will become in the spotlight again, and confidential computing will increase data security and our privacy. The result is an intensified battle between government and state surveillance on the one hand and citizen protection on the other hand. Therefore, 2021 will be the Year of Digitalism.


Three Useful Nuggets of Information

My weekly tips from around the web to get you thinking.

1. France approved the first bionic soldiers.

The French army received permission to develop "augmented soldiers" following a report from a military ethics committee. The improvements include "physical, cognitive, perceptive and psychological capacities" using implants. (CNN)

2. The year in pictures, if you care to relive 2020.

2020 has been a year unlike any other. The pandemic changes the lives of almost all people on the globe and we noticed that all of a sudden, remote work was a possibility. Here is the year in pictures. (NY Times $)

3. Machines no longer sound like robots, but sound human.

We are used to the synthetic voices of machines, but thanks to advances in machine learning, AI has become very good at sounding human. (Scientific American)