As we step into 2024, the tech world is buzzing with transformative trends. Through 24 Technology Predictions for 2024, I propose a concise yet comprehensive glimpse into what the future may hold (without getting into the 2024 presidential elections or the Superbowl...). From Meta’s potential domination in the social media landscape with Threads to TikTok challenging traditional media powerhouses, I cover the key shifts that could shape our digital experience.
I also explore crucial developments like the potential Meta-Snap acquisition, the rise of voice-first applications, and the evolving role of AI in various sectors. Additionally, the article touches on the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding emerging technologies.
Enjoy.
Note: this is a quick summary of the much longer 2024 predictions made in another article. I strongly encourage you read them in full details by clicking on this link, if you have the time.
1. Threads wins the social media wars
In 2024, Threads will emerge as the leading social media platform due to its strategic focus on sports and entertainment content, effective integration with Instagram, robust content moderation, and strong backing from celebrities and advertisers.
2. Social media gets away with it
In 2024, social media companies will continue their harmful practices because attention will shift to the benefits and drawbacks of AI, overshadowing the accountability issues in the broader tech industry.
3. TikTok overwhelms Hollywood and Netflix
In 2024, entertainment companies will suffer as Social Media, led by TikTok, dominates due to its growing user engagement and the film industry’s struggle with declining stocks and a lack of innovation.
4. Meta purchases Snap
In 2024, Meta will acquire Snap due to its valuable technology and talent, capitalizing on Snap’s stagnant revenue and declining earnings amidst a shift in industry focus towards AI and reduced scrutiny on mergers and acquisitions.
5. Countries try to balkanize the internet
In 2024, several countries will intensify efforts to create isolated digital spaces, driven by a desire to control their own narratives around AI and avoid past mistakes of technological dominance by America.
6. We find out the CCP has been using TikTok to destabilise the West
In 2024, the Chinese Communist Party will continue to use TikTok to destabilize the West by amplifying content that creates internal strife and influences Western perceptions.
7. Battery Tech becomes front page news
In 2024, emerging battery technologies will advance to address the challenges of sustainable energy storage and climate change, making them a focal point in global discussions.
8. Crypto sneaks back in through the identity door
In 2024, crypto will resurge to provide online identity verification, as AI advancements make it challenging to prove human presence, offering an alternative to biometric identification.
9. Memeland revives Web3
In 2024, Memeland will revive Web3 because its approach of promoting crypto through humor and community engagement, devoid of any promise of financial returns, resonates with millennials.
10. Ketamine Ravages Silicon Valley
In 2024, Silicon Valley CEOs will increasingly mimic Elon Musk’s irrational behavior due to escalating ketamine use, impacting millions of tech users and leading to potentially severe consequences.
11. VR & AR headsets become mass market (thanks to Apple)
In 2024, Apple will drive AR and VR headsets into the mass market because of their strong brand recognition, customer loyalty, and the impressive features of their Vision Pro headset.
12. Voice-first apps become integral to our lives
In 2024, large language models and new gadgets like pendants, bracelets, and drones will revolutionize technology interaction, making voice-first apps integral to our lives due to more human-like conversational abilities and an improved understanding of speech.
13. AI news anchors become a waiting-room staple
In 2024, AI-generated hosts will become a staple in waiting rooms because they offer a cost-effective and easy-to-produce alternative for delivering news content in public spaces.
14. People fall in love with AIs
In 2024, individuals will increasingly turn to AI companions to combat loneliness because of the accessibility of advanced data and algorithms, as seen in services like Replika and botify.ai, despite concerns about the implications for human relationships.
15. Apple pulls a privacy spin on AI
In 2024, Apple will leverage its privacy-focused reputation by introducing advanced Siri and AI hardware, directly challenging competitors through enhanced encryption and user-centric data handling.
16. Spotify creates AI music
In 2024, Spotify will use its vast data collection to create commercially successful AI-generated music, capitalizing on its understanding of user preferences without relying on human artists.
17. Bad actors use AI to meddle in global democracy
In 2024, bad actors will utilize AI to manipulate electoral outcomes in numerous countries, threatening global democracy during a year with a record number of elections.
18. Studios create AI-first games that never end
In 2024, studios will leverage AI to revolutionize gaming by creating endless, adaptive games that respond to player behavior, mood, and real-life events, featuring dynamic storytelling, lifelike NPCs, and continuously evolving content.
19. AI hangover hurts companies
In 2024, companies will struggle with AI implementation due to Proof Of Concept purgatory and emerging AI decelerationists in positions of power, leading to potential stagnation or ethical dilemmas.
20. Outcome-based solutions become the norm
In 2024, companies will adopt outcome-based pricing due to the increasing dominance of AI, focusing on results rather than the effort or resources used in service or product creation.
21. We talk more about AI’s environmental cost
In 2024, Green AI will rise to prominence as consumers and governments push for optimized energy efficiency and sustainable development due to its increasing environmental impact.
22. Michael Lewis writes a book about Sam Altman
In 2024, Michael Lewis will attempt to redeem his reputation by writing a book about Sam Altman, having previously faced criticism for his work on Sam Bankman Fried.
23. War tech becomes civilian
In 2024, military technology will transition to civilian use because of its potential to improve lives in areas like search and rescue, agriculture, medical rehabilitation, and various other applications.
24. Hope stays alive
In 2024, the tech industry will refocus on meaningful work to improve lives because of the need to develop tools for reducing infant mortality, combating infectious diseases, addressing wealth inequalities, advancing medical technology, democratizing education, and promoting green technologies.
A lot of the above predictions are dystopian. We must however not forget that technology is created, implemented, and shaped by all of us. We also have a real say in how it affects us. Our influence may be as same as sending a disapproving message to a corporation on social media, or as big as voting a politician out of office if they prioritize corporation over people.
Our actions matter, and it’s up to us to ensure that these predictions either do or don’t become a reality.
Good luck out there.
