5 technological predictions that will come true before 2025

IBM has presented “5 in 5”, a meeting that shows some of the biggest advances that come from IBM Research's global laboratories every year: five technologies that will restructure business and society over the next five years.

This innovation is based on the research developed in IBM laboratories, the cutting-edge work we generate for its customers and the trends they see in the technological and business landscape.

The scientists who are behind the 5 out of 5 this year are present at a science meeting that takes place in the framework of our biggest event for clients this year: Think 2018 in Las Vegas.

Below is a summary of future technology predictions that IBM scientists will present this year. Together, they predict a powerful evolution in computing that will surpass everything we've seen before:

1. Nobody likes imitations. The "crypto-anchors" and blockchain will unite against counterfeiters: In the next five years, cryptographic anchors such as ink dots or tiny computers smaller than a grain of salt will be integrated into everyday objects and devices. These will be used with blockchain technology to guarantee the authenticity of an object from its origin until it reaches the customer's hands. These technologies will facilitate the path for new solutions that will address issues such as food safety, the authenticity of manufactured components, genetically modified products, the identification of counterfeit objects and the provenance of luxury items.

2. Hackers are going to hack. And they will do so until they find the network cryptogram: IBM is developing encryption methods to keep up with emerging technologies, such as quantum computers, which may one day break all existing encryption protocols. IBM researchers have already developed a post-quantum encryption method that has been sent to the US government. UU., Called network cryptography. No computer can decipher it, not even future quantum computers. With this new cryptography, we can work on a file or encrypt it without exposing sensitive or confidential data to hackers.

3. Our oceans are dirty and microscopic robots that incorporate Artificial Intelligence can save them: In five years, autonomous microscopes with Artificial Intelligence (AI), networked in the cloud and deployed around the world, will continuously and in real-time monitor health of one of the most important and threatened resources on Earth: water. IBM scientists are working on an approach that uses plankton, natural biological sensors for aquatic health. Microscopic robots with AI can be placed in bodies of water to track the movement of plankton in 3D

4. Only impartial Artificial Intelligence will survive: Within five years, we will have new solutions to counteract a substantial increase in the number of biased artificial intelligence algorithms and systems. As we work to develop artificial intelligence systems that we can trust, it is essential to develop and train these systems with fair, interpretable, and free of racial, gender or ideological prejudices.

5. Quantum computing is a researcher's playground. In five years, it will be the main means of work: In five years, quantum computing will be widely used by new categories of professionals and developers to solve problems that were once considered incomprehensible. Quantum will be ubiquitous and widely used in university classrooms, and will even be available, to some extent, in secondary education.