2017 was a big year for technology: self-driving cars, personal drones, BYOD, facial recognition, and wearable fitness trackers (to name a few) all gained widespread popularity. Next year is sure to bring with it plenty of cool new device and solution-based trends as well.

We thought it would be a good idea to wrap up this year with a list of our predictions for the big 2018 technology trends.

Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is essentially the development of computer systems to execute tasks that require human intelligence: visual perception, decision-making, language translation, etc. Deep learning is a branch of AI that focuses on technology learning, unsupervised, from unstructured data sets. Most recently, this kind of technology is used in driverless cars and facial recognition.

AI has been a trendy kind of tech for the past several years. It’s our prediction is that it will continue to become more relevant in 2018, with businesses in a wide range of industries using it to automate their workflows and grow their companies.

Blockchain

Also known as the technology behind Bitcoin, blockchain is a continuously growing database of timestamped records that are linked together using cryptography. Essentially, this tech eliminates the need for a central governing body (CFO, accounting team, etc.) to oversee every single transaction.

About 50% of business leaders expect that blockchain will be mainstream by 2020. The challenge that presents itself in 2018 will be diversifying blockchain-based applications so that a larger audience is able to apply the technology to their business workflows. We feel that there will be plenty up for the task.

Augmented Reality

While the release of Pokémon Go feels like ages ago, our prediction is that Augmented Reality (AR) will remain popular in 2018. “Though no mass market relaunch of Google’s AR glasses is on the immediate horizon, we should see a surge in the number of apps with AR in 2018,” Head of Telenor Research Bjørn Taale Sandberg says.

Apple’s latest iPhone iOS version has built-in technology that allows the device’s camera augment whatever it captures. This capability is sure to open up the demand for AR-related apps. For instance, the upcoming Harry Potter game by Niantic, hopefully releasing in 2018.

The Internet of Things

This kind of tech is essentially the interconnection of internet-connected devices among everyday objects like phones, watches, tablets, computers, etc. Essentially, everything “smart” that can both send and receive data. It’s predicted that by 2020, Internet of Things (IoT) technology will be in 95% of electronics for new product designs. With this sort of forecast, we’re sure there will be plenty of new IoT devices entering the market in 2018.

Cybersecurity Commitment

Cybercrime damage costs are predicted to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021, meaning that cybercrime isn’t going anywhere. 2017 saw more than its fair share of security breaches and data loss (WannaCry, Petya and Equifax, anyone?) that angered customers and crippled businesses. With the stakes increasingly raised, it’s expected that in 2018 SMBs will be much more invested in their cybersecurity efforts.

Working with an MSP skilled in network security solutions will ensure your company is protected from any new (and existing) cyber threats in 2018.

So there you have it, our list of 2018 technology trend predictions. We look forward to seeing what 2018 has to offer for tech and beyond.