Futuristic tech havens- the quantum time bomb, AI technologies, the convergence of biotech and AI, exclusive social media, metaverse commerce, and crypto rewards - here are the top tech trends reshaping industries in 2021 and possible security and privacy ramifications they would create.
From the mass adoption of telehealth to remote work, technology has moved front and centre as every industry grappled with the effects and fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021 was a crucial year for the refinement and retooling of technologies, especially those that stole the spotlight during the year of social distancing and lockdowns.
We analyzed signals like patent and investment activity, earnings transcripts, media mentions, and more to identify the top 6 tech trends in 2021 and examined underlying security and privacy issues.
1. Quantum Computers
As powerful quantum computers emerge, like Google’s first quantum computer, businesses will need to secure data faster than these powerful computers can decrypt it. Major tech giants like IBM and Microsoft are developing new encryption methods to counter quantum computers.
2. AI Technologies
Businesses can prioritize using Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can interpret and respond to human emotions as companies look to connect with consumers. For example, companies like Amazon’s Halo health and fitness tracker use AI technologies (voice analysis and ML) to analyze and determine emotions based on the user’s energy level or how positive they sound. Facebook’s meta is set to bring about new levels of physical presence in social interactions. Physiological motion data, like head and eye movements, would be captured digitally for further processing and analytics. Likely privacy ramifications from these ideas, FAGMA Companies (Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple) are doubling down on data security. They have filed patents for concepts such as anonymizing identifiable information, personalized content without exposing identities, secure and encrypted data exchange, tracking the flow of data and monitoring entities accessing them, performing analytics over the encrypted encryption, and managing encrypted data store.
3. Aggressive Convergence of Biotechnology and AI
Tech companies and pharma are accelerating clinical research of psychedelic medicines and their effects on health. For example, companies like Cybin and Kernel are partnering to measure brain activity during psychedelic experiences. They use Neuroimaging technology to generate quantitative data, which helps in understanding psychedelic therapies better. The partnership helps in quantifying brain activity in real-time during psychedelic experiences. It is also an example of merging the twin worlds of biotechnology and data science which can potentially bring about an entirely new paradigm to security and privacy. AI-enabled offensive cyberattacks would lead to significant biosecurity threats. Vulnerabilities in biotechnology machines could allow the planting of malware, which could either corrupt DNS sequence design, disrupt laboratory security, or allow attackers access to sensitive information. The frameworks such as AAAS-FBI-UNICRI for evaluating security risks, National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to assess the concerns of technologies in synthetic biology, and the Tucker Framework for governance evolved to address security challenges. The biotechnology field has transformed quite aggressively with the help of AI in the recent past. There is a need to revisit these frameworks. It also calls for innovative ideas to solve problems on technology fronts.
4. Exclusivity in Social Media
Exclusivity helped Facebook in its early days. Today, invite-only networks like Clubhouse, Discord, and Disp are quickly becoming the future of social media. Exclusive social media relies on the scarcity effect, making people put a higher value on scarce things. These platforms tend to give higher priority to the users’ privacy. As of now, they intend to avoid the monetization model through targeted advertisements. They might go for subscribed content or sponsored content. These platforms are not immune from security worries. User data on popular platforms would be the target of attackers looking for account ID and associated personally identifiable information. There is also a risk of exposure to the content shared on these media. The user actions on these platforms can be harvested and used for sentiment analysis. They would be subjected to content regulation and intermediary requirements and must cooperate with law enforcement bodies. Protecting privacy, ensuring content security, and moderating content for regulatory obligations would throw many new use cases of security and privacy.
5. Metaverse Malls
Shared virtual spaces, used for gaming, are now helping transform storefronts into digital malls and are changing how we shop and interact with people and businesses. Rather than shopping on retailers’ websites, one can browse a gaming world with a friend to hang out and shop from the digital storefronts developed for the environment. The shopping experience would transform into a metaverse with an increasing degree of interoperability, enabled by consistent identity systems and decentralized computing. Massively multiplayer online game platforms are evolving to enable rapid convergence of the online and offline world, allowing brands to launch their retail shops in the gaming apps. Gamers like Priceless Golf integrate e-commerce capabilities. Metaverse commerce is set to become the norm shortly. The meta paradigm needs to provide careful attention to security, more importantly on privacy. The content (video/AR/VR) exchanged can be manipulated or alternated. The underlying platform modules, commercial and open-source, may not be designed securely, leaving doors open for attacks. Attackers may move beyond visual boundaries that physically protect users. It may lead users to walk into walls and fall from steps. The meta world demands new frameworks and approaches. Security protocols need to be augmented, assessment and assurance tools must be invented, and new real-time risk management solutions must be explored.
6. Cryptocurrency Rewards
Retailers are implementing rewards programs that use crypto rewards (or blockchain and cryptocurrency) as an alternative to the traditional point of cash-based rewards and loyalty programs. For example, rewards platforms like Lolli allow brands to offer consumers cashback in Bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies are gaining consumer familiarity and hence, moving to the stage of retail acceptance. The core of the cryptocurrency is believed to be stable and secure. However, as the usage is getting unfolded, unbundled, and more widespread in the retail and consumer domains, issues like transaction security, payments security, authentication and identity management, financial information privacy need thorough investigation.
