Capgemini: here are the top 5 technological trends to watch in 2024

Capgemini presented “ TechnoVision Top 5 Technology Trends to Watch in 2024 ,” a publication focused on technologies expected to reach an inflection point next year. Among these five is generative AI, which in 2023 has taken center stage in the global public and business debate, fueling the belief that technology is capable of catalyzing economic and societal progress . While this topic will remain relevant next year, other key technologies are also expected to reach a stage of maturity or breakthrough in 2024 to help solve the most pressing challenges facing business, society and society. environment.

“For anyone who has followed the news in recent months, it is impossible to deny the transformative impact of technology. Generative AI is an obvious example, but not the only one. » explains Pascal Brier , Director of Innovation at Capgemini and member of the Group Executive Committee . “Every day, Capgemini teams analyze the technology landscape to harness the power of innovation for our clients and anticipate the next technology trends on the horizon. In addition to generative AI, areas to watch in 2024 include developments in semiconductors, post-quantum cryptography, battery technologies and new space exploration – all of which will be essential in helping us meet the challenges of our economies, our communities and our ecosystems. .”

Subject index:

TechnoVision 2023: Technologies to watch in 2024

Generative AI: small will be the new big

Generative AI made its disruptive entry into the global technology and business debate in late 2022 and 2023, with expectations of significant business impact. In 2024, will it live up to the enormous hype it has generated? The answer is yes. While today's large language models (LLMs) will continue to thrive, the need for smaller, more cost-effective models is increasing. These models will become increasingly smaller to operate on small footprint installations with limited computing capabilities, particularly at the edge of networks or on smaller enterprise architectures.

In 2024, new AI platforms will increasingly address the topic of “hallucinations,” combining generative AI models with high-quality insights from Knowledge Graphs.. To support all of this, platforms will be created that provide businesses with tools to leverage generative AI without the need for deep in-house technical skills. This will lead, in the long term, to the creation of interconnected networks of models designed and refined for specific tasks, as well as the development of truly multi-agent generative ecosystems.

Because it matters: These developments in generative AI indicate a shift towards more accessible, versatile and affordable technology. These innovations will enable organizations to more quickly evolve generative AI use cases and derive greater long-term value from this technology.

Quantum technologies: when cyber meets quantum

There is an ongoing cyber-weapons race, where advances in computing power must be accompanied by strengthened digital defense mechanisms. For example, artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) are increasingly used for threat detection, while the Zero Trust security model could become a global standard. But a new challenge is quickly emerging, driven by the development of quantum computing, which could make current encryption standards such as RSA and ECC obsolete: the development of quantum-resistant algorithms therefore becomes an imperative necessity to preserve confidentiality and data security in the future.

In the United States, the standard for “post-quantum cryptography” (PQC), that is to say for encryption algorithms deemed resistant to quantum attacks, will be published in 2024 by National Institute of Standards and Technology. Since the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Readiness Act requires that public and private organizations that supply the U.S. government be prepared to migrate to PQC within one year of the release of the NIST standards, this topic is expected to become a topic conversation for boards of directors in 2024.

Because it matters: This emerging shift promises to shake the very foundations of cybersecurity standards globally. All business leaders and technology experts will be impacted by this advancement as more and more organizations begin their quantum transition.

Semiconductors: Moore's law is not outdated, it is transforming

Being the most traded good in the world (before crude oil and automobiles)I semiconductors are essential to digital transformation . Moore's Law states that the computing power of a microchip doubles every two years, while its cost falls by half. : a theory which perhaps reaches its physical and economic limits. The semiconductor industry is indeed at the dawn of an era of transformation, with multiple factors converging to redefine its landscape in 2024. Chips reach 2nm, transistors approach the size of a few atoms and investments growing in research and development and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are becoming a challenge for even the largest manufacturers.

2024 should see an evolution of Moore's law, with new paradigms: even if they approach the absolute physical limit of chip miniaturization, chiplets they saw advances in 3D chip stacking, innovations in materials science, and new forms of lithography to continue to increase computing power.

Because it matters: Digital transformation is expected to accelerate across all sectors, thanks to more powerful connected objects, from smartphones to electric vehicles, data centers and telecommunications. These technological advances will translate into developments in the semiconductor ecosystem itself, with the emergence in 2024 of new gigafactories, new regulations, new economic models and new fusion services.

TechnoVision 2023: other major technological trends

Other major technology trends identified by Capgemini are batteries and space technology .

Improve battery performance and reduce costs This is an important goal for both businesses and governments, as the industrial stakes are high for every nation.

Because it matters: In an economic world driven by energy transition and the fight against climate change, these emerging developments could pave the way for broader choices for the battery industry and more sustainable use of materials .

In 2024, humanity is preparing to return to the Moon. This renewed interest in space technologies aims to stimulate scientific discoveries, but also to help solve Earth's most critical challenges, including monitoring climate risks and environmental disasters, improving access to telecommunications, as well as defense and national security.

Because it matters: The last space race revolutionized the world by accelerating groundbreaking innovations such as satellite technology, GPS, integrated circuits, solar power and composite materials. This return to the stars promises to do the same in the fields of computing, telecommunications and Earth observation.

Beyond 2024: the technologies that will characterize the next 5 years

Low carbon hydrogen

Hydrogen has long been touted as a clean alternative to fuels because when burned it produces only water. However, traditional hydrogen production is energy intensive and often relies on fossil fuels. The trend toward low-carbon hydrogen seeks to change this by using renewable or nuclear energy to power the electrolysis of water, splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen without any carbon emissions. Advances in electrolyzer technology, including the development of proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide electrolyzers, are improving efficiency and reducing costs, but low-carbon hydrogen is not yet competitive, beyond other reliability and scalability challenges.

Carbon capture

Although reducing carbon emissions remains the top priority, as defined by the Paris Agreement, to meet their decarbonization goals, even several hard-to-reduce industrial sectors will need to invest in carbon capture technologies (particularly at the source, for example (e.g. cement or steel plants). New methods of capturing CO 2 are becoming more and more efficient and less energy intensive, supported by huge public investments, notably in the United States and in the EU.

Synthetic biology

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of synthetic biology to protect public health, highlighting the immense potential for innovations such as synthetic mRNA to develop vaccines at unprecedented speed. Innovations on the horizon include programmable cells and organisms capable of producing new drugs, green chemicals and sustainable materials, as well as breakthroughs in gene editing that offer the potential to cure genetic diseases.

Video: Technovision 2024

TechnoVision

TechnoVision is a global program from Capgemini that provides a comprehensive view of the world of technology to help leaders make innovation-driven business transformation decisions. Guide decision-makers through the myriad of emerging technology trends to focus on those that will make their organization most effective.

www.capgemini.com/technovision

1. A Knowledge Graph is a structured representation of data and their interconnections. ↑
2. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2023/08/nist-standardize-encryption-algorithms-can-resist-attack-quantum-computers ↑
3. https://www.wto.org/english/blogs_e/data_blog_e/blog_dta_14jul23_e.htm ↑
4. Chiplets are sub-elements of a chip divided into functional blocks.