The Future of Cloud

 Here is a recent podcast I took part in with the D2 collective. In this podcast I discuss the main Cloud models, the top Cloud Service providers, Cloud security and best practices. 

Working remotely

According to a recent article in Silicon Republic, remote working will rival fixed office locations by 2025. Job listing search engine Indeed, found that the number of Irish people searching for jobs including the word ‘remote’ surged by 171% in late 2017. There is no question about the fact that employers across the board need to adopt a more flexible approach toward employees, particularly toward those who are parents of young children. Adopting a flexible attitude toward allowing employees to work from home will certainly boost employee morale by allowing employees to reduce their daily commute. In a day and age when global warming poses a serious threat to the future of our planet, any initiative that helps reduce our carbon footprint can only be a bonus. On top of being able to spend more time with their children, employees who work from home can dress however they want and have more time to exercise. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence and robotics, the twenty first century will witness significant changes across all industries. Any corporation that wishes to remain competitive must learn to embrace change. Becoming flexible in regard to working from home is a key step in this regard. 

Sophia, the first robot citizen

The sci-fi film "Ex Machina" very adroitly addresses the idea of a robot passing the Turing test and actually entering human society looking just like any other human being. Although somewhat unsettling, the film is extremely compelling and intellectually stimulating. The concept depicted in "Ex Machina" may actually become a reality much sooner than we think. Hong Kong based company Hanson Robotics has recently produced a robot called Sophia who became a Saudi Arabian citizen in October 2017. This marks an historical moment as Sophia is the first robot ever to be awarded citizenship of any country. Could this be a portent of things to come? Very likely. Given the enormous strides being made within AI and machine learning, we are likely to see many more robots like Sophia enter our society. This raises a number of very important matters relating to fundamental human rights. After all, should robots like Sophia be given the very same rights as human beings? Some would say yes, others would say no. These issues will need to be addressed before we progress with releasing robots into our society. However, one thing is for sure. Robots will play an integral role within our future economy. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen. The video below on Sophia is well worth watching to get an idea of what to expect!

Keyless houses

As we move toward an increasingly cashless society via Smartphones and Bitcoin, another significant change is brewing that will profoundly change how we live. Silicon Valley is currently focusing heavily in technologies relating to keys and building access. Venture capitalists are investing heavily in finding a digital alternative to metal keys. Virtual keys will provide users with information about who accesses their homes and when. Users will also be able to revoke keys instantly in case of emergency. This article in Techcrunch gives a lucid overview of what to expect in coming years. Virtual keys will play an important in facilitating eCommerce developments i.e. home deliveries will be much easier when customers do not have to wait at home to open the door. Virtual keys will be able to provide one-time access or limited access. Virtual keys will also provide and electronic audit trail of who exactly accessed the premises at what time.This will make for better cybersecurity practises. No doubt, challenges remain in regard to the development and implementation of virtual keys. But we can expect to see exciting developments within this area very soon. Google's Nest smart thermostat subsidiary is planning to roll out a video doorbell called the Nest Hello next year. Amazon is also exploring smart doorbells. Metal keys may not become obsolete just yet, but virtual keys will certainly change the real estate industry very soon. 

Future trends within Data Analytics

Data Analytics is reshaping every industry by providing insights that are often surprising and counterintuitive. As the technology economy continues to evolve, Data Analytics will continue to play a critical role in the development of each industry sector. Here is a list of trends that we can expect to see within Data Analytics in the coming years:

1. The algorithmic economy

Algorithmic approaches from machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) will be crucial for dealing with the colossal tsunamic of data we will see in coming years.

2. Evolving Data Analytics architecture

     AI, BI, Cloud, data at rest and data in transit, in-memory spinning disk all must co-exist in the new economy. Data Analytics architectures will need to adapt in order to accommodate these broad and diverse data types. Approximately 95% of all data is unstructured so Data Analytics tool will need to evolve to cope with large, unstructured data sets.

3. Speed

Customers in this day and age demand instant gratification and speed will be of the utmost importance for Data Analytics systems to be able to deliver real value to corporations. Data Analytics platforms will need to deliver results in real-time.

4. Collaboration

Data Analytics platforms will need to adapt analytic innovation with security, scalability and availability. Everyone within corporations will need to have access to Data Analytics insights, regardless of their technical acumen. This will facilitate effective and strategic collaboration throughout large organisations.

One thing is certain, Data Analytics will be a very exciting area to watch in the next few years. Big, exciting changes can be expected!

The rise of the robots

This blog has previously addressed the future of robotics. One book that has recently been published that addresses this topic very well is "Rise of the robots" by Martin Ford. Ford carefully examines the rise in robotics and AI and addresses the likely impacts on the future of the professions. One point he drives home is that robotics will not simply disrupt blue-collar jobs i.e. factories, manufacturing, but also white-collar jobs i.e. accountancy and dentistry. Robotics will revolutionise the world as we know it. But although this will bring many desired changes, it will also pose a threat to the future of our economy. For instance, when robotics disrupts the global economy and millions of jobs are threatened, how will we respond as a society? Will we simply bury our heads in the sand and hope the problem goes away or will we be proactive in terms of helping people whose jobs are threatened, find employment within the new economy? One thing is for sure. Robotics and AI will lead to huge career opportunities for coders in the likes of R or Python. Data analysts will also be highly sought after. Training and upskilling people for careers in these areas will certainly help some people to remain employed. But not everyone wants to be a Python coder or a Data scientist. What roles will those individuals fulfil in the new economy? This question has yet to be adequately addressed but it is one we must tackle as we move forward with technology. Ultimately, technology is about making people's lives better. But we cannot achieve this goal if we do not carefully assess the negative impact of future technology and seek a viable solution. "Rise of the robots" is strongly recommended for anybody interested in this area.

10 big European tech stories

Ten big European tech stories occurred recently that could have significant repercussions over the coming year. These were:

1. Barcelona based Smartphone games developer Social Point was acquired by Take-Two for $250 million.

2. European lawmakers agreed to cap the wholesale charges mobile service operators pay each other, thus paving the way for the abolition of roaming fees in Europe in June of this year. This could open more opportunities for Smartphone developments.

3. Spotify has considered delaying its IPO until 2018.

4. UK-based Zoopla has agreed to buy data company Hometrack for £120 million.

5. Uber has announced a partnership with German firm Daimler, maker of Mercedes-Benz cars and trucks. Daimler plans to produce its own self-driving Mercedes-Benz into Uber's fleet.

6. U.S event management platform Eventbrite has acquired Amsterdam-based Ticketscript to strengthen its European presence.

7. Spotcap has announced a new partnership with New Zealand's Heartland bank.

8. A German consumer group has sued Whatsapp in Berlin over the collection and transfer of user data on the platform.

9. U.S recruitment software company SmartRecruiters has acquired job search company Jobspotting.

10. Lego has launched a new app for under-13s called Lego Life.