As we edge closer to the end of this year, everyone’s attention is firmly on what’s coming next.
Gartner is quick out of the gate, with a prediction that there will be 25 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020, outnumbering the global population by a ratio of over 3:1. While the Internet of Things has been a certain talking point, its impact on modern technology has only just started to be realised.
As always, it’s an exciting time for technology. Technological innovation is a topic that always manages to provoke emotion, and its power means that together we’re capable of things that are far beyond our individual capacity.
But as much as we love technology, we do also need to ask questions. At what point does it become too much? The Internet of Things has only just started, but how far should we allow it to go? How much privacy are you prepared to give up for convenience? Will people read the privacy policy for their Internet connected fridge – unlikely, so do we need to agree new international standards.
We’re on the cusp of an incredible technological era, but we shouldn’t rush into innovation for the sake of it, and forget what makes us human.