Author • Ikpenyi Michael

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INTRODUCTION TO TECH INDUSTRY TREND

The world is gradually being taken over by technology - If it has not almost done that.  Its' fast-paced evolution with mind-blowing innovation and invention constantly accelerating the rate at which the world progresses. 

The resultant effects of the rapid change is not just evident in the human world but also the Information Technology (IT) industry. The ever dynamic IT industry is full of disruptive new technologies, mind boggling ideas deeply rooted in creativity, etc. These changes can however be a daunting task especially in  keeping up with the latest trends in the industry. It is therefore important as an IT professional, enthusiast, to keep learning, unlearning and relearning to stay afloat with the happenings of the industry. 

Here are some emerging technology trends with in-demand jobs you should be on the lookout for. 

1) Generative AI - Generative AI, though has been in existence since 1960 when it was introduced in chatbots. But it was until the introduction of generative adversarial network or GANs that generative ai began to create convincingly realistic images, audios, and videos of people. The simplicity of the new user interface in creating qualitative texts, graphics and videos has brought about the whole buzz around generative ai.  It learns the patterns and structures of their input training data and then generates new data that has similar features.

Generative AI can be applied in various industries such as writing, software development, art, product design, finance, gaming, marketing, and fashion. A mastery of generative ai opens one up to pursue top job opportunities in;

- Data Science

- AI Research

- Creative Industry

- AI ethics consultancy, etc

2) Datafication - The transfiguration of most aspects of life into quantifiable data for easy tracking, monitoring and analyzing is referred to as datafication. It is a technological trend turning many areas of human life into computerized data through processes to convert data into new forms of value. The modification from smartphone, office application, etc., to AI-powered appliances through data is here to stay.  The influx of data requires accurate and secure data protection. Datafication has become an in-demand specialization with various job roles in;

- Big data engineering

- Data science

- Business intelligence analysis

- Information Technology architecture

- Robotics engineering

3) Extended Reality - Every technology which simulates reality, from Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality to Mixed Reality falls under Extended Reality. Extended Reality technologies are popular amongst gamers, medical specialists, etc. 

This is triggered by the desire to escape from real boundaries of the world. 

Job roles in Extended Reality;

- Front lead engineering

- Software development

- Extended Technology Architecture

- Game designing.

4) 3D Printing - 3D printing which is used to formulate prototypes is another trend and market demand in the tech industry. It is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.  A sound knowledge in machine learning, AI, modelling and 3D printing would open one up to the following jobs in the tech market industry; 

- CX Program Management

- Emulation Prototyping Engineering

- 3D Printer Engineering

- AI Engineering

- Additive Manufacturing Technologists

- Research and Development 

5) Robotic Process Automation (RPA) - RPA is the use of software to automate business processes such as interpreting applications, dealing with data, replying mails, processing transactions, etc. RPA automates repeatedly done jobs. It inevitably threatens means of livelihood but also creates new ones. 

- Project Management

- Business Analysis

- RPA Development, etc., are the job opportunities in RPA.