Business Trends in Practice. Бернард Марр
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and making transactions more secure. (When serving as CEO of IBM, Ginni Rometty said, “What the Internet did for communications, I think blockchain will do for trusted transactions.”)10 This technology already exists, but it has some way to go before it's truly accessible for all organizations. That said, advances in more ubiquitous computing, 5G, edge computing, and cloud computing may combine to make blockchain technology more accessible (for example, by harnessing distributed computing power around the world, instead of having entire server farms dedicated to running just one blockchain).
But let's back up a bit. What exactly is blockchain technology? In very simple terms, it's a super-secure way of storing data. Blockchain promises a practical solution to the problem of storing, authenticating, and protecting data, thereby providing a new way to authenticate information, identities, transactions, and more. This makes blockchain an increasingly attractive tool for industries like banking and insurance, but in fact blockchain can be used to provide a super-secure real-time record of pretty much anything: contracts, supply chain information, even physical assets.
To get a little more technical, a blockchain is a form of open, distributed ledger (i.e., a database), where the data is distributed (i.e., duplicated) across many computers and is typically decentralized. This means there's no one central point of attack for hackers to target – hence why blockchain is so secure.
How does it work? Records in a blockchain are called “blocks” and each block has a time and date stamp, noting when the record was created or updated. Each block is linked to the previous block, thus forming the “chain.” The chain itself can be public (Bitcoin is a prime example of a public blockchain) or private (like a banking blockchain).
What about the difference between blockchain and distributed ledger technology? Although I use “blockchain” as a catchall term here, strictly speaking, the two terms aren't quite interchangeable. A good way to sum up the difference is this: a blockchain is typically open and permissionless, while a distributed ledger tends to be permissioned. Blockchains are generally public, creating a truly decentralized, democratic system where no one body or person is “in charge” (Bitcoin being the perfect example). A distributed ledger, on the other hand, could be private, meaning access is restricted by one centralized body (say, an organization). So a distributed ledger isn't necessarily decentralized and democratic, but it is still distributed and generally far more secure than traditional databases.
Blockchain and distributed ledger technology brings many advantages for businesses: securing data, removing intermediaries, increasing transparency, and supporting super-secure, frictionless, real-time transactions. But there are challenges to overcome – chief of which is how to implement this technology within the constraints of an organization built on legacy technology. The answer may lie in partnering with the many new innovators and entrepreneurs who are making real headway in the blockchain space. According to Deloitte, 45 percent of emerging disrupters have already brought blockchain to production, compared to less than 25 percent of enterprise businesses.11 In other words, fully harnessing blockchain technology may require a complete rethink of operations, rather than trying to bolt this revolutionary technology onto existing systems.
And while we're on the subject of rethinking business processes, we can't ignore the potential for 3D printing to overhaul manufacturing.
Trend 7: 3D Printing
3D printing allows us to rethink how we produce things. It gives manufacturers the ability to make things that simply can't be produced with traditional methods, to streamline the manufacturing process, and easily create highly personalized products (even completely unique one-offs), all while eliminating waste and reducing costs.
Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing means creating a 3D object from a digital file, by building it layer upon layer. Traditional manufacturing tends to be a subtractive process, meaning an object is typically cut or hollowed out of its source material, using something like a cutting tool, which is hardly the most efficient way of manufacturing things. 3D printing, on the other hand, is an additive process, meaning you create the object by adding layers upon layers of material, building up until you have the finished object. (If you were to slice a 3D printed object open, you'd be able to see each of the thin layers, a bit like rings in a tree trunk.) So, with 3D printing, you start from nothing and build the object up bit by bit, as opposed to starting with a block of material and cutting or shaping it down into something.
The main benefit of 3D printing is that even complex shapes can be created much more easily, and using less material than traditional manufacturing methods (good for the environment and the bottom line). Transport needs are reduced, since parts and products can be printed onsite; a factory, for example, could 3D print replacement machinery parts rather than having to order and wait for components to be shipped halfway around the world. And one-off items can be made quickly and easily, without worrying about economies of scale, which could be a game-changer for rapid prototyping, custom manufacturing, and creating highly personalized products. What's more, the materials used for 3D printing can be pretty much anything: plastic, metal, powder, concrete, liquid, even chocolate. Even entire houses can be 3D printed. In 2021, a 3D printed house was listed for sale in the US for the first time. Priced at $299,999, and featuring over 1,400 square feet of living space (plus a 750-square-foot garage), the home was 50 percent cheaper than comparable newly constructed homes in the same area.12
As you can imagine, 3D printing has the potential to transform manufacturing, particularly when it comes to the mass personalization of products. As consumers increasingly expect products and services to be uniquely tailored to their needs (see Chapter 12), 3D printing allows manufacturers to customize products and designs to suit one-off requests and orders. So while 3D printing may not seem as exciting as something like AI or storing data on cubes of DNA, I believe it's still a transformative tech trend that companies should be preparing for.
But let's return to the more futuristic and sci-fi end of the tech trend spectrum.
Trend 8: Gene Editing and Synthetic Biology
As Steve Jobs once said, “The biggest innovations in the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology.” It looks like his prediction may be coming true.
We only understand around 2 percent of our genes at present, but even with this small amount, scientists have been able to achieve incredible things – not least the ability to alter the DNA encoded within a cell (known as gene editing). As we unlock more of the mysteries of our genes, we'll find new ways to understand and control them. Understandably, gene editing raises ethical issues for some, but it could deliver some drastic leaps forward in the fight against disease. Gene editing can have particular advantages when “bad” genes are detected – genes that could endanger the health of the organism or its descendants. These harmful characteristics can, in theory, be altered.
Given that the human body contains around 37 trillion cells, the microscopic scale involved in gene editing is truly amazing. The cell's nucleus, where most DNA resides, makes up around 10 percent of a typical cell, so the level of accuracy needed to cut something that tiny is almost inconceivable. At present, the CRISPR (pronounced “crisper”) method of gene editing shows the most promise; it's the simplest way of making precise changes to DNA, such as adding some traits and/or removing others, not unlike the “find and replace” function in Microsoft Word. The CRISPR method was controversially used by Chinese scientist He Jiankui to alter the DNA in the embryos of twin girls to prevent them catching HIV.13 Gene editing like this is banned in most countries and the experiment was widely condemned.
But we're not just talking about editing human DNA here. Plant health can be improved