A Technological Future: Blockchain, AI, 5G and the IoT - The Malta Independent

Hardly a day goes by without a mention of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, or 5G these days. Blockchain was more of a fad in 2017 than it is today, as many people equated the technology with soaring cryptocurrency prices representing a quick way to get rich for those who tried their luck. While at the beginning of last year cryptocurrencies went belly-up even faster than they had risen, the underlying technology's promises went much further than in the crypto space. Even though as a technology it is slow, energy-inefficient (even though this is gradually improving), and solves none of the problems that could not be solved by technologies that existed before it like centralised databases, digital signatures and certificates, fintech, escrow arrangements, letters of credit and information sharing on platforms like Git and Peer-to-Peer networks, blockchain enthusiasts still see a glimmer of hope in possible future technological improvements and favourable regulatory regimes. In stark contrast, AI as it is today already provides a very stable foundation on which to build the future of things to come.