Tech predictions for 2018: Drones, crypto, and the rise of the robots

The pace of technological change can seem exciting and daunting in equal measure. From Amazon to Uber, tech giants saw their practices and business models scrutinised more deeply than ever before, while regulators sought to get their arms around a rapidly evolving "new economy", driven by disruptive technology. While we can only guess at what's around the corner, here are five things to watch out for this year. Machine learning comprises a key component of artificial intelligence whose use is set to grow. Many businesses, especially consumer-facing ones that analyse data (think Google Translate), will start to deploy it, with high-end smartphones being a good example of where we can expect continued early adoption. Machine learning is likely to make data analysis easier and improve efficiencies, thus empowering rather than replacing humans – at least for now.