Tianjin, China, 26 June 2023 – The World Economic Forum today announced its annual Breakthrough Technologies list, listing the top 10 technologies with the greatest potential to positively impact the world, including flexible batteries, generative artificial intelligence and sustainable aviation fuel.
The 2023 Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report, published in partnership with Frontiers, was judged by a team of experts based on a number of different criteria. In addition to significant social and economic benefits, these technologies must be disruptive, attractive to investors and researchers, and expected to be adopted on a large scale within five years.
"Ten emerging technologies will disrupt industries, boost economic growth, improve lives and protect the planet. Of course, this assumes that these technologies are responsibly designed, scaled and applied," said Jeremy Jurgens, Executive Director of the World Economic Forum and Head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. "We hope this year's report will be a powerful tool for business leaders and policymakers to unlock the transformative potential of emerging technologies and shape inclusive adoption."
Since its first release in 2011, the Top 10 Emerging Technologies report has uncovered many technologies that were initially little known but have since had a profound impact on the world. For example, the genetic vaccine reported in 2016 later became the underlying technology for most COVID vaccines. The 2018 list mentioned AI-based molecular design, and two years later, the first drugs discovered by AI entered clinical trials.
Now in its second decade, this year's Emerging Technologies Report expands on the past ten editions with responses from expert screening panels for each technology to qualitatively assess the impact of each technology on people, planet, prosperity, industry and social equity. The 2023 edition also provides a series of transformation maps on the World Economic Forum's Strategic Insights Platform. These maps show how emerging technologies are linked to other topics on the global agenda, accompanied by the latest credible publications for readers' reference, providing deeper insights and context for each technology.
Kamila Markram, co-founder and CEO of Frontiers, said: "We stand at a critical turning point for global society. Among them, the power of knowledge will be our guiding light in difficult situations. "This comprehensive report is important in opening the door to this knowledge, not only revealing groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs, but also providing leaders with the insights necessary to effectively understand and leverage these scientific and technological advances." ”
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2023 include:
1. Flexible battery
Traditional rigid batteries may soon become obsolete as thin, flexible batteries made of lightweight materials that can be bent, folded, and stretched are about to enter the market. This next-generation battery technology is expected to reach a market value of $240 million by 2027 and has promising applications in areas such as medical wearables, biomedical sensors, flexible displays, and smart watches.
2. Generative AI
Generative AI had to be mentioned in this year's list. This is a new type of artificial intelligence that generates new original content by learning large-scale datasets, which attracted a lot of public attention at the end of 2022 with the release of ChatGPT. Generative AI is rapidly evolving and will cause disruptive changes across multiple industries, including education and research.
3. Sustainable aviation fuel
The aviation industry produces 2% to 3% of global carbon emissions every year. With no signs of long-haul electric flight, sustainable aviation fuels that can be produced from biotic (e.g. biomass) and non-biotic (e.g. CO2) sources may be the answer to reducing aviation's carbon emissions in the short to medium term.
4. Engineered bacteriophages
Bacteriophages are viruses that selectively infect specific types of bacteria. With the help of increasingly sophisticated genetic engineering tools, scientists can now reprogram bacteriophages to infect designated bacteria, allowing them to specifically target one of the many coexisting bacterial types in the plant, animal, and human microbiome. While many of the near-term applications will only be used for research, there is evidence that this engineered bacteriophage could eventually be used to treat diseases associated with microbial communities or eliminate harmful bacteria from the food supply chain.
5. The metaverse that improves mental health
In response to the worsening mental health crisis, product developers are beginning to build shared virtual spaces to improve mental health. Video games are already being used to treat depression and anxiety, and meditation through virtual reality is growing in popularity. The future metaverse combined with next-generation wearables that allow users to gain a sense of touch or react to the user's emotional state could be a recipe for improving mental health.
6. Wearable plant sensors
Surveillance of large farms has traditionally relied on artificial soil testing and visual observation, while drones and satellites have revolutionized this. Today, we have a new generation of plant sensors. These small, non-invasive devices can be "worn" on each plant and continuously monitor temperature, humidity, humidity, and nutrient levels. If cost can be overcome, wearable plant sensors can improve plant health and increase yields.
7. Spatial omics
By combining advanced imaging techniques with the specificity of DNA sequencing, spaceomics allows scientists to "see" biological processes at the molecular level within cells. By revealing previously unobservable biological structures and events, this powerful new technology will accelerate our understanding of biology and help researchers develop new treatments for complex diseases.
8. Flexible neuroelectronics
Brain-computer interfaces, which allow the brain to communicate directly with external computers, have the potential to transform human health conditions in fields such as epilepsy, depression or paralysis. To date, this technology has been based on rigid electronics and limited by problems such as mechanical and geometric mismatches with brain tissue. However, there have been breakthroughs in flexible electronics and more biocompatible materials, which means patients can have a less invasive and more comfortable experience. The market size for this technology is expected to grow from $1.74 billion to $6.18 billion by the end of the decade.
9. Sustainable computing
Data centers consume about 1% of global electricity production. Today, multiple technologies are intertwined to make zero-energy data centers possible. "Sustainable computing" technologies include liquid cooling systems, artificial intelligence analytics, and modular data centers that can coexist with existing energy sources such as methane burners.
10. AI-assisted healthcare
From diagnostics to drug design, AI is widely hailed as an enabler of improved healthcare. This report focuses on the role of AI in supporting healthcare systems, including monitoring outbreaks, aiding decision-making, personalizing treatment, and improving the efficiency of health care. AI-assisted healthcare has great potential and will have a profound impact on the healthcare industry in the coming years.
About the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions
The 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions will be held in Tianjin from June 27 to 29 under the theme "Entrepreneurship: A World Economic Driver". The conference will provide new impetus for innovation and entrepreneurship, driving economic growth and shaping a more equitable, sustainable and resilient global economy.
![What are the security challenges posed by new technologies such as generative AI? The forum was held in Shanghai[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)