This is why
Written by Anthony Demangone, Powered by NAFCU
The future is here. It's just not very evenly distributed.
- William Gibson
When I first read that quote, it clicked with me.
Everything that dominates the world today has been here for quite some time.
Take smartphones. The first one was launched in 1992 when I was a sophomore at Penn State. I didn't buy one. The iPhone was then launched in 2007. I didn't buy one that year either. (About 1.7 million people did, though.)
Today, nearly everyone has a smartphone. But that would have seemed nearly impossible in 1994, or 1998, or even 2002.
So what new technology, only consumed at the fringe today, might dominate in 15 years? What "future" is already here? Wikipedia has an amazing list of emerging technologies. Interestingly, there's no category for financial services. But here are some possible game-changing technologies that are already out there.
- AI in virtually every industry
- Robotics, in terms of delivery, service and who knows what
- Vertical farming
- Smart speakers, taken to the next level
- Blockchain
- Virtual reality
Which of these will dominate 2030? I have no idea. But this is why...
Why we read.
Why we travel.
Why we learn.
Again, the future isn't "out there." It's here. The tough part is figuring out where to look.
About the Author
Anthony Demangone, Executive Vice President and COO, NAFCU
Anthony Demangone, NCCO is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at NAFCU, where he oversees day-to-day operations and manages the association's education, marketing, membership, human resources, building facilities, finance and information technology functions. He also authors NAFCU's executive blog, Musings from the CU Suite and co-authored "Managing and Leading Well," a book for credit union leaders, with NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger.