Important technologies and discoveries in 2021

This article presents the main achievements and discoveries in IT sphere, their significance and influence on different branches of society.

Taking stock of 2021, we looked at the reports of authoritative scientific journals and came up with a list of innovations that define the technological landscape and shape our future.

GPT-3

The GPT-3 language software model (neural network) is considered to be the most complex and voluminous to date. The GPT-3 neural network, Generative Pre-trained Transformer, was developed by the non-profit OpenAI organization founded by SpaceX head Elon Musk and former President of YCombinator accelerator Sam Altman. The third generation of the Natural Language Processing program was presented to the public in May 2020. Today it is the most complex and voluminous language model. The volume of data and parameters it uses is 100 times that of the previous generation.

However, even the most advanced transformers, trained on huge amounts of data, do not understand the meaning of the words and phrases they generate. Their training requires vast amounts of data and computing resources. Another issue there is the imperfection of datasets used to train neural networks: texts on the Internet often contain distortions and manipulations.

One of the most promising areas in the development of AI and neural networks is the broadening of the range of perception. Now algorithms can recognize images, faces, fingerprints, sounds and voices. They can also talk and generate images and videos, simulating our perception of different senses. MIT scholars note that the AI lacks emotional intelligence and emotion to approach a person.

So far, the most advanced algorithms, including GPT-3, are on their way. Now the challenge for developers is to create multimodal systems that combine text recognition and sensory perception to process information and find solutions.

Data protection based on Data Trusts model

With the development of cloud technology and electronic document management, more users are sharing personal information online, and large corporations have long been forced to increase the level of encryption and security protocols for official documents.


According to Accenture, the number of cyberattacks increased markedly during the pandemic. In the first half of 2020 alone, 36 billion accounts and accounts were hacked. We started to store much more data online, work online and use corporate services from personal devices. As a result, many companies were affected by leaks and had to increase cybersecurity.

But leaks are not caused by poor data protection only, they also happen because a model of data collection and storage is outdated. Data Trusts is a new approach that can change everything. In this case, a special Trust which stores and manages person’s data on his behalf is created.

According to the representatives of Mozilla, the principle of fiduciary data management implies that you transfer your data to someone who disposes of it in your own interest. All data is stored in one place and the services you use are accessed on your terms. The Trust has full legal responsibility for your interests and privacy.

Wi-Fi 6 and 5G

New standards of communication and wireless Internet, on the one hand, help to work remotely from one place at high speed. On the other hand, they help to promote Internet of Things and artificial intelligence and make data transmission more secure.

The main benefits of 5G are:
1) High-speed video streaming in social media and online services with minimal transmission delays (about 1-2 ms);
2) the Internet of Things: according to Accenture, with 5G it will be possible to support up to 1 million devices per sq km;
3) the new communications standard will ensure the uninterrupted operation of autonomous drones or remote intensive care units;
4) with the help of 5G, many employees will be able to permanently work from home, and companies will be able to make faster decisions based on streaming analytics. From 2021 to 2025, technology will bring the States economy up to $2.7 trillion and up to 16 million jobs.


The new Wi-Fi 6 standard will add a new 6 GHz frequency to the 2.4 and 5 GHz currently available. It pursues the same goals as 5G: it helps to speed up Internet connection, make it more stable and broadband. At the same time, the network itself will distribute the Internet traffic between devices according to their power.

Cisco specialists give the main advantages of Wi-Fi 6 for business:
1) Supports new services and applications within the local area network;
2) higher speed and service level of existing services (e.g., 8K streaming video);
3) the ability to serve more clients in high-load environments;
4) remote and wireless offices, including devices of the Internet of things.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

According to Statista, the AR and VR market was estimated at $18.8 billion in 2020. This is three times more than in 2016. PwC analysts predicted in 2019 that the number of employees using VR and AR in their work would increase from 500,000 to 23 million by 2030.

Today, these technologies are used in medicine to train surgeons or to perform surgery in an online physician’s meeting. In early February 2021, Microsoft conducted an online broadcast of 12 operations performed in MR – a mixed reality. Surgeons from 13 countries were able to connect online and see all the diagnostic data in holograms and consult each other.

In the AR label you can try on the goods, place the furniture in the interior before buying, and get personalized offers. In IKEA, with VR headsets you can imagine what your kitchen will look like with the selected furniture. In education, augmented and virtual reality help to dive deeply into the educational process and model the environment that is studied in the classroom in detail.

Technology is also used in corporate learning. Tyson Foods, an international food corporation, uses VR to train employees in occupational safety. As a result, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in occupational injuries. Architects and designers present 1:1 scale projects using virtual and augmented reality instead of conventional 3D renderers. In the automotive industry, VR allows engineers to experiment with the design and design of new models during the concept development phase.

But the main area where virtual and augmented reality are especially in demand remains to be videogames and entertainment. In addition to VR games and simulations, there are also virtual reality entertainment parks in various countries, such as Europa-Park in Germany or VR Star in China.

The fastest-growing market for VR and AR sign recognition devices in the next seven years is the market for VR and AR: according to Grand View Research, the annual market growth from 2021 to 2028 is on average 18%.

3D printing

During the COVID-19 pandemic, additive technologies became a lucrative alternative to traditional production, requiring huge investments and resources. Another remarkable advantage is the significantly lower level of waste. According to Grand View Research, the global 3D print market in 2019 was estimated at $11.58 billion, and from 2020 to 2027, it would grow at an average annual rate of over 14%.

3D printing already creates clothes and shoes, interior items, mechanical parts and even prostheses. 3D printers print many parts for Rutherford engines mounted on Electron rockets.

In medicine, 3D printers print cables and other parts for medical equipment. Another amazing experiment is the 3D printing of fragments of human bones directly in the body. For this purpose, special biocompatible inks are used.

Additive technologies are used in architecture: printed parts are used to build whole frame houses, making them much cheaper than ordinary analogues. According to The Guardian, in Coachella Valley, California, they built a whole neighborhood like this.

Calculation As A Service

‘Calculation As A Service’ (CaaS) or Peripheral Computing Model is a global trend, along with Software as Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as Service (IaaS) and Platform as Service (PaaS). A typical example of such a model is online games or online cinemas. You pay a subscription, and the content is launched online from the server of the service provider.
Companies gain access to cloud services to save on IT infrastructure and support, as well as not overload the local network. This allows to quickly deploy and test a new online service or software, to place virtual telephone exchanges and volumetric databases. The pandemic has forced many to change the business model and shift IT resources towards cloud services.

According to Grand View Research, in 2019 the peripheral computing market was estimated at $3.5 billion. By 2027, it would have grown to $43.4 billion. This will help, among other things, to spread 5G widely and reduce signal delay up to 1 ms. According to Analysys Mason, leading companies plan to spend up to 30% of their IT budget on peripheral cloud computing in the coming years.

IDC predicts that 25% of companies will make business more flexible and sustainable by 2024 by integrating peripheral data with cloud applications. The development of computation as a service will be facilitated by machine learning and artificial intelligence. They help to allocate and optimize power to ensure a stable processing rate.

Voice search and Voice Assistants

Voice recognition via neural networks has reached a stage where voice assistants are able to replace real people or text search. Google, Apple, and Amazon are increasingly investing in this area.

Today we can dispense with text search: smart speakers and voice assistants search for the information we need, run tracks and podcasts, put reminders and dial numbers. Voice navigation is used in drone control, and voice chat bots replace live consultants and call center operators.

According to Google, 27% of the world’s people use voice aids on smartphones. According to Adobe Analytics, 47% of smart speakers use them to search, 46% to listen to news, 34% to ask for an address or to get instructions. Google claims that 62% of people order online products with smart columns. With each passing year, AI is making them smarter. In 2013, they could recognize 77 percent of the words spoken, and today, they can recognize 97 percent.

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