Technologies are evolving at an incredibly fast rate. The annual predictions of trends can rapidly fluctuate, considering how many new developments are brought into discussion regularly. Technology-based careers aren’t the only ones impacted by tech movements, but IT workers are the ones to acknowledge first how their roles are continuously changing. 

Each year, industries are improving their practices, adopting new technologies, aiming to perfect processes and simplify jobs. The rise of digital transformation is likely to have an impact on your career, regardless of the specific field you might be operating in. Digital is remaking the workforce, and there are a few trends that seem to stand at the top in 2019. 

Besides the futuristic predictions, what are the trends you are already likely to encounter in the workforce? Which technologies have already gained popularity and have become popular in 2019? Here are the tech ramifications everyone’s talking about at the moment: 

Artificial Intelligence 

Let’s start with the most influential and popular trend at the moment and that is AI. Artificial Intelligence has certainly made quite the buzz these few past years, and it keeps being one of the most frequently discussed tech topics until today. 

AI has made quite a few changes on the way we live and work, and its power is only said to grow bigger over time. What does Artificial Intelligence actually stand for? AI is the technology designed to mimic human intelligence. These systems have the capacity to recognize speech, images and patterns, being capable of decision making as well.  Industries and businesses are adopting the AI trend, considering various tasks can be done faster and more accurately. 

You are already using AI in one way or another, whether it’s a digital personal assistant on your phone, a navigation system or a ride-sharing mobile application. AI stands at the base of automation, and automation has caused quite the controversy in the workforce. 

While you might be fearing that AI is eliminating certain job positions through automation, which can be true for some industries, it also opens a wider range of new opportunities. New jobs will appear in testing, programming, development etc. As long as you earn an AI certificate, amazing career possibilities will be standing in front of you. 

Machine Learning 

A subdivision of AI, Machine Learning enables computers to subtract patterns and insights from data. This trend is rapidly being embraced by different industries, creating new job positions. Deep Learning and neural networks are two of examples of Machine Learning subsets, which facilitate new professional fields. 

But what can you actually use Machine Learning applications for? Well, for businesses, this trend facilitates effective data mining, data processing or pattern recognition. Producing real time ads, powering web search results and detecting network intrusions are only a few of the many things Machine Learning can do. 

In the IT sector, this tech trend is generating quite a lot of job opportunities. When you’re Googling IT companies near me, you’ll see for yourself that the majority of firms have vacancies available for Machine Learning specialists, starting from engineers and data scientists and up to researchers and developers. 

RPA – robotic process automation 

RPA – robotic process automation – is another major trend circulating in recent years, and influencing certain fields of practice. Just like the two other technologies you’ve seen explained above, RPA has the purpose of automating certain processes, using software to perform a wide variety of tasks, including the processing of data and transactions, application interpretation and in some cases, even specific actions such as mail replies. 

Whatever repetitive task your job demanded you to carry out manually in the past, could now be covered through robotic process automation.  RPA eases certain jobs, eliminates the need for some of them, but also creates new opportunities. 

High-paid jobs revolving around robotic process automation have been generated, such as RPA solution architects, developers or project managers. The right course could open new doors for you in the professional department, allowing you to pursue a career in this field, which comes with promising benefits. 

Edge computing

While cloud computing used to be the thing everyone talked about until most recently, and cloud solutions are still being implemented by an increasing number of businesses, the latest tech trend you’ll notice here is edge computing. 

Edge computing has the role of overcoming the data processing shortcomings cloud computing is known to face, eliminating various challenges and increasing the use of IoT devices. This movement makes it possible to process data in remote locations, even without being connected to a centralized location.

As for careers, the primary job opportunity that you will come across is the role of software engineer. 

Virtual and augmented reality 

You’ve probably heard quite a lot of things about virtual reality and augmented reality, considering how much buzz has been made around these technologies. While the first one immerses you, as a user, in a certain environment, the latter simply enhances the environment around. VR has been firstly introduced in the gaming industry, but now different fields are adopting virtual reality software tools for learning and training opportunities. 

Getting started in virtual and augmented reality only demands from you some standard programming skills, and job opportunities are quite extensive, new positions being generated regularly. VR can soon be used in many resourceful ways in various sectors, from marketing to education and entertainment. 

With so many tech advancements emerging in recent years, it’s only normal for different job positions to alter. All industries have been influenced by technology, and in 2019, these seem to be the trends with the biggest impact. Whether you’re part of the IT sector, work in healthcare or have a job in the industrial field, you’ve probably experienced the power of at least one of these popular tech movements. Careers and businesses alike benefit nowadays from an entirely different experience than they would have a few years back, notable progress has been made and amazing new things are expected to happen in the future.