Here are the main technological developments anticipated in 2023:
**Virtual Assistants**
Skilled conversational virtual assistants: Early adopters of technologies like the chat robot "ChatGPT" were amazed by its linguistic capabilities but were quickly confronted with simple arithmetic errors it could make. However, AI experts confirm that companies will work this year to enhance the strengths of these robots using tools that simplify the way we write and read texts. We are likely to witness the emergence of a conversational robot that acts as a research assistant. Imagine writing a research paper and wanting to add some historical facts about World War II; you could share a 100-page document with the robot and ask it to summarize the main points related to a particular aspect of the war. The robot would read the document and write you the summary. According to Yoav Shoham, an emeritus professor at Stanford University and co-author of the annual "AI Index" report on the evolution of artificial intelligence, "If you want to enrich your writings with a historical fact, you won’t need to search the internet to find it, as it will be just a click away from you." However, this does not mean that we will see a flood of independent AI applications in 2023; rather, we will likely deal with improvements and automated linguistic additions in many tools we currently use. Ron Kurran, a technology analyst at Forrester, noted that applications such as "Microsoft Word" and "Google Sheets" will soon be equipped with AI tools aimed at facilitating people's work.
**Electric Vehicles**
The rise of electric vehicles: Some prominent technological highlights this year include:
- **Battery Recycling:** With the increasing sales of electric cars and trucks, the race to recycle lithium-ion batteries is intensifying; however, very few will be reusable after 10 years or more.
- **Mail Trucks:** In a winning move for President Joe Biden’s administration, the U.S. Postal Service announced it intends to spend about $10 billion to establish the largest fleet of electric trucks for mail delivery in the country.
- **Increased Presence:** Sales of electric battery vehicles in the U.S. soared by 70% during the first nine months of last year, especially as lower-income users tend to invest in electric cars to save on fuel expenses.
- **Investment Incentives for Electric Vehicles:**
- **Diverse Electric Vehicle Models:** Tesla maintained its lead in electric vehicle sales in 2022, but the new year could be a turning point for the industry. Tesla's stock value has decreased recently, and the brand suffered a setback since Elon Musk acquired Twitter. At the same time, the electric vehicle market is seeing intensified competition as more manufacturers, such as Ford, Kia, General Motors, Audi, and Rivian, ramp up production in this area.
- Tesla revealed last November that it plans to open its charging design to be compatible with other electric vehicles, allowing drivers of other types of cars to recharge their batteries at Tesla’s charging stations, which are known for their higher output compared to other charging sources. Furthermore, California and New York have approved laws banning the sale of fuel-powered vehicles by 2035, which will undoubtedly expand the electric vehicle industry and exceed the dominance of single brands.
**Virtual Reality Technologies**
Virtual reality or "Metaverse": Tech companies have spent much of the past decade promoting virtual reality accessories such as "Quest 2," "HTC Vive," and "Sony PlayStation VR" for gaming. Today, with the evolution of this technology to become more powerful and wireless, companies promise that these accessories will finally reshape our lives in a way similar to the transformation brought by smartphones. For instance, Meta envisions the Metaverse as a virtual space that allows us to work, collaborate, and innovate. Upon unveiling the "Quest Pro" headset last year, the company imagined this technology as a tool capable of performing multiple tasks for workers who need to attend meetings, check emails, and complete other tasks simultaneously. However, the device received cautious and unpromising reviews after its launch, and it remains to be seen whether Meta will succeed in turning its Metaverse dream into reality. In 2023, we will hear the drums of virtual reality, as Apple is expected to launch its first head-worn accessories, having confirmed that it will never use the term "Metaverse." The company has not disclosed details of its anticipated product yet, but its CEO, Tim Cook, has hinted at his excitement for using augmented reality to benefit from digital data in the real world. During a meeting with university students in Naples last September, Cook said, "You will wonder how you lived a day without augmented reality, just as you wonder today how people lived in the past without the internet." However, he stressed that this technology will not become extraordinary overnight. Wireless headsets remain bulky and are used in closed environments, meaning that the first releases of Apple's new device will likely resemble many of its predecessors and will probably be used primarily for gaming. In other words, discussions about the Metaverse and virtual glasses (supported by augmented or mixed reality technologies) will continue to thrive throughout 2023, not likely being the year of widespread popularity for these head-worn accessories, according to Carolina Milanesi, consumer electronics analyst at Creative Strategies. She added, "From a consumer perspective, it still isn't clear what thousands of dollars spent on a head accessory will yield. Can I attend a meeting wearing virtual reality glasses? Whether I do so with or without feet is not important."
**Increased Social Media Communication Options**
More social media options: The platform "Twitter" experienced chaos for most of 2022, and it is likely to continue in the current year. To address ongoing controversies surrounding the platform, its new owner, Elon Musk, surveyed his followers on Twitter regarding whether he should step down as CEO. Nearly 10 million followers voted "yes," suggesting that Musk should resign as soon as he finds "someone crazy enough to take this job." TikTok is also facing challenges after its parent company, ByteDance, revealed that an internal investigation found employees improperly accessed the data of American users, including journalists. This contributed to increased pressure on the U.S. administration to consider imposing more controls on the application in the United States. However, regardless of the fate of Twitter and TikTok, it is clear that the social media industry is on the verge of a significant transformation. Last year saw a mass migration of many journalists, tech experts, and influencers to "Mastodon," a platform similar to Twitter. Additionally, a significant number of younger users have started using new apps like "BeReal," which allows groups of friends to stay connected by taking and sharing selfies simultaneously. We do not yet know which social media applications will shine in 2023 (Mastodon's servers are struggling to cope with the increased number of users), but what is certain is that people wary of Twitter are currently searching for a safer space.
