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3 Trends Shapingthe Internet of Things

In 2017

Image source: Cisco.

The evolution of artificial intelligence

Growth in IoT is accelerating the need for artificial intelligence. Connectivity, data analysis, and security will require AI to function at scale, and leading IoT companies including Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft are forging partnerships and making big investments to build competencies in the unfolding space.

Image source: Microsoft.

“There aren’t enough people on Earth to run the network the way it’s being run today, when you look at the scale of the Internet of Things.”

– Rowan Trollope, general manager of Cisco’s Collaboration Technology Group

Image source: Pexels.

Cisco and IBM are teaming to integrate the latter company’s AI-driven Watson platform into Cisco’s enterprise networks and software, and Microsoft recently purchased artificial intelligence company Maluuba to boost its position in connected cars.

Image source: Pixabay.

IBM’s latest “Cognitive Advantage” study found that 85% of early adopters of cognitive computing technologies anticipate that IoT will play an important role in their AI initiatives within two years.

Early leaders in the artificial intelligence space will secure significant advantages for their Internet-of-Things offerings, and 2017 will likely see major IoT competitors continue to target companies with strengths in AI for acquisition.

Image source: Amazon.

Voice assistants could emerge as the key to winning the connected home and other key consumer IoT segments. Amazon’s first-mover advantage with its Echo hardware and Alexa voice-based operating system have given the company a leading position in the smart home space.

Voice assistants and the battle for the connected home

Image source: Alphabet.

Google Home hit the market roughly two years after the Echo, but Google’s advantages in search, AI, and price ($129 versus $179 for the Echo) could help it emerge as the dominant option.

Image source: Getty Images.

The other big differentiating factor in the voice assistant and connected home spaces looks to be interoperability, and 2017 will likely continue to see Amazon and Alphabet compete to secure partnerships for their platforms.

Controlling the connected home is a huge prize in the consumer side of the Internet of Things because of the related data, so the competition between the leaders in the space is worth keeping an eye on.

Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana are also competitors in the virtual assistant space worth watching. Apple is rumored to be working on a smart speaker to compete with Amazon and Alphabet’s offerings, and Microsoft’s upcoming Creators Update for Windows 10 will bring Cortana to supported smart home appliances.

Rapid growth in sensors and connected devices means rapid growth in the number of potential security-breach points. 2016 saw the first large-scale breach stemming from unsecured IoT technologies, and more are likely to follow in 2017.

Image source: Pexels.

IoT security threats will continue to grow

Many devices and sensors will lack proper hardware and software to meet the burgeoning security demands. Deficiencies in today’s IoT hardware and implementation could create network weaknesses years down the line.

Image source: Pexels.

Hackers’ ability to compromise industrial sites, traffic systems, and connected cars creates huge personal safety and business risks. Makers of sensors and devices need to take initiatives to prioritize security now to minimize threats.

Image source: Pexels.

Forrester Research estimates that over 500,000 Internet of Things devices will be compromised in 2017.

Even in the unlikely event that every IoT vendor, device maker, and service provider were to come together and agree on security standards, increasing connectivity will create more potential breach points.

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