Deloitte touts machine learning and AR as significant technologies for 2018

Duncan Stewart, Director of Research, Deloitte Anders McKenzie, National TMT Leader

In its 17th year, Deloitte’s annual Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions provides an outlook on key trends in technology, media and telecommunication that will have a significant impact over the next five years.

Based on global research including in-depth interviews with clients, industry analysts, global industry leaders and Deloitte member-firm TMT practitioners, Deloitte’s TMT predictions provide a benchmark for the market across all industries.

The most significant TMT predictions to impact the Canadian marketplace in 2018 include:

• Machine learning: things are getting intense – In 2018, the number of machine learning technology implementations and pilot projects by medium and large-sized enterprises will double compared with 2017, and double again by 2020.
• Mobile only wireless home internet – Twenty-five per cent of Canadians with internet will get all of their internet data access via cellular mobile networks in 2018.
• Is there an #adlergic epidemic? Adblocking across media – Seventy-four per cent of Canadians engage in at least one form of regular adblocking, but only about six per cent block four or more ads – the “adlergic” population. Individuals who are young, highly educated, employed, and earn higher incomes are more likely to be heavy adblockers.
• Live thrives in an online world - Live broadcast and events will generate over US$545 billion in direct revenues in 2018 globally and C$17.5 billion in Canada. Despite consumers’ capability to consume content on demand or attend events remotely, live consumption is thriving and can be made more productive and profitable by digital.
• Digital media: well worth paying for - By 2020, there will be over 680 million digital subscriptions, with consumers increasingly willing to pay for content.
• Augmented reality on the cusp of reality – Over a billion smartphone users will create augmented reality (AR) content at least once in 2018, with at least 300 million doing so monthly, and tens of millions weekly. This translates to about 15 million Canadians using AR.