The top 10 emerging technologies are:
- Flexible batteries: powering wearable technologies for healthcare and e-textiles.
- Generative artificial intelligence: expanding the boundaries of human endeavour.
- Sustainable aviation fuel: moving the aviation industry towards net-zero carbon emissions
- Designer phages [viruses that selectively infect specific types of bacteria]: engineering viruses to augment human, animal and plant health.
- Metaverse for mental health: shared virtual spaces to improve mental health.
- Wearable plant sensors: revolutionizing agricultural data collection to feed the world.
- Spatial omics [cell constituents]: molecular-level mapping of biological processes to unlock life’s mysteries.
- Flexible neural electronics: better engineered circuits to interface with the nervous system.
- Sustainable computing: designing and implementing net-zero-energy data centres.
- AI-facilitated healthcare: new technologies to improve the efficiency of healthcare systems.
The 10 technologies were chosen using four criteria:
- Novelty: early stage of development
- Applicability: potential to be of significant social benefit
- Depth: the focus of increasing investment interest
- Power: potentially disruptive
Their impact was assessed across five metrics:
- People
- Planet
- Prosperity
- Industry (new markets)
- Social equity