The year 2020 opens a new decade, and various predictions of what will happen in technology are published these days. Four years ago, I wrote about my expectations for 2016 and – interestingly – this article still gets hits today. Probably, because I underestimated some of the stunning developments we all have witnessed in recent years… So, let me do it again this year. My approach is different this time as I scrutinized a number of reports from research professionals, technology journalists and reporters as well as vendors, and I tried to find some common denominators which I made the foundation of my own thinking and assumptions. Finally, I came up with five trends which I believe will change the way industries develop, organizations change, and people change (with respect to the way they work together) in the year 2020 and beyond.

1.) Mobile Cryptocurrency

Gartner points out that e-commerce platforms and marketplaces start accepting cryptocurrency payments. The key assumption here is that a shift to mobile-accessible cryptocurrency account is going to happen. Africa will experience the highest growth rates.

2.) Quantum Technology

Future breaktrough advances in artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare and data-driven businesses in general will be based on quantum technology. “This technology may not reach mainstream consumer applications for a little while, but there will definitely be a variety of companies across a range of industries that look to integrate this technology over the next three to five years”, says Anis Uzzaman, CEO of Pegasus Tech Ventures. Agreed.

3.) Neural Interfaces

Neural interfaces enable communications pathways between the human brain and objects to be controlled. Early commercial applications of neural interfaces allowing individuals to think to computers will be launched. According to Chip Meakem, cofounder and managing partner of Tribeca Venture Partners, “Facebook bought CTRL-Labs and a team at UCSF has successfully created computer-generated speech for the disabled by processing brain and nervous system activity and converting it into instructions to a computer.”

4.) AI Emotions driving Ads

Artificial emotional intelligence, also known as emotion detection technology, will be used to increase sales. Gartner, e.g., predicts that by 2024 AI identification of emotions will influence more than 50 percent of all online advertisements. Given the growing popularity of sensors tracking biometrics this prediction might become true – it is pretty bold though, to my mind.

5.) Execution is about Team

In 2020, technology companies will concentrate on operating to a higher ethical standard. There will be focus on “honest execution in large part by treasuring (…) people who create value for each other, the company, its customers and the society at large”, states Will Glaser, founder and CEO of checkout technology startup Grabango.

So, let’s see what really happens. Ready, steady, go!