BT reveals insight into the future

BT’s Technology Timeline predicts what the next 50 years hold
www.bt.com/technologytimeline

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BT’s futurology department has launched its latest Technology Timeline, which predicts the technological advances that will impact our future. The timeline encompasses all areas of life influenced by technology developments, including Artificial Intelligence; Health and Medical; Business and Education; Demographics; Energy; Robotics; Space; Telecommunications; Transport & Travel.

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Looking back twenty years hardly anyone even had a mobile phone. In twenty or thirty years’ time we can look forward to holographic TVs projecting 3D images into our living rooms to entertain our custom designed pets, and a space elevator to take us up and away to a moon village, which will have grown up by 2040.

“The timeline enables organisations to design technology and products with future customers in mind, with a vision of the kind of environment they will be living in,” said Ian Neild, researcher at BT, and editor of the timeline. “Looking at the future of education or lifestyles, for example, will impact the way BT enhances and develops its broadband network.”

Cynics might question its merits. But, looking back at the first BT Technology Timeline published in the early ‘90s many of its predictions ring true today and it reports an accuracy rate of between 80-90%. BT’s predictions touched on things that are now regarded as part of every day life. Things such as text messages, email spam and the use of web search engines to name a few.

The BT futurology team also spotted the wealth of opportunities presented by the internet - years before its mass market advance. The original timeline identified some of the online businesses models that prevail today - such as travel and retailers.

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A graphical illustration of the BT Technology Timeline is available at www.bt.com/technologytimeline.

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