Blockchain & Open AI Rise to Top of WEF’s 2016 Emerging Technology Breakthroughs

Today, the World Economic Forum’s Meta-Council on Emerging Technologies released its 2016 Top 10 Emerging Technologies list, spotlighting innovations poised to enhance lives, transform industries, and protect the planet.

“Horizon scanning for emerging technologies is crucial to staying abreast of developments that can radically transform our world, enabling timely expert analysis in preparation for these disruptors. The global community needs to come together and agree on common principles if our society is to reap the benefits and hedge the risks of these technologies.” – IBM’s Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Bernard Meyerson is chair of the Meta-Council on Emerging Technologies.

Council members weighed whether 2016 marks a tipping point for each technology’s deployment. Consequently, the list includes mature breakthroughs that are now poised to deliver tangible impact.

World Economic Forum’s Top 10¹

1. Nanosensors & the Internet of Nanothings – As the Internet of Things is projected to connect 30 billion devices by 2020, research is now turning to nanosensors that can circulate inside the human body or be embedded in building materials. When networked, this Internet of Nanothings promises transformative advances in medicine, architecture, agriculture, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
2. Next‑Generation Batteries – A major barrier to renewable energy adoption is the mismatch between supply and demand. Recent breakthroughs in sodium‑, aluminum‑, and zinc‑based batteries now make mini‑grids that deliver clean, reliable, 24/7 power to entire villages a realistic possibility. Read this paper by IBM scientists on Solid‑State Lithium‑Sulfur Batteries.
3. Blockchain – The distributed ledger that powers Bitcoin has already captured widespread attention. With venture capital exceeding $1 billion in 2015 alone, blockchain’s capacity to reshape markets, governments, and everyday transactions is now beginning to materialize.
4. 2D Materials – While graphene is the most celebrated single‑atom‑thick material, it is far from the only option. Falling production costs are accelerating the deployment of a variety of 2D materials across sectors—from advanced air and water filtration to next‑generation wearables and high‑performance batteries.


Local Motors CEO and co-founder John B. Rogers, Jr. with “Olli” & IBM (Rich Riggins/Feature Photo Service for IBM)

5. Autonomous Vehicles – Although fully autonomous cars are not yet universally legal, their promise of reducing accidents, cutting emissions, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing quality of life—especially for the elderly—has spurred accelerated deployment of foundational technologies en route to full autonomy.
6. Organs‑on‑Chips – Miniature, memory‑stick‑sized replicas of human organs could transform medical research and drug discovery by enabling scientists to observe biological mechanisms with unprecedented precision.
7. Perovskite Solar Cells – Perovskite photovoltaics outperform conventional silicon cells in three key areas: they’re easier to manufacture, adaptable to a wide range of environments, and have demonstrated higher power‑generation efficiency to date.
8. Open AI Ecosystem – Collective progress in natural language processing, contextual understanding, and data accessibility is rapidly enabling smart digital assistants that can manage finances, monitor health, and even offer style advice.
9. Optogenetics – While light‑based neural recording has long existed, recent advances now allow light to penetrate deeper into brain tissue, opening new avenues for treating neurological disorders.
10. Systems Metabolic Engineering – Innovations in synthetic biology, systems biology, and evolutionary engineering are expanding the catalog of chemical building blocks that can be produced more sustainably—and at lower cost—using plants instead of fossil fuels.

1. Source:  World Economic Forum