Technology is perhaps the greatest agent of change in the modern world. While never without risk,
technological breakthroughs promise innovative solutions to the most pressing global challenges of
our time. From batteries that can provide power to whole villages to microchips that could take the
place of organs in medical research, this year’s 10 emerging technologies offer a vivid glimpse of the
power of innovation to improve lives, transform industries and safeguard our planet.
To compile this list, the World Economic Forum’s Meta-Council on Emerging Technologies, a panel of global experts, draws on the collective expertise of the Forum’s communities to identify the most important recent technological trends. By doing so, the Meta-Council aims to raise awareness of their potential and contribute to closing the gaps in investment, regulation and public understanding that so often thwart progress.