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Metaverse, Future of Work Among Disruptive Tech to Shape 2022
While connectivity, digital transformation and telemedicine dominated 2021, this year is expected to be shaped by the metaverse and the future of work.
This is according to data and analytics company GlobalData’s “Tech, Media & Telecom Predictions: 2022” report, which identifies the top 30 themes impacting the tech, media and telecoms (TMT) industry.
GlobalData describes a theme as anything that keeps a CEO up at night. Its focus on themes aims to give companies an opportunity to invest in the right areas in their industries to become success stories, notes the firm.
During a webinar presentation of the TMT Predictions 2022 yesterday, GlobalData analysts offered a deep dive into eight of the 30 themes, namely environmental, social and governance (ESG), metaverse, the future of work, quantum computing, space economy, crypto-currency, batteries, and mergers and acquisitions.
“Technology is making it even easier for new entrants to disrupt even the most established businesses, so investment in the right themes is key to a company’s success,” says Emilio Campa, analyst on the Thematic Team at GlobalData.
Top among GlobalData’s TMT Predictions 2022 is the metaverse.
Though the metaverse may not yet be fully realised, early prototypes and use cases will emerge as tech companies strengthen their metaverse capabilities and start-ups develop solutions around data visualisation, collaboration and training, says the report.
According to Emma Taylor, GlobalData’s thematic analyst, the metaverse has the potential to transform how people work, shop, learn, communicate, socialise and consume content.
Taylor comments that big tech will increasingly invest in the metaverse in 2022.
Last year, she notes, there were significant investments made in the metaverse. In April 2021, Epic Games announced a $1 billion funding round to develop the metaverse platform within Fortnite. More recently, in November 2021, SoftBank Group announced it was investing $150 million in a South Korean metaverse platform.
She explains: “The metaverse is attracting significant media attention, including predictions that it will form the next incarnation of the internet. As such, competition will intensify as the tech titans battle for market dominance and non-tech brands explore how metaverses could deliver operational improvements.”
Taylor anticipates game publishers such as EA and Tencent will also join the metaverse development race. “GlobalData estimates cloud gaming alone will generate $30 billion in revenue by 2030.”
In addition, enterprises are expected to be the prime market for metaverse developers in 2022, she states. “New use cases will emerge as Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta and HTC strengthen their metaverse capabilities, and start-ups develop specific solutions around data visualisation, collaboration and training.
“The big players will engage in key mergers and acquisitions to bolster their metaverse offerings.”
According to Taylor, the use of augmented and virtual reality will be integral in the metaverse.
The metaverse is loosely defined as an extensive online world where people interact via digital avatars. Companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) have announced plans to develop metaverse experiences, services and hardware.
GlobalData analyst Rachel Jones points out that it’s no surprise ESG remains the major theme for 2022.
According to Jones, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) brought climate action to the forefront of the political agenda, where discussions regarding climate inaction were debated.
Jones says ESG will be discussed in all corporate boardrooms throughout 2022, with GlobalData predicting ESG disclosures will be an expectation in 2022.
“The role of the private sector in assisting the transition to a low carbon economy is becoming increasingly prominent thanks to the exposure created by COP26.”
GlobalData is of the view that commitment to the SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative) and Amazon’s The Climate Pledge will accelerate in 2022, Jones noted during the webinar presentation.
“Where companies pledge climate action, they will win stakeholder approval, which can therefore drive a competitive advantage.”
GlobalData predicts there will be a regulatory crackdown on big tech, especially regarding how they manage misinformation and online harm, says Jones.
Therefore, companies that disclose their ESG policies effectively and actively improve their ESG are the winners in this theme. Those that don’t will lose out, she expresses.
“Governance is a key issue in the tech sector as they [big tech companies] repeatedly evaded accountability for things such as data breaches, fake news and online abuse, which has persistently spread across the various social media platforms. However, it seems the time of this regulatory Wild West is up.”
Turning to the future of work, GlobalData’s Amrit Dhami notes hybrid working will remain commonplace in 2022, as workers enjoy the flexibility and lack of a commute.
“Companies must be flexible to retain and attract top talent,” Dhami says. “The gig economy will also continue to expand, catalysed by COVID-19 lockdowns and the explosion of quick commerce.
“However, the gig economy model will become increasingly unsustainable, due to landmark regulatory changes across Europe, classifying more and more gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors.”
According to GlobalData analyst Dan Clarke, the US and Europe will work to consolidate their own lithium-ion battery supply chains in 2022.
US manufacturers in the transportation equipment, electronics and chemicals industries will re-shore production due to concerns over electronic vehicle battery production and domestic semiconductor supply.
Says Clarke: “Batteries are crucial in digital technology, renewable energy and electric vehicles, three areas that are important now and will be increasingly important in the future. There is also likely to be a lot of vertical integration next year, where automakers move into building batteries or processing plants, or simply securing long-term partnerships as Tesla and Panasonic have done.”
The GlobalData report indicates that decentralised finance (DeFi) will disrupt traditional financial institutions and is set to be the killer use case of crypto-currency.
“Start-ups will lead DeFi platform innovations with retail investors as the primary targets. Institutional bodies will catch up with the trend through the introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies and the adoption of stablecoins.”
The cyber security industry will develop quantum-resistant encryption before RSA codes are broken, notes the report. However, future quantum computers could break secure communications captured today. “Therefore, companies will implement quantum security solutions in 2022.”
In terms of the space economy, the report reveals the expansion of satellite networks will provide almost 70% of the space economy’s growth in the near term, facilitating larger aspirations.
“Plans for space business parks from aerospace leaders will see commercial actors have a more sustained presence in space, signalling a commercial infrastructure boom in the longer term.”
The World Bank Group has announced the 31-month debarments of United Aviation Services Limited (UNASEL), a transportation services company based in Nigeria, and Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mamu, its owner and president, “in connection with fraudulent practices under the Enhancing Niger Northeastern Connectivity Project,” according to a press release issued by the multilateral development bank.
The statement said that the project aims to enhance connectivity and road safety along the Zinder-Agadez Road section and improve access to basic socioeconomic infrastructure for selected communities in that road section.
However, according to the statement: “UNASEL and Mr. Mamu presented false experience documents in a prequalification application to qualify for a contract under the project. This was a fraudulent practice under the World Bank’s sanctions framework.”
“The debarments make UNASEL and Mr. Mamu ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by Bank Group institutions. The debarments are part of two settlement agreements under which UNASEL and Mr. Mamu admit culpability for the underlying sanctionable practices,” it added.
The statement further said: “Per the Bank Group Sanctioning Guidelines, the settlement agreements provide for a reduced period of debarment in light of UNASEL and Mr. Mamu’s cooperation.
As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreements, UNASEL and Mr. Mamu commit to developing and implementing integrity compliance measures that reflect the relevant principles set out in the Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines, and Mr. Mamu further agrees to complete corporate ethics training.
UNASEL and Mr. Mamu also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the Bank Group’s Integrity Vice Presidency.
“The debarments of UNA SEL and Mr. Mamu qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.”
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, has approved the allocation of a parcel of land in Enugu, the state capital, for the establishment of a state-of-the-art Digital Fabrication Centre by the Industrial Training Fund.
Mbah announced this while receiving a delegation from the Industrial Training Fund on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu.
The ITF disclosed this on Friday in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Thomas Ngor.
According to the statement, Mbah described the proposed project as timely and aligned with his administration’s vision of transforming Enugu into a leading destination for investment, innovation and technology-driven industrial development.
He noted that the future of economic prosperity lies in deliberate investments in human capital and emerging technologies, adding that the state has continued to create an enabling environment for innovation, enterprise and sustainable growth.
The governor explained that his administration has made technical education compulsory in the state’s basic education system, with emphasis on digital literacy, robotics and mechatronics to prepare learners for the future of work.
According to him, many traditional trades are now driven by digital technologies, making it imperative to equip young people with relevant technical competencies that will enable them to compete globally and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
Governor Mbah further disclosed that his administration has built smart schools across the state, equipped with robotics centres, mechatronics laboratories and other modern learning facilities, to prepare youths for the evolving global economy.
He noted that artificial intelligence is expected to contribute about $20tn to the global economy in the coming years.
He therefore stressed that the state must be intentional about upskilling its citizens, adding that the establishment of the ITF Digital Fabrication Centre will significantly strengthen the state’s drive to build a knowledge-based economy, foster innovation, promote local manufacturing and create employment opportunities for its growing youthful population.
Earlier, Afiz Ogun, the Director-General of the ITF, who led the delegation, said that upon his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, he was mandated to upskill Nigerian artisans to international standards.
He explained that the Fund subsequently repositioned its technical and vocational skills development efforts through strategic initiatives, including the Skill-Up Artisans Programme, which is designed to train, certify and license Nigerian artisans to international standards.
Ogun disclosed that the Fund had already established a Digital Fabrication Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, with the capacity to produce more than 400 different products. He therefore requested the allocation of land in Enugu State to establish a similar centre with the same production capacity.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at promoting industrialisation, reducing dependence on imports and preparing Nigerians for opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He also reaffirmed the Fund’s readiness to enter into public-private partnerships that will transform Nigeria’s artisanal ecosystem.
Ogun further noted that digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and computer-aided manufacturing, are rapidly transforming the global economy, making it imperative for Nigeria to deliberately invest in upskilling its workforce to remain globally competitive.
The ITF delegation was later conducted on a guided tour of facilities at one of the smart schools established by the Enugu State Government.
Glovo, a multi-category tech company, has announced its integration into the generative AI ecosystem with the launch of its “Shopping Assistant” for ChatGPT and Claude. Users can now discover retail products, compare prices, and seamlessly order any item using natural conversational language with the AI systems.
The Glovo experience inside such platforms introduces a conversational commerce model that shifts from a search-based web to an intent-based web. Rather than navigating traditional app menus and filters, users can express needs, such as asking for a “last-minute gift for a coffee lover under ₦50,000”, and the assistant handles semantic search, location validation, and product curation.
A Seamless, Concierge-Like Experience
Once both platforms have been connected through either ChatGPT or Claude apps, the user will be able to have a multi-turn dialogue where the assistant remembers context and constraints, such as budget caps. Users receive a visual carousel of up to five highly customised product options available at local stores. Each product displays its image, name, store details and ratings, and price. While the search and discovery experience takes place directly on the Generative AI platforms, selecting a product via the “view on Glovo” button takes the user to the Glovo mobile or web app, where the payment and final purchase are exclusively completed.
Strategic Focus on Retail and Growth
Glovo is prioritising the retail and grocery sectors for this initial launch, capturing the established habit of using AI for product research. Generative AI has driven a significant jump in retail traffic globally, so this first-mover advantage aims to meet customers where they are meeting Gen AI daily, and ensure it captures high-intent organic traffic as search behaviours evolve.
“We’re always looking for ways to meet our customers where they already are. Being available on Claude and ChatGPT means people can discover what Glovo has to offer as part of a natural conversation, with no friction. Glovo has always been about being the everyday app that provides choice and convenience, and this is another step in that direction”, said Shiro Theuri, Chief Technology Officer at Glovo.
How to look for products in the Glovo app through ChatGPT or Claude
- The user must sync ChatGPT or Claude with the Glovo app with the plug-in.
- Once synced, the user must type in @glovo followed by their request.
- The AI platform displays a carousel with 5 available options for the user.
- If the user wants to purchase any of the products or continue searching within the Glovo app, they must click “View on Glovo”, which will redirect the user to the Glovo app or website.
- After the order is confirmed, the store will prepare the item(s) and the courier will head up to the pick-up location. The user will receive the order in minutes.
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