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Technology is evolving rapidly. Artificial intelligence, geotargeting, automation, and other advancements in information technology specifically set the stage for more technological evolution. Robotics are becoming smarter, and even our thermostats and refrigerators can be connected to the internet.

If you want your career in IT to advance, as well, you need to stay on top of the innovations hitting the market. Here are some of the latest advancements in information technology for you to brush up on.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an advancement that is being adopted by many IT professionals. But it also brings up a lot of questions and even fears in some people. If we teach machines to think, will they be smarter than us? What are the repercussions of this innovation? But the truth is that there are many kinds of AI, and we can rest assured that they are safe.

The most basic forms of AI can perform functions, but have no memories. They can play games like chess, but they won’t recall what their last move on the board was. They simply analyze the situation in the moment and respond with a well of pre-programmed responses. This makes them great for automated customer service.

The next level up has limited memory, and the third can develop an understanding of the world around it. Social media bots can fall into this category. IT professionals can use these two levels of AI to perform functions within the workplace, such as risk management and cybersecurity.

But the last step in AI – one we haven’t yet reached – is a program that can make judgements about itself and the world around it. We are a long way off from self-aware machines, though. Right now, developers are still trying to perfect the memory and decision-making functions of AI.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing allows IT professionals to store data and access resources via the internet. This solves many storage and security problems, and allows for some monetary savings since you only pay for the “cloud space” you use.

Cloud computing is also bolstering one of the other advancements in information technology – AI. AI systems are currently an expensive investment for some businesses, which means it is almost inaccessible for some. But with cloud computing, a library of machine learning tools is available to the masses, opening up new possibilities for innovation.

Monitoring and Predicting

Software and computing errors can be seriously detrimental to any business. It could cost the company money, time, and even goodwill.

That’s where the next IT advancement comes in. We now have cognitive systems which can predict and detect errors in other programs. This can help companies to respond quickly to – or even completely avoid – catastrophic failures.

By implementing and understanding these preventative measures, IT professionals can protect their employer from a very costly situation.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs

With privacy issues making headlines this year, this IT advancement is more in-demand than ever. It’s prominence mostly boomed with the rise of cryptocurrency, which comes with a lot of privacy concerns. The purchase of cryptocurrency is not always a private transaction, which can leave people exposed.

Zero-knowledge proofs are used to protect users in this case and keep transactions anonymous. This can prevent the leaking of private information, which could be a huge problem for a business.

One example of a zero-knowledge proof is called a zk-SNARK (zero-knowledge succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge). Though they can be effective at keeping private information private, there are some complications. They’re slow and difficult to set up, and if the cryptographic key was compromised, the entire system falls apart.

But this technology is advancing, at it will become more secure in the future.

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