
2024 Tech Industry Review: Political Impacts, Innovations, and Challenges | Image Source: www.mercurynews.com
SAN FRANCISCO, 26 December 2024 – The year 2024 marked a fundamental chapter for the technological industry, not necessarily for ​innovative product launches, but for the sector’s growing influence on politics and society. According to ​Mercury News, technology leaders and innovations have played an important role ​in the organization of global ​events, including US presidential elections, regulatory developments and advances in ​AI and ​usable technologies.
Political closure of technical Titans
The US presidential elections of 2024 saw unprecedented participation by the technology industry. Elon Musk, whose net worth exceeds $400 billion, has become a central figure. While his Twitter property would have dilated his financial assets, he amplifies his political influence. Musk’s support and financial contributions proved important to Trump’s campaign. Other technological billionaires, including Larry Ellison, founder of ​Oracle, co-founder of Palantir Peter Thiel, ​and risk ​capitalist Marc Andreessen, also supported the elected president. In addition, the elected vice-president JD ​Vance, who has links with Silicon Valley as a risk capitalist, ​actively receives technology funds for the Trump- A ticket from Vance.
The links between the technical sector and the ​incoming administration were strengthened after ​the elections. Leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Sam Altman of OpenAI and Jeff ​Bezos of Amazon contributed ​to Trump’s opening fund, highlighting industry’s alignment with the ​new government. This alignment is expected to affect technology-related ​policies in ​the coming years.
Main ​political developments
In 2024, discussions on technology ​regulation and legislation became global. Australia has introduced a controversial law banning social networks ​for users under the age of 16, which has been an important step ​in ​regulating online youth participation. Meanwhile, the United States received bipartite support for the Children’s Online Security Act, which was passed by the Senate with a vote of 91-3. ​Although the law is ​not yet in force, it highlights a ​growing consensus on the need for more stringent online security measures for children.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) ​has also been extensively examined. The European Union has adopted comprehensive artificial intelligence ​standards ​aimed at reducing potential risks. Across the United States, several government-level proposals were aimed at regulating the development and implementation of ​AI, reflecting global ​concerns ​about unproven AI progress.
Product announcements and innovations
While 2024 lacks revolutionary technology ​product launches, there has been remarkable ​progress. Meta announced Orion AR Glasses, its first truly increased eye reality capable ​of ​extracting computer generated images ​into ​the physical world. Although still in development, the product means a step towards replacing smartphones with portable ​devices. The current generation Ray-Ban tenimiento Meta Smart ​Glasses has ​already gained traction, ​offering features such as music playback, phone calls and camera-driven visual descriptions.
Extended usable technology ​with the introduction of the Oura 4 ring and new Ringconn offers. Samsung has entered ​the smart ring market, potentially accelerating the adoption of the category. These devices focus on ​health measures such as heart rate and oxygen levels in the blood, reflecting the functionality of smart watches.
Apple also made waves with its Vision Pro VR/AR headphone, a ​top quality device that promotes “space computing”. Meanwhile, Apple and ​Google continued their rivalry in the smartphone market, integrating advanced AI features into their ​2024 models. Apple’s iPhone ​16 introduced IA features into the device, including a “Playground Image” ​for creative editing, while the Pixel Series 9 used Gemini ​AI for ​contextual knowledge conversations, improving ​user interaction.
General ​AI advances
In 2024, the general theme of IV remained dominant. Apple, Google ​and Microsoft have integrated AI deeper ​into their ecosystems. Google introduced Gemini Advanced, ​designed for logical reasoning, codification and creative collaboration. Microsoft has integrated AI into its Windows operating system, and Apple has introduced “Apple Intelligence” for MacOS, focusing on ​improving user experience through processing the device’s AI.
Competition between these technology giants has ​highlighted the growing demand for more sophisticated AI tools. IA applications, ​such as ChatGPT, have expanded conversation capabilities, allowing nuanced interactions and better contextual understanding. These developments have paved the way for further integration of AI into consumer and business products over the next few years.
Challenges and setbacks
The technological industry faced its share of ​the challenges in 2024. The ​layoffs, which began in 2023, continued in some regions, although there was a partial decline in others. Antimonopoly actions against key players, including Google, Amazon, Meta ​and Apple, have intensified, reflecting global concerns about monopoly practices. In addition, technology-related mental health issues, in particular ​social networks, have become a major theme of the debate, emphasizing the need for sectoral reforms.
These challenges highlight the complex relationship between technology and society, as innovations often have unintended consequences. Policy makers and industry ​leaders will need ​to address these issues in order to maintain public confidence and promote sustainable growth.
In the future, 2025 ​should lead to greater integration of the CEW into daily life, increased ​interest in cryptomoneda and significant changes in ​policy under the new US administration. Collaboration between technology leaders and government is likely to shape the next wave of technological and regulatory developments.