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By 2021, the global use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is expected to achieve a CAGR of 42 percent – a rapid adoption rate. The marketplace needs innovation to fast-track development of new compounds, evaluate their efficacy and safety, and reduce failure rates. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows great potential to address these challenges. Advanced AI systems enabled with deep learning can help accelerate drug discovery and reduce the number of failures in clinical trials. GSK recently announced a strategic drug discovery collaboration with Exscientia that will help discover small molecules through Exscientia’s AI-enabled platform. Moreover, Genentech, along with GNS Healthcare, aims to use artificial intelligence to convert high volumes of cancer patient data into computer models that can be used to identify new targets for cancer therapy.

The global logistics sector is now adapting technology for efficient operations which, in turn, is helping their clients to save billions of dollars. This adoption of technology allows transparency and real-time situational awareness in addition to increasing efficiency in the system. Logistics companies have also been proactive in terms of technology adoption; for example, UPS in partnership with Fast Radius is planning to offer in-house 3D printing services for its clients. This is a big strategic move to ensure revenue sustainability and remain competitive with technologies like on-demand printing.

The future is on the way, one disruption at a time. The fevered imaginations of science fiction novelists are already being translated into reality in ways one could have never imagined. The giant strides that automation technologies – Robotics Process Automation (RPA), Cognitive Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – have taken in the last six months have cut short their incubation period and made them a commercial reality with today’s businesses. Massive hype also surrounds other emerging technologies, including blockchain, internet of things (IoT), software-defined everything (SDx), among others – and these promises to change the business landscape in a manner and at a pace never experienced before.

Air travel demand is expected to grow at a healthy rate of four percent over the next two decades, reaching an overall travel volume of 7.2 billion passengers per year. Subsiding oil prices and a high volume of travel from Asia Pacific is expected to drive this rise in travel volume. Traffic between emerging markets is projected to grow at over six percent, compared to mature markets in the West, which are tipped to grow five percent or below. Airbus and Boeing has projected fleet requirements of over 30,000 new aircrafts by 2035 in response to the positive outlook.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are shaping today’s chemical industry in a significant way. The market is moving toward consolidation, where portfolio realignment is important. Companies are focused on developing their core strengths and are continuously looking for favorable acquisitions to deliver growth and greater shareholder value. During 2017 and beyond, intermediates, specialties, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals will likely experience high growth in M&A activity. Chemical producers across the US will move away from commoditized and price-sen­sitive chemicals to low-volume, high-value, and high-margin specialty chemical production.