116  Blockchain

Education gap

Blockchain is one of the emerging technologies that has started to disrupt

the industry because of its unique decentralisation, transparency, immuta-

bility and prospective cost saving benefits. There are other emerging tech-

nologies that can be used together to compliment businesses even further.

Other technologies are listed below:

• Artificial intelligence (AI): ‘Artificial intelligence leverages comput-

ers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making

capabilities of the human mind’. (https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/

what-is-artificial-intelligence)

• Internet of things (IoT): ‘The IoT is the concept of connecting any

device (so long as it has an on/off switch) to the Internet and to other

connected devices’. (https://www.ibm.com/blogs/internet-of-things/

what-is-the-iot/)

• Serverless computing: Serverless computing has become possible with the

launch of the cloud. It enables developers to build and run applications

without worrying about infrastructure (servers, storage etc.) and capacity.

• Quantum computing: ‘Quantum computing harnesses the phenomena

of quantum mechanics to deliver a huge leap forward in computation to

solve certain problems’. (https://www.ibm.com/quantum-computing/

what-is-quantum-computing/)

• Biometrics: ‘Biometrics are unique physical characteristics, such as

fingerprints, face and eyes, that can be used for automated recogni-

tion’. (https://www.dhs.gov/biometrics)

• Augmented/Virtual reality: ‘Virtual reality is the term used to describe

a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment which can be

explored and interacted with by a person’. (https://www.vrs.org.uk/

virtual-reality/what-is-virtual-reality.html)

• Robotics: ‘Robotics is the study of robots. Robots are machines that

can be used to do jobs. Some robots can do work by themselves.

Other robots must always have a person telling them what to do’.

(https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/

what_is_robotics_k4.html)

Some universities are much ahead of others in terms of providing top-notch

education as well as establishing research centres to derive real-life blockchain

solutions in collaboration with businesses. There has been a flux of private and

university-based courses on blockchain, however, there still needs to be more

focus on practical project-based blockchain modules in collaboration with

employers. As the demand for blockchain programmers is peaking, the skill

market is creating a domino effect of demand and supply for blockchain skills.