Signals of the future detected by artificial intelligence

Following the release of its Weak Signals in Future Technology report and Forecast Report on Weak Signals in Future Technology in Korean last year, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (President Kim Jaesoo, hereinafter KISTI) has published Emerging Weak Signals 2023 in Science and Technology, and English report on weak signals in science and technology with future potential detected using artificial intelligence.

KISTI developed and released the findings on automated weak signal detection technology which uses data and algorithms to detect early signs of technology with potential for future growth last year. Weak signals- signals containing information about the future even though their significance remains yet to be seen in the present, are one way to explore technologies with potential for future growth.

With technological hegemony and economic recession intensifying globally, it is imperative to swiftly and accurately detect early signs of future technologies to actively establish a nation’s strategy for the future that hastens technological innovation and ensures autonomy in future technologies.

In response to such demands of the times, KISTI has released the Emerging Weak Signals 2023 in Science and Technology report presenting 439 weak signals in 24 fields of science and technology, which were detected using its independenly developed automated weak signal detection technology. This is a quantitative increase from the 391 weak signals detected in the previous year.

Also presented in the same report are findings on weak signal dynamics, comparing and analyzing changes and trends between weak signals in this report and those detected previously. The specific data presented are newborn weak signals appearing for the first time, weak signals that remained unchanged in the span of a year, and weak signals that were largely the same but partially changed in content from the previous year. Weak signal dynamics research will empower a more accurate understanding of the specific qualities of technologies with future potential, facilitating the establishment of a strategy on future technologies.

The automated weak signal detection technology developed by KISTI monitors global innovation trends such as the accelerating digital transformation and changing technological and industrial ecosystems in real time, presenting information swiftly and accurately to enable continous horizon scanning※ for understanding the future. It is hoped that the technology will provide digital insights to a wide range of entities performing research on technology innovation.

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– The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information(KISTI) a non-profit government-funded institute to develop and support core sicence and technologt information resources and knowledge infrastructure and create an open, shared-data ecosystem, thereby contributing to the innovative growth of Korea and the quality of citizen’s lives.

1. of Report : Emerging Weak Signals 2023 in Science and Technology(KISTI Data Insight Report no.24)