Emerging Tech Glossary
Explore our comprehensive database of over 500 terms, curated to demystify the landscape of emerging technology.
Artificial Intelligence
AI Applications refer to the specific uses and implementations of Artificial Intelligence in various domains and industries. This can include applications such as natural language processing, image recognition, and predictive analytics.
Machine Learning
A subset of AI that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.
Neumorphism
A modern design style that uses soft, extruded shapes and subtle shadows to create a tactile, minimalist interface, blending skeuomorphism with flat design.
5G
5G, the fifth generation of wireless technology, brings significant advancements in network speed, capacity, and latency compared to previous generations. It enables faster data transfer, supports massive IoT connectivity, and enhances the potential for real-time applications, such as augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, and advanced telecommunication systems.
AI Maturity
AI Maturity refers to the level of progress and readiness an organization has achieved in effectively adopting and utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. It assesses the organization's development in terms of knowledge, skills, processes, and strategies related to AI, and indicates the organization's ability to derive value from AI initiatives.
AI Models
AI Models refer to the algorithms, architectures, and mathematical representations that enable machines to learn and make predictions or decisions. These models are trained using large datasets and can be deployed to perform various tasks, such as image recognition, natural language processing, recommendation systems, and more. AI models are at the core of Artificial Intelligence systems.
AI Strategy
AI Strategy involves the formulation and execution of a plan that outlines how an organization will leverage Artificial Intelligence to achieve its goals and objectives. It encompasses identifying use cases, assessing data and technology requirements, defining implementation approaches, and establishing a roadmap for adopting and scaling AI initiatives across the organization.
AI Training
AI Training involves the process of feeding large volumes of data into AI models to help them learn patterns, relationships, and make accurate predictions or decisions. It includes tasks such as data preprocessing, feature engineering, algorithm selection, model training, hyperparameter tuning, and validation to create AI models that can effectively solve specific problems or tasks.
AI-powered
AI-powered refers to the integration and utilization of Artificial Intelligence technologies, capabilities, or systems to enhance the performance, functionality, or intelligence of a product, service, or process. AI-powered solutions leverage AI algorithms, machine learning, or other AI techniques to provide advanced automation, data analysis, decision-making, or cognitive capabilities.
Ambient Computing
Ambient Computing refers to a paradigm where computing capabilities and interactions seamlessly integrate into the environment and everyday objects, providing a natural and context-aware computing experience. It involves technologies such as sensors, IoT devices, wearables, and voice interfaces, allowing users to interact with digital systems effortlessly in their surroundings.
API
API, short for Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that enables different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. APIs define the methods, data formats, and conventions for accessing and exchanging information or services between different systems, enabling integration and interoperability between applications and platforms.
API Economy
API Economy refers to the ecosystem and economic framework built around the use, creation, and monetization of APIs. It involves the exchange of services, data, and capabilities through APIs, allowing organizations to create new revenue streams, foster partnerships, enable third-party integration, and drive innovation by providing developers with access to valuable resources and functionalities.
API Integration
API Integration involves the process of connecting and combining multiple software applications, systems, or services using APIs. It enables data exchange, functionality sharing, and coordination between different applications, allowing them to work together seamlessly and leverage each other's capabilities, data, or services to enhance overall efficiency, productivity, and user experience.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that focuses on developing intelligent machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI involves creating algorithms, models, or systems that can perceive, understand, reason, learn, and make autonomous decisions, enabling machines to mimic or augment human cognitive abilities.
Augmented Creativity
Augmented Creativity refers to the application of Artificial Intelligence and related technologies to enhance and augment human creativity and artistic processes. It involves using AI algorithms, machine learning, or generative models to assist or inspire creative tasks such as art, music, design, storytelling, or content creation, pushing the boundaries of human creativity with computational tools and techniques.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) refers to a technology that overlays digital information, such as images, videos, or 3D models, onto the real-world environment, enhancing the user's perception and interaction with their surroundings. AR applications can be experienced through devices like smartphones, tablets, or specialized AR glasses, enabling users to see virtual objects integrated into the physical world, offering immersive and interactive experiences across various industries, including gaming, education, retail, and more.
Automation
Automation involves the use of technology, software, or machinery to perform tasks or processes with minimal human intervention. It aims to streamline operations, increase efficiency, and reduce manual effort. Automation can range from simple rule-based tasks to complex workflows and can be applied in various domains, including manufacturing, finance, customer service, and beyond, helping organizations optimize resource utilization, enhance productivity, and improve overall operational outcomes.
Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere is a software platform that provides Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions. RPA involves automating repetitive, rule-based tasks by using software robots or 'bots' to perform these tasks with high accuracy and speed, freeing up human workers for more strategic and complex activities. Automation Anywhere offers a suite of tools and capabilities for designing, deploying, and managing RPA bots, enabling organizations to automate business processes across systems, applications, and data sources.
Avatar
An Avatar refers to a digital representation or embodiment of a user, often in the form of a graphical character or persona. Avatars are commonly used in virtual environments, online gaming, and social media platforms. They allow users to interact and communicate with others, perform actions, and personalize their online presence. Avatars can be customized to reflect the user's preferences, appearance, and behavior, enhancing user engagement and immersion in digital experiences.
Big Data
Big Data refers to extremely large and complex sets of data that are challenging to process and analyze using traditional data processing techniques. Big Data encompasses not only the volume of data but also its velocity, variety, and veracity. Organizations can harness Big Data to gain insights, identify patterns, and make data-driven decisions. Advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and data analytics are often used to extract value from Big Data, enabling organizations to uncover trends, optimize operations, and drive innovation.
Biometrics
Biometrics refers to the measurement and analysis of unique physical or behavioral characteristics of individuals, such as fingerprints, facial features, voice patterns, or iris patterns. Biometric data is used for identity verification and authentication purposes, offering a more secure and reliable method compared to traditional password-based systems. Biometrics find applications in areas such as access control, user authentication, fraud prevention, and identification management across various industries, including finance, healthcare, and government sectors.
Blockchain
Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed digital ledger technology that records transactions across multiple computers or nodes. Each transaction is stored in a 'block' that is linked to previous blocks, creating an unalterable and transparent chain of data. Blockchain technology provides a secure and immutable platform for recording and verifying transactions without the need for intermediaries. It has applications in areas like cryptocurrency, supply chain management, smart contracts, and data integrity, enhancing transparency, trust, and efficiency in various industries.
Business Process Automation
Business Process Automation (BPA) refers to the use of technology and software to automate and streamline repetitive and manual tasks within business processes, improving efficiency, reducing errors, and freeing up human resources for more strategic and value-added activities.
Chatbot Integration
Chatbot Integration refers to the process of incorporating chatbots, which are AI-powered virtual assistants or conversational agents, into various platforms, applications, or systems. This integration enables seamless communication and interaction between users and chatbots, allowing businesses to leverage chatbot capabilities to enhance customer service, provide personalized assistance, automate tasks, and deliver real-time information across channels such as websites, mobile apps, messaging platforms, or voice assistants.
Chatbots
Chatbots, also known as conversational agents or virtual assistants, are AI-based software applications designed to simulate human-like conversations with users. These digital agents use natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand user queries, provide responses, and perform tasks or actions. Chatbots can assist users with information, answer frequently asked questions, guide them through processes, and even execute transactions, enhancing customer support, engagement, and overall user experience.
Citizen Development
Citizen Development refers to the practice of empowering individuals or non-technical users within an organization to create, modify, or customize software applications or solutions without extensive programming knowledge or formal IT training. Citizen developers typically utilize low-code or no-code development platforms that provide visual interfaces, drag-and-drop functionality, and pre-built components, enabling them to rapidly build and deploy applications to address specific business needs, improve productivity, and drive innovation at the grassroots level.
Cloud Adoption
Cloud Adoption refers to the process of transitioning and utilizing cloud computing services, resources, or solutions within an organization. It involves migrating data, applications, and workloads from on-premises infrastructure to cloud environments, such as public, private, or hybrid clouds. Cloud adoption enables organizations to leverage the scalability, flexibility, cost-efficiency, and accessibility of cloud computing, fostering digital transformation, enabling innovation, and supporting agile business operations.
Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing is a model for delivering computing resources, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics, over the internet on a pay-per-use basis. Instead of hosting applications or data on local servers or personal devices, organizations can access and utilize these resources through cloud service providers. Cloud computing offers scalability, on-demand availability, cost-efficiency, and the ability to rapidly provision and manage resources, enabling organizations to focus on their core business while leveraging advanced technology capabilities.
Cloud Security
Cloud Security encompasses the practices, technologies, and measures implemented to protect data, applications, and infrastructure in cloud environments. It includes securing data privacy, managing access controls, implementing encryption, monitoring for threats and vulnerabilities, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, and establishing incident response procedures. Cloud security aims to safeguard cloud-based assets from unauthorized access, data breaches, cyberattacks, and other security risks, ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of cloud resources.
Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage refers to the storage of data on remote servers maintained by cloud service providers. Instead of storing data locally on physical devices, organizations can leverage cloud storage services to store, backup, and retrieve data over the internet. Cloud storage offers scalability, accessibility, data redundancy, and cost-efficiency, allowing organizations to expand storage capacity as needed, access data from anywhere, and minimize infrastructure costs associated with maintaining on-premises storage solutions.
Cloud-Native
Cloud-Native is an architectural approach and mindset in which applications are purpose-built to run natively on cloud platforms. Cloud-native applications are designed to fully leverage the capabilities and benefits of cloud computing, such as scalability, elasticity, resilience, and agility.
Cognitive Agents
Cognitive Agents, also known as intelligent agents, are software programs or systems that have the ability to perceive, reason, learn, and interact with humans or other systems in a cognitive and intelligent manner. These agents leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), and cognitive computing to understand and interpret user inputs, make informed decisions, and perform tasks or actions. Cognitive agents are often used in areas like virtual assistants, customer service, recommendation systems, and personalized user experiences.
Cognitive Computing
Cognitive Computing refers to a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on enabling machines to simulate human-like cognitive processes, such as perception, reasoning, learning, and problem-solving. It combines various techniques, including AI, machine learning, NLP, computer vision, and data mining, to mimic human intelligence and provide advanced capabilities to computers and systems. Cognitive computing systems are designed to understand, interpret, and process complex data and deliver insights, recommendations, and solutions to assist in decision-making and problem-solving tasks.
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Improvement, also known as continuous improvement process (CIP) or continuous improvement management (CIM), is an ongoing effort within an organization to enhance performance, processes, and outcomes. It involves identifying areas for improvement, implementing changes, measuring the impact, and continuously iterating and refining to achieve better results. Continuous improvement emphasizes a culture of learning, experimentation, feedback, and adaptation to drive incremental and sustainable enhancements in productivity, efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, and overall business success.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency refers to digital or virtual currency that utilizes cryptography for secure and decentralized transactions. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, are based on blockchain technology and operate independently of central banks or governments. They enable peer-to-peer transactions, provide transparency, security, and immutability, and often involve mining or validation processes. Cryptocurrency has gained popularity as an alternative form of currency and has applications in areas like financial transactions, investment, decentralized finance (DeFi), and blockchain-based applications.
Customer Experience
Customer Experience (CX) encompasses all interactions and touchpoints that a customer has with a business or brand throughout their journey. It includes every interaction from initial awareness and engagement to purchase, post-sales support, and ongoing relationship management. Customer experience focuses on creating positive, meaningful, and personalized experiences that meet or exceed customer expectations, build loyalty, and drive customer satisfaction and advocacy. It involves understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points and designing processes, products, services, and interactions to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity, also known as information security or computer security, refers to the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, data, and digital assets from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, or destruction. Cybersecurity encompasses various measures, technologies, and practices aimed at preventing cyber threats, such as hacking, malware, phishing, data breaches, and other cyberattacks. It involves implementing security controls, encryption, access management, monitoring, incident response, and ongoing risk management to safeguard information and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of digital resources
Dark Data
Dark Data refers to the vast amount of unstructured or untapped data that is generated by organizations but remains unanalyzed or unused. It includes data collected from various sources, such as emails, social media, customer interactions, logs, and documents, that is not readily accessible or organized.
Data Analytics
Data Analytics refers to the process of examining, transforming, and interpreting raw data to uncover insights, patterns, and trends. It involves using various statistical and analytical techniques, tools, and algorithms to extract meaningful information from data sets, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions, identify opportunities, and optimize performance. Data analytics encompasses descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analysis and can be applied in diverse domains, such as business, marketing, finance, healthcare, and more.
Data Engineering
Data Engineering focuses on the design, development, and management of the infrastructure, systems, and processes required to capture, store, transform, and integrate large volumes of data. Data engineers are responsible for building and maintaining data pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes, ensuring data quality, scalability, and availability. They work closely with data scientists and analysts to enable efficient data processing, retrieval, and analysis, supporting organizations in leveraging data for decision-making, insights generation, and operational efficiency.
Data Governance
Data Governance refers to the framework, policies, processes, and practices that ensure the proper management, quality, security, and usage of data within an organization. It involves defining data ownership, establishing data standards, implementing data protection measures, ensuring compliance with regulations and industry standards, and promoting data integrity and consistency. Data governance aims to create a unified and governed data environment, fostering data trust, enabling effective data management, and mitigating risks associated with data privacy, security, and compliance.
Data Mining
Data Mining, also known as Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD), is the process of extracting patterns, insights, and knowledge from large datasets. It involves using algorithms and statistical techniques to discover hidden relationships, correlations, or trends in data, which can be used for prediction, classification, clustering, or anomaly detection. Data mining techniques are applied in various domains, including marketing, finance, healthcare, and fraud detection, to uncover valuable insights and support decision-making, strategy formulation, and process optimization.
Data Monetization
Data Monetization refers to the process of leveraging data assets to generate value and revenue. It involves identifying and capitalizing on opportunities to extract economic benefits from data by creating data-driven products, services, or insights that can be sold, licensed, or used to enhance business operations. Data monetization strategies can include direct data sales, data licensing agreements, data-driven partnerships, or the development of data-driven applications or platforms. Data monetization enables organizations to unlock the potential of their data and transform it into a valuable asset that drives business growth and innovation.
Data Privacy
Data Privacy refers to the protection of personal or sensitive data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. It encompasses the policies, practices, and measures implemented to ensure that individuals have control over their personal information and that organizations handle data in a secure and responsible manner. Data privacy involves complying with applicable data protection regulations, implementing data security measures, obtaining user consent, providing transparency about data handling practices, and respecting individuals' rights to privacy and data protection.
Data Science
Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines techniques from statistics, mathematics, computer science, and domain knowledge to extract insights, knowledge, and predictive models from structured and unstructured data. Data scientists apply scientific methods, data analysis, machine learning, and statistical modeling techniques to understand complex data, uncover patterns, make predictions, and solve business problems. Data science encompasses data exploration, hypothesis testing
Data Visualization
Data Visualization is the representation of data and information through visual elements such as charts, graphs, and maps. It is used to communicate complex data in a clear and understandable manner, enabling users to grasp patterns, trends, and insights more effectively. Data visualization enhances data exploration, analysis, and presentation, facilitating data-driven decision-making and storytelling. It leverages visual perception and design principles to convey information visually, making it easier for users to interpret and draw meaningful conclusions from data.
Data Warehouse
A Data Warehouse is a central repository that stores large amounts of structured and/or unstructured data from various sources within an organization. It is designed to support reporting, analytics, and business intelligence activities. Data warehouses provide a unified and integrated view of data, enabling users to access and analyze information from different systems and databases in a consistent and organized manner. Data warehouses often employ techniques such as ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes to gather data from multiple sources, apply data transformations, and structure the data for efficient querying and analysis.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Data-Driven Decision Making is an approach to making informed decisions based on data analysis and insights. It involves using data as a primary driver in the decision-making process, relying on data collection, analysis, and interpretation to guide choices and actions. Data-driven decision making aims to reduce reliance on intuition or guesswork by leveraging empirical evidence and quantifiable data to inform and validate decisions. It involves defining key metrics, establishing data-driven processes, fostering a culture of data literacy, and using analytical tools and techniques to generate insights and support decision-making at various levels within an organization.
Data-driven Strategy
Data-driven Strategy refers to the formulation and execution of business strategies based on data analysis, insights, and evidence. It involves leveraging data to gain a deeper understanding of the market, customers, competition, and internal operations to inform strategic decisions. A data-driven strategy focuses on leveraging data assets, analytics capabilities, and technology to gain a competitive advantage, drive innovation, optimize processes, and achieve business objectives. It emphasizes the integration of data-driven insights into strategic planning and decision-making, aligning business goals with data-driven initiatives and fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making throughout the organization.
Deep Learning
Deep Learning is a subfield of machine learning that focuses on training artificial neural networks with multiple layers to learn and extract representations of data. It is inspired by the structure and function of the human brain's neural networks. Deep learning algorithms can automatically learn and discover intricate patterns and features from large datasets, enabling complex tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing, speech recognition, and recommendation systems. Deep learning has revolutionized many areas of AI and has contributed to advancements in fields such as computer vision, natural language processing, and autonomous vehicles.
DevOps
DevOps is a software development approach that combines development (Dev) and operations (Ops) practices to streamline and accelerate the software delivery lifecycle. It emphasizes collaboration, communication, and integration between development teams and IT operations teams. DevOps aims to automate processes, improve efficiency, enhance software quality, and enable faster and more reliable deployment of software applications. It involves the adoption of agile methodologies, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) practices, infrastructure automation, and the use of tools and technologies to enable seamless collaboration, testing, deployment, and monitoring of software systems
Digital Adoption
Digital Adoption refers to the process of embracing and integrating digital technologies, tools, and platforms within an organization or among individuals. It involves the successful implementation, utilization, and acceptance of digital solutions to improve efficiency, productivity, and business outcomes.
Digital Assets
Digital Assets are any digital resources or properties that hold value for individuals, organizations, or businesses. They can include digital files, documents, media (such as images and videos), software, intellectual property, online accounts, cryptocurrencies, and more.
Digital Compliance
Digital Compliance refers to adhering to laws, regulations, and industry standards related to digital operations, data privacy, security, and ethical considerations. It involves ensuring that digital activities, processes, and technologies comply with legal requirements, contractual obligations, data protection regulations (such as GDPR or CCPA), and industry-specific guidelines.
Digital Culture
Digital Culture refers to the collective attitudes, behaviors, norms, and values within an organization or society regarding digital technologies, practices, and innovation. It encompasses the mindset and openness toward digital transformation, digital literacy, collaboration, agility, and continuous learning.
Digital Disruption
Digital Disruption refers to the transformative effects of digital technologies, business models, or practices that disrupt traditional industries, markets, or existing ways of doing business. It often involves the introduction of innovative digital solutions, products, or services that challenge established norms and incumbents.
Digital Ecosystem
A Digital Ecosystem refers to an interconnected network of individuals, organizations, platforms, and technologies that interact, collaborate, and create value within a digital environment. It encompasses the relationships, interactions, and interdependencies among various stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, partners, developers, and users, who leverage digital channels and platforms to exchange goods, services, data, or experiences.
Digital Experience
The interaction and engagement a user has with an organization’s digital products and services, such as websites and apps.
Digital Identity
The digital representation of an individual's or entity's attributes and credentials used for online transactions and access.
Digital Innovation
The implementation of new or significantly improved digital technologies, methodologies, or processes to create value.
Digital Integration
The process of combining various digital systems, data, and applications to work together efficiently within an organization.
Digital Literacy
The ability to use digital technology, communication tools, and networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information.
Digital Marketing
The use of digital channels, platforms, and technologies to promote and advertise products or services to a target audience.
Digital Payments
Electronic transactions made through online services or applications for transferring funds or purchasing goods and services.
Digital Privacy
The protection of personal information and data shared through digital mediums, such as online communications and transactions.
Digital Risk Management
The identification, analysis, and mitigation of risks associated with digital assets, technologies, and processes.
Digital Roadmap
A strategic plan that outlines the goals, priorities, and steps an organization will take to leverage digital technologies for growth.
Digital Strategy
A plan of action for optimizing the use of digital technologies, channels, and data to achieve business goals and objectives.
Digital Supply Chain
The application of digital technologies to enhance and streamline the processes involved in the movement of goods, from raw materials to the end consumer.
Digital Transformation
The process of using digital technologies to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements.
Digital Transformation Consulting
Professional services that guide organizations through the process of radically transforming their business activities, processes, and models by leveraging digital technologies.
Digital Transformation Journey
The process of shifting from traditional business models to digitally enabled and agile models. It's a long-term, strategic initiative that encompasses all aspects of business and involves a radical rethinking of how an organization uses technology to pursue new business models.
Digital Twin
A digital replica of a physical asset, system or process that is used for simulation, analysis, and control. Commonly used in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and infrastructure management.
Disruptive Technology
A new technology that displaces an established technology and shakes up the industry or a groundbreaking product that creates a completely new industry.
E-commerce
Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the Internet. It involves buying and selling goods and services, electronic funds transfer, and online transaction processing.
Edge AI
AI algorithms that are processed locally on a hardware device. The algorithms are run on the device (i.e., 'at the edge') without needing a connection to the cloud. This reduces latency, bandwidth usage, and privacy concerns.
Edge Computing
A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, reducing latency and bandwidth use.
Edge Devices
Devices that produce or collect data at the 'edge' of the network, i.e., close to or at the source of the data. These include Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as sensors, drones, security cameras, etc.
Explainability
In the context of AI, explainability refers to the ability to understand and interpret the decisions made by machine learning models. It's an aspect of AI designed to address issues of transparency and trust.
Explainable AI
A subfield of AI that focuses on creating machine learning models that provide understandable and interpretable outcomes to human users.
Future of Work
Refers to the impact of digital transformation on the nature of work, jobs, and employment. It involves changes in work structures, roles, tools, and places driven by technology, globalization, demographics, social values, and the changing personal expectations of workforce participants.
Future Tech
Refers to emerging technologies and innovations that have the potential to substantially change industries, economies, and societies. It includes technologies like AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, renewable energy, and more.
Gamification
The application of game-like elements (such as points, leaderboards, and rewards) in non-gaming contexts, such as business, education, or marketing, to increase engagement and achieve specific goals.
Hyperpersonalization
An advanced approach to personalization that utilizes data and artificial intelligence to deliver more relevant and precise content, product or service recommendations to each user, based on their individual behaviors, preferences, and real-time situational context.
Innovation Ecosystem
A network of interconnected organizations, individuals, and resources that fosters collaboration and contributes to the creation, development, and scaling of innovative products, services, or technologies.
Intelligent Apps
Applications that leverage data and machine learning to provide adaptive, personalized and predictive user experiences. These apps continually learn from user interactions and other data sources to become more effective.
Intelligent Automation
The combination of artificial intelligence and automation. It involves machines mimicking human actions and decision-making processes, and even learning from them, thereby automating complex or non-routine tasks.
Intelligent Business Process Management
An integrated set of management approaches and methods that aligns the objectives of a business with the needs of the client by actively managing processes using real-time data analysis, and allowing for intelligent response to specific business events.
Intelligent Document Processing
The use of AI technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning to extract and process data from documents, including structured and unstructured data formats.
Intelligent Process Automation
A step beyond traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA), incorporating machine learning and AI technologies to not only automate repetitive tasks but also make autonomous decisions based on data analysis.
Intelligent Virtual Assistant
A software program that uses artificial intelligence to simulate human conversation and perform tasks or services, such as answering questions, setting reminders, or providing recommendations. Intelligent virtual assistants are capable of learning and adapting over time.
Internet of Things (IoT)
A network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items embedded with sensors, software, and network connectivity, that enables these objects to collect and exchange data.
IoT
Acronym for Internet of Things, which refers to the network of physical devices connected to the internet that can collect and share data.
IoT Platform
A multi-layer technology that enables straightforward provisioning, management, and automation of connected devices within the Internet of Things universe. It essentially connects your hardware, however diverse, to the cloud by making use of flexible connectivity, device management, and application enablement.
IPFS
Stands for InterPlanetary File System. It is a protocol and network designed to create a peer-to-peer method of storing and sharing hypermedia in a distributed file system. IPFS was initially designed to make the web faster, safer, and more open, by addressing the inefficiencies of the traditional HTTP protocol and centralization of web resources.
Low-Code Development
A software development approach that requires little to no coding in order to build applications and processes. Low-code development platforms use visual interfaces with simple logic and drag-and-drop features instead of extensive coding languages, which allows for rapid design, development, and deployment of applications.
Machine Learning
A subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that involves the development of algorithms that can learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data. Machine learning is used in a range of applications including email filtering, and computer vision, where it’s impractical to develop conventional algorithms to perform the needed tasks.
Machine Vision
A branch of engineering that encompasses computer science, optics, mechanical engineering, and industrial automation. Machine Vision refers to the use of a combination of cameras, computers, and software algorithms for inspection and measurement in industrial automation tasks.
Metaverse
A virtual-reality space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. It is an immersive 3D virtual world, often powered by blockchain technology. The term is often used to describe various VR social spaces that are interconnected, like the broader internet.
Natural Language Processing
A field of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between computers and humans through natural language. The goal of NLP is to read, decipher, understand, and make sense of the human language in a valuable way. It is used in applications like translation services, chatbots, sentiment analysis, and more.
Neural Networks
A set of algorithms, modeled loosely after the human brain, that is designed to recognize patterns in data. They are used in a variety of applications that involve pattern recognition such as image and voice recognition, medical diagnosis, and financial forecasting.
NFT
Stands for Non-Fungible Token. It is a type of digital asset that represents ownership of a unique item, such as a piece of art, music, or collectibles, using blockchain technology. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which are fungible and can be exchanged for other equal parts, NFTs are unique and not mutually interchangeable for other tokens.
No-Code Development
Similar to low-code development, but it refers to the creation of applications without any coding at all. No-code platforms rely on visual development environments allowing users to create applications through graphical user interfaces and configuration instead of traditional programming.
Omnichannel
A multichannel approach to sales, marketing, and customer service that aims to provide the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a mobile device, a laptop, or in a brick-and-mortar store. The goal is to unify communications and experiences across all channels.
Personalization
The process of tailoring a service or product to the preferences and needs of individual users. In marketing, this can mean showing consumers specific content and promotions based on their previous actions, preferences, and demographic information.
Predictive Analytics
The use of data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data. The goal is to go beyond knowing what has happened to providing a best assessment of what will happen in the future.
Process Mining
A process management technique that uses data analysis to discover, monitor, and improve real processes by extracting knowledge from event logs readily available in today's information systems. It provides insights into how processes actually operate, including visualizations of process flows, bottlenecks, and performance metrics.
Quantum Computing
A type of computing that uses quantum bits or qubits instead of the usual binary bits (0s and 1s).
Robotic Assistants
Robots designed to assist humans in performing tasks. These tasks can range from simple and monotonous to complex and dangerous. Robotic assistants are often used in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and domestic services.
Robotic Automation
The use of robots to execute tasks or processes traditionally performed by humans. This can refer to both physical robots (e.g., robots used in manufacturing) and software robots, like those used in Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
Robotic Process Automation
Often abbreviated as RPA, refers to the use of software robots or 'bots' to automate highly repetitive and routine tasks normally performed by humans. RPA bots can log into applications, enter data, calculate and complete tasks, and then log out, automating activities with multiple steps and with structured data.
Robotic Process Orchestration
Refers to the coordination, management, and scheduling of robotic process automation (RPA) bots in an organized and optimized way. It goes beyond simple RPA to include the ability to manage complex processes, coordinate multiple bots, and handle exceptions more effectively.
Robotic Surgery
A type of surgical procedure that is performed using robotic systems. Often these are remotely controlled by surgeons, offering high precision, control, and flexibility. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery procedures.
Robotics
A field of engineering focused on the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. This field overlaps with computer science, electronics, artificial intelligence, mechatronics, nanotechnology, and bioengineering.
RPA
Stands for Robotic Process Automation, which refers to the use of software robots or bots to automate highly repetitive and routine tasks normally performed by humans. RPA bots can log into applications, enter data, calculate and complete tasks, and then log out.
Sensor Networks
A group of spatially dispersed and dedicated sensors for monitoring and recording the physical conditions of the environment and organizing the collected data at a central location. Sensor networks can be used in various application areas including environmental monitoring, healthcare, home automation, and traffic control.
Smart Agriculture
Refers to the application of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in agriculture. This might include the use of sensors, IoT devices, GPS, drones, robotics, and big data analytics to make agricultural activities more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven.
Smart Cities
Refers to urban areas that use different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect data. Insights gained from that data are used to manage assets, resources, and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve the operations across the city. This includes data collected from citizens, devices, buildings, and assets.
Smart Contracts
Self-executing contracts where the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller are directly written into lines of code. Smart contracts permit trusted transactions and agreements to be carried out among disparate, anonymous parties without the need for a central authority, legal system, or external enforcement mechanism. They are often used in blockchain environments.
Smart Grids
Refers to a modernized electrical grid system that uses information and communications technology to enhance the reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and economics of the production and distribution of electricity. Smart grids use smart meters, sensors, and other technologies to optimize the flow of electricity.
Smart Homes
A residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting and heating. Smart homes typically have a home automation system in place that can be controlled from a mobile device or other networked device.
Smart Manufacturing
An approach to production that aims to optimize the manufacturing process through automation, integration of systems and data, real-time analytics, and other advanced technologies. It's often associated with Industry 4.0, which is characterized by the increased use of IoT, cloud computing, and other smart technologies in manufacturing.
Smart Mobility
A concept that refers to the integration of various forms of transport services into a single mobility service accessible on demand. It aims to manage and optimize the use of transport systems in an efficient, sustainable, and interconnected manner through the use of modern technologies.
Smart Retail
Refers to the combination of technologies such as IoT, AI, and data analytics to optimize the supply chain, personalize customer experiences, and improve retail operations. This includes smart shelves, automated checkouts, and customer behavior tracking.
Supply Chain Optimization
The application of processes, methodologies, tools, and technologies to make the supply chain as efficient as possible. It minimizes the cost and time it takes to transport goods from the supplier to the consumer while ensuring that the right amount of each product is available at the right time.
Swarm Robotics
A field of robotics that deals with the coordination of multi-robot systems. Swarm robotics focuses on the collective behavior of large numbers of relatively simple robots. It draws inspiration from nature, such as the way flocks of birds or swarms of bees function.
User-Centric Design
A design philosophy that puts the user's needs, preferences, and experiences at the center of the design process. The goal is to create products that are highly usable, accessible, and satisfying. User-centric design involves user research, usability testing, and iterative design processes.
UX/UI
Stands for User Experience and User Interface. UX refers to a person’s emotions and attitudes about using a particular product, system, or service, while UI is about the look and function of the product. A product that has a good UX/UI design is user-friendly, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing.
Virtual Assistant
A software agent that can perform tasks or services for an individual. Sometimes the term 'virtual assistant' is also used to refer to remote human assistants. In the context of technology, virtual assistants use natural language processing and AI to interact with users.
Virtual Reality
A simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. Virtual reality is typically achieved by wearing a headset that tracks the user's motions and changes the user's view accordingly. It is used for gaming, training, education, and various other applications.
Voice Recognition
Also known as speech recognition, it's the technology that converts spoken words into written text. This technology is widely used in services and applications that enables it to receive and interpret dictation, or to understand and execute spoken commands.
Wallet
In the context of digital assets, a wallet is a software application that allows an individual to securely store and manage their cryptocurrencies, tokens, and other digital assets. It can also refer to a physical device with the same purpose.
Wearable Technology
Wearable technology refers to smart electronic devices that can be worn on the body as implants or accessories. These devices often perform functions like fitness tracking, health monitoring, providing notifications, or syncing with other smart devices.
Web3
Refers to a new paradigm for applications on the internet. It includes decentralized services that are not owned by a single entity, where users control their own data. This term is often associated with blockchain technologies, particularly Ethereum.
Web Scraping
The process of using bots to extract content and data from a website. Web scraping is used for various purposes such as data analysis, data gathering, and content migration.
Web Services
Standardized software or application interfaces that allow different software applications to communicate with each other over the internet.
Decentralized Application (DApp)
An application that is built on a blockchain, making it inherently decentralized. DApps are not controlled by a single entity and they don’t have a single point of failure. They often incentivize users through cryptographic tokens and utilize open-source code.
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)
An organization represented by rules encoded as a computer program that is transparent, controlled by the organization members, and not influenced by a central government. A DAO's financial transaction record and program rules are maintained on a blockchain.
Digital Ledger Technology (DLT)
A consensus of replicated, shared, and synchronized digital data geographically spread across multiple sites, countries, or institutions. Unlike traditional databases, distributed ledger technology does not have a central administrator or centralized data storage. Blockchain is a type of DLT.
Blockchain Explorer
An online tool or platform that is used to search and analyze the blockchain of a cryptocurrency. It provides information such as transaction history, balances of addresses, and the state of smart contracts.
Tokenization
The process of converting rights to an asset into a digital token, often on a blockchain. This can be used for various purposes including representing assets like real estate or stocks, for creating cryptocurrency, or for securing sensitive data by replacing it with unique symbols.
Distributed Computing
A computing model in which components located on networked computers communicate and coordinate their actions by passing messages.
Proof-of-Work (PoW)
A consensus algorithm used in blockchain networks where miners compete to solve a mathematical puzzle.
Proof-of-Stake (PoS)
A consensus algorithm used in blockchain networks where the creator of the next block is chosen via various combinations of random selection and wealth or age of staked coins.
Smart Appliances
Electronic devices that can be connected to the internet and operated through a smartphone or other remote device. They often have the ability to learn from user behavior and adapt to user preferences, and are commonly found in smart homes.
Quantum Encryption
A method of encrypting data using the principles of quantum mechanics, making it nearly impossible to decrypt without the proper keys. One form, known as Quantum Key Distribution, allows two parties to share a secret key that can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages, with the assurance that the key cannot be intercepted without detection.
Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs)
A type of deep learning model composed of two neural networks: a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new data instances, while the discriminator evaluates them. The networks are trained together, with the generator getting better at creating realistic data and the discriminator getting better at evaluating data.
Computer Vision
A field of artificial intelligence that trains computers to interpret and understand the visual world. Through acquiring, processing, analyzing, and understanding digital images, computer vision seeks to automate tasks that the human visual system can do.
Image Recognition
A component of computer vision, it's the ability of software to identify objects, places, people, writing and actions in images. Computers can use machine vision technologies in combination with a camera and artificial intelligence software to achieve image recognition.
Facial Recognition
A biometric technology that identifies or verifies a person by comparing and analyzing patterns based on the person's facial contours. It is used in security systems and can be applied to photos, videos, and in real-time.
Sentiment Analysis
The use of natural language processing, text analysis, and computational linguistics to identify and extract subjective information from source materials. It's often used to determine a person's attitude (positive, negative, neutral) towards a particular topic or product.
Reinforcement Learning
A type of machine learning where an agent learns to behave in an environment by performing actions and observing the rewards of those actions.
Text-to-Speech (TTS)
A technology that converts written text into spoken voice output. It is used in various applications such as voice-enabled email and messaging, text readers, and devices for visually impaired individuals.
Speech-to-Text (STT)
A technology that converts spoken language into written text. This is used for voice dictation, voice commands, and transcription services.
Application Performance Monitoring (APM)
Tools and processes responsible for monitoring and managing the performance and availability of software applications. APM monitors in real-time and collects data to gauge the performance, allowing for the proactive detection and resolution of performance issues.
Cyber Resilience
The ability of an organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber-attacks. It combines elements of cybersecurity and business continuity to protect against threats and ensure an organization's ability to maintain or quickly resume critical functions following an attack.
Digital Footprint
The trail of data left by interactions in a digital environment including the use of TV, mobile phone, the Internet, and other connected devices. It includes data transmitted through web services, email, social media, and other internet-based communications.
Digital Wallet
A system that securely stores digital currency, digital credentials, and other information for transactions. It can be used to make electronic transactions and can be in the form of a mobile app or other software.
Edge Networking
A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the location where it is needed, to improve response times and save bandwidth.
Fog Computing
A computing infrastructure in which data, processing, and applications are concentrated in devices at the network edge rather than being centralized in the cloud. It's a decentralized extension of cloud computing, often used in the Internet of Things (IoT).
Grid Computing
A computing infrastructure that combines computer resources from multiple locations to achieve a common goal.
High-Performance Computing (HPC)
The use of supercomputers and parallel processing techniques to solve complex computational problems.
Internet of Behaviors (IoB)
The collecting, combining, and using data from a variety of sources including commercial customer data, citizen data processed by public-sector and government agencies, social media, public domain deployments of facial recognition, and location tracking, to influence behavior.
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
Systems that monitor network traffic for suspicious activity and issue alerts when such activity is discovered. While not capable of taking proactive defense measures, they are an important component in comprehensive security policies.
Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
Network security appliances that monitor network and/or system activities for malicious activity. The main functions of intrusion prevention systems are to identify malicious activity, log information about this activity, attempt to block/stop it, and report it.
Kubernetes
An open-source container-orchestration system for automating deployment, scaling, and operations of application containers across clusters of hosts. It works with a range of container tools and runs containers in a clustered environment.
Microservices
An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of services that are highly maintainable and testable, loosely coupled, independently deployable, and organized around business capabilities.
Mobile Computing
The use of portable computing devices (such as smartphones and laptops) in conjunction with mobile communications technologies to enable users to access data and information from wherever they are.
Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)
A security system that requires more than one method of authentication from independent categories of credentials to verify the user's identity for a login or other transaction. Commonly involves something the user knows (password), something the user has (security token), and something the user is (biometric verification).
Network Security
The practice of securing a computer network from intruders, whether targeted attackers or opportunistic malware. It involves the authorization of access to
On-Chain
Refers to transactions and actions that occur on the blockchain and are recorded on the public ledger. This includes the transfer of cryptocurrencies, the execution of smart contracts, and the recording of data. On-chain transactions are generally considered to be secure but slower and more expensive.
Off-Chain
Refers to transactions and actions that occur outside of the blockchain. These transactions are not recorded on the public ledger, which can make them faster and less expensive but potentially less secure. Off-chain transactions often rely on various mechanisms to later settle the final state on-chain.
Open Source Software
Software whose source code is made available for use or modification by anyone.
Phishing
A cybercrime in which a target is contacted by email, telephone, or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking, credit card details, and passwords.
Real-time Analytics
The analysis of data as soon as it enters the system. The goal of real-time analytics is to provide timely insights and support decision-making processes within a short time frame. It is used extensively in monitoring and alerting systems, fraud detection, and trading.
RegTech
Short for Regulatory Technology, it refers to the use of technology to help companies comply with regulations efficiently and inexpensively. It encompasses a wide range of applications from monitoring transactions for suspicious activity to ensure customer information is stored securely.
Remote Work
A work arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work, but rather, use digital technologies to work from any location. This can include working from home, coworking spaces, or while traveling.
Scalability
The capability of a system, network, or process to handle a growing amount of work or its potential to be enlarged in order to accommodate that growth. For example, a scalable system would be able to handle an increasing number of users or transactions without suffering a loss of performance.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
A standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client, such as a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. It is commonly used for secure communications in websites, email, and other applications.
Serverless Computing
A cloud computing model where the cloud provider automatically manages the infrastructure needed to run and scale applications. Developers can focus on writing the code, and the cloud provider takes care of the underlying infrastructure.
Single Sign-On (SSO)
A user authentication process that allows a user to access multiple applications with one set of credentials (username and password).
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
A software licensing and delivery model in which software is provided over the Internet, often a browser-based interface, without the need for local installation or maintenance. SaaS is typically based on a subscription model and the service provider is responsible for maintenance and updates.
Solidity (Programming Language)
A programming language used for writing smart contracts on various blockchain platforms, most notably, Ethereum. It is statically typed, supports inheritance, libraries, and complex user-defined types among other features.
Supervised Learning
A type of machine learning wherein the model is trained on a labeled dataset, which means that data instances are annotated with the correct output. The algorithm makes predictions or decisions based on input data, and is corrected when its predictions are wrong.
Unsupervised Learning
A type of machine learning algorithm used to draw inferences from datasets consisting of input data without labeled responses.
Synthetic Data
Data that's artificially created rather than being generated by actual events.
Transfer Learning
A research problem in machine learning that focuses on storing knowledge gained while solving one problem and applying it to a different but related problem. For example, knowledge gained while learning to recognize cars could be used to recognize trucks.
Turing Test
A measure of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. If a human evaluator cannot reliably tell the machine apart from a human based on conversation, the machine is considered to have passed the Turing test.
Virtual Machine (VM)
An emulation of a computer system. Virtual machines are based on computer architectures and provide the functionality of a physical computer.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A technology that creates a safe and encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. VPN technology was developed as a way to allow remote users and branch offices to securely access corporate applications and other resources.
Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
A private cloud environment within the public cloud. It allows users to have a private and isolated space within the public cloud that they can customize with their own IP address range, network topology, and security settings.
Zero Trust Security
A security model that assumes no trust for any entity regardless of whether it is located inside or outside of the security perimeter.
Zero-Knowledge Proofs
A cryptographic method where one party (the prover) can prove to another party (the verifier) that they possess a certain piece of information without revealing the information itself or any additional details.
FinTech
A combination of the words: 'financial + technology', it represents the use of modern technology and software to provide financial services. Fintech encompasses a wide range of products and services, including mobile banking, online investment services, peer-to-peer lending platforms, and digital currencies.
HealthTech
The use of technology to improve the delivery, payment, and/or consumption of care and health-related services. This includes telemedicine, wearable devices for monitoring health, electronic health records, and mobile health applications.
Cross-Platform Development
The development of software applications that are compatible with multiple operating systems or devices, such as Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. This approach allows developers to write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms, rather than writing a separate codebase for each.
Cyber Threat Intelligence
The collection and analysis of information about current and potential attacks that threaten the security of an organization's digital assets. This information is used to prepare, prevent, and identify cyber threats looking to take advantage of valuable resources.
Data Lakes
A storage repository that holds a large amount of raw data in its native format until it is needed.
Domain Name System (DNS)
A hierarchical system for translating human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into the IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers use to connect to each other over the internet.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
A set of tools and processes designed to ensure that sensitive or critical information is not accessed or transmitted outside of the corporate network. This includes identifying, monitoring, and protecting data in use (endpoint actions), data in motion (network traffic), and data at rest (data storage).
Endpoint Security
A security approach focused on securing endpoints, or user devices like computers, laptops, and mobile devices, from various cyber threats. This is often achieved through security software installed on the devices that helps in monitoring for, detecting, and blocking malicious activities.
Growth Hacking
A marketing strategy primarily used by startups and small companies to achieve rapid growth through unconventional and cost-effective tactics. These might include viral marketing, social media campaigns, or other low-cost alternatives to traditional marketing.
Heuristic Analysis
A method used in antivirus software to detect new, previously unknown viruses or new variants of known viruses by examining code behaviors and properties. For example, if a file is attempting to access a large number of files quickly, this might be flagged as a potential virus.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
A framework for business processes that facilitates the management of electronic or digital identities. It encompasses the tools and policies used to manage, create, use, and protect identity information and access rights for users.
Information Security (InfoSec)
The practice of protecting information from unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or destruction. This includes the protection of electronic data, computer systems, networks, and personal information, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Infrastructure-as-a-Code (IaC)
The management of infrastructure (networks, virtual machines, load balancers, and connection topology) through machine-readable definition files, rather than physical hardware configuration or the use of interactive configuration tools.
Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)
A cloud-based set of tools that allows businesses to connect applications, data, and processes across different environments. iPaaS can be used to integrate cloud services with on-premises applications and can facilitate the development, execution, and governance of integration flows.
Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
A collection of medical devices and applications that connect healthcare IT systems through online computer networks. This includes devices like wearable fitness bands, remote patient monitoring tools, and health sensors, all connected through the internet for sharing data.
Knowledge Graph
A knowledge base that uses a graph-structured data model or topology to integrate data and information from various sources.
Lean Startup
A methodology for developing businesses and products that aims to shorten product development cycles by adopting a combination of business hypothesis-driven experimentation, iterative product releases, and validated learning.
Managed Services
The practice of outsourcing the responsibility for maintaining, and anticipating the need for, a range of processes and functions in order to improve operations and cut expenses. This can include outsourcing IT services, HR activities, production support, and lifecycle build/maintenance activities.
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
A type of security software used by IT departments to monitor, manage, and secure employees' mobile devices that are deployed across multiple mobile service providers and across multiple mobile operating systems used in the organization.
Mobile Security
The protection of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other portable computing devices, and the networks they connect to, from threats and vulnerabilities associated with wireless computing. Mobile security involves protecting both personal and business information stored on and transmitted from these devices.
Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
A network architecture concept that uses IT virtualization technologies to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create communication services.
Operational Technology (OT)
The hardware and software systems that detect or cause changes in physical processes through direct monitoring and/or control of physical devices such as valves, pumps, etc. OT is often used in industrial settings like manufacturing plants or utilities, where it forms a critical component of systems managing physical events.
Over-the-Air Programming (OTA)
The wireless transmission and updating of software or data to mobile devices. In the context of mobile phones, it is used to update the device's firmware/software. For Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it can be used to remotely update software, configurations, or data on the devices.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
A cloud computing service model that provides a platform for customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
Web applications that are regular web pages or websites but can appear to the user like traditional applications or native mobile applications.
Quantum Algorithms
Algorithms designed to be run on quantum computers. Quantum algorithms take advantage of quantum superposition and entanglement to solve problems more efficiently than classical algorithms. For example, Shor's algorithm can factor large numbers exponentially faster than the best-known classical algorithms.
Rapid Application Development (RAD)
A software development methodology that focuses on rapid prototyping and quick feedback from end-users. RAD facilitates adapting the product to match user requirements in real-time, making it particularly useful for software development projects with rapidly changing requirements.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
A network architecture that combines wide area networking and network security services into a single cloud service. It aims to offer simpler management and better performance for WAN connections, especially for users accessing cloud-based applications.
Security Operations Center (SOC)
A centralized unit within an organization that deals with security issues, using a combination of technology solutions and a strong set of processes, to continuously monitor and improve an organization’s security posture while preventing, detecting, analyzing, and responding to cybersecurity incidents.
Serverless Architecture
A cloud computing execution model where the cloud provider dynamically manages the allocation and provisioning of servers. In serverless architectures, developers can build and run applications and services without thinking about the underlying infrastructure.
Threat Hunting
A cybersecurity practice where IT professionals actively search networks and datasets to identify advanced threats that evade automated security solutions.
Time Series Database
A database optimized for handling time-series data, which are data points indexed in time order. They are used for storing logs, sensor data, and other measurements where the time aspect is critical.
Unified Communications
The integration of various communication tools, such as voice, video, instant messaging, email, and VoIP, to streamline communication processes and improve collaboration across an organization.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
The virtualization of a desktop computer environment on a centralized server.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
A technology that allows voice calls to be made over the internet, rather than through traditional analog telephone lines. VoIP converts analog voice signals into digital data that can be transmitted over the internet.
Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A firewall specifically designed to protect web applications from attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other common web exploits. It sits between a web application and the internet, monitoring HTTP traffic and applying a set of rules to block potentially harmful traffic.
Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC)
A technology that enables real-time communication (RTC) capabilities such as voice, video, and data sharing through web browsers and mobile applications via simple APIs. It eliminates the need for plugins or custom software installations as it runs natively in supporting browsers.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A network that extends over a large geographical area, often connecting multiple local area networks (LANs). It can be used by businesses and government entities to relay data to employees, clients, buyers, and suppliers from various locations across the world.
Workflow Automation
The use of technology to automate a sequence of tasks, processes, or transactions that are necessary to accomplish a business objective, enabling those tasks to be performed with reduced human intervention.
Extended Reality (XR)
An umbrella term that covers all the various forms of computer-altered reality, including Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR). It includes everything from fully immersive virtual realities to enhanced real-world content.
Yield Farming
A practice within the DeFi (Decentralized Finance) space that involves lending cryptocurrencies or participating in liquidity pools on blockchain networks to earn rewards or interest.
Zero-Day Exploit
An attack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability in software or hardware. On the day the vulnerability becomes known to the public and the vendor, there is 'zero day' for the vendor to create patches or for users to install them, making systems extremely vulnerable.
Zettabyte Era
Refers to the current age of data where the amount of digital data produced worldwide has reached the zettabyte scale (1 zettabyte = 1 billion terabytes). The term highlights the challenges and opportunities that this immense volume of data brings to storage, analysis, and utilization.
Mesh Networks
A network topology in which nodes are connected to many other nodes directly, allowing for data to be relayed across any of the multiple paths available. This topology can dynamically self-organize and reconfigure, which can be especially useful in routing around broken or blocked paths by “hopping” from node to node until the destination is reached.
Telemedicine
The use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical health care from a distance.
Telepresence Robots
Robots that allow users to be virtually present in a location different from their actual physical location. These robots usually have a screen, camera, and microphones that facilitate two-way communication, and they can be remotely controlled to move around.
Smart Spaces
Environments in which humans and technology-enabled systems interact in increasingly open, connected, coordinated, and intelligent ecosystems. Various elements – people, processes, services, and things – come together in a smart space to create a more immersive, interactive, and automated experience for a target set of people and industry scenarios.
Human-in-the-loop
A model or system where a human is involved in the loop of iterative feedback and actions taken by AI algorithms or other automated processes. The human can provide real-time validation, decision-making, or corrective actions that guide the system.
Conversational AI
Artificial intelligence technologies that enable machines to simulate human-like conversations through text or voice interactions. Conversational AI can be implemented through chatbots, virtual assistants, and other tools, allowing for more natural interactions between humans and machines.
Adaptive Learning
An education technology concept that uses algorithms and data analysis to adapt the learning experience to the individual needs of students.
3D Scanning
The process of capturing the geometry of existing physical objects through the use of lasers or structured light.
Object Detection
A computer vision technique that involves identifying and locating objects within an image or video. Unlike image classification, which assigns a label to the entire image, object detection recognizes multiple objects and their locations within the same image.
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)
A direct communication pathway between the brain and external devices. BCIs are often used in research, mapping, assistive, communications or control applications. They are also sometimes known as brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), direct brain interfaces (DBIs), or brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).
Spatial Computing
A computing approach that uses the space around the user for processing and displaying information. It involves the integration of physical space and digital information, often using technologies like AR, VR, sensors, and computer vision to enable interaction between humans and machines in a more natural way.
Crowdsourcing
A sourcing model in which individuals or organizations obtain goods, services, or ideas by soliciting contributions from a large, relatively open, and often rapidly-evolving group of participants. This can be done through open collaboration, competitions, or voting systems.
Citizen Science
Scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists. Citizen science is often used to harness the collective power of the community to analyze data or observe natural phenomena that might otherwise be unmanageable for professional scientists.
Digital Currency
A type of currency that exists in digital form. Unlike physical currencies, such as coins and banknotes, digital currency is intangible and is often decentralized. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are examples of digital currencies.
Self-Sovereign Identity
A digital identity that is fully controlled by the individual or organization to whom the identity refers. Unlike traditional identity systems, which are often controlled by a centralized authority, self-sovereign identity allows individuals to control their own identity data and who can access it.
Anomaly Detection
A statistical technique used to identify patterns in data that do not conform to expected behavior. It is widely used in fraud detection, network security, and fault detection.
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A network of servers distributed geographically with the purpose of delivering content, such as web pages, videos, and images, more efficiently to users. CDNs cache content on servers that are close to end-users, reducing latency and accelerating access to the content.
DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
A movement that leverages decentralized networks to transform traditional financial products into trustless and transparent protocols that operate without intermediaries. This involves using smart contracts on blockchains, the most common being Ethereum.
Permissioned Blockchain
A type of blockchain where participants need to be authenticated or invited to participate. It contrasts with public blockchains, where anyone can join and participate. Permissioned blockchains are often used in business settings where control over participants is required.
Digital Asset Management
A set of practices, processes, and technologies that allow organizations to manage, organize, and retrieve digital assets like images, videos, documents, and other multimedia content. It involves storing assets in a structured way that ensures they are easily accessible to individuals and applications that are authorized to use them.
Green Computing
The environmentally responsible and eco-friendly use of computers and their resources. This practice includes the implementation of energy-efficient CPUs, servers, peripherals as well as proper disposal of electronic waste.
Micro-Moments
The term refers to instances when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They are intent-rich moments where decisions are made and preferences are shaped.
Geo-fencing
A technology that defines a virtual boundary around a real-world geographical area. It enables software to trigger a response when a mobile device enters or leaves a specific area, as defined by a combination of latitude, longitude, and radius.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)
A method for securely transmitting cryptographic keys between two parties involved in encrypted communication, based on the principles of quantum mechanics. QKD allows two parties to generate a shared random secret key known only to them, which can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages. It is theoretically secure against any interception, as the act of measuring a quantum system changes its state.
Server Virtualization
The process of dividing a physical server into multiple unique and isolated virtual servers by using virtualization software.
Voice Commerce
Refers to the process of searching, selecting, and buying products online using voice commands through virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple's Siri.
Customer Data Platform (CDP)
A technology that aggregates and organizes customer data across a variety of touchpoints to create a single customer profile.
Variable Fonts
A type of font that allows designers to derive multiple font styles from a single font file. By manipulating attributes such as width, weight, or slant, designers can produce an infinite number of styles while conserving space and bandwidth.
Emotional AI
Also known as affective computing, it involves building AI systems that can recognize, interpret, process, and simulate human emotions. This technology is used in various applications, including customer feedback analysis, mental health monitoring, and human-computer interaction.
Location-Based Services
A software-level service that uses geographic data and information to provide services or information to users. Location-based services can be used in a variety of contexts, such as health, indoor object search, entertainment, work, personal life, etc.
Agile Software Development
A method of software development in which the process occurs though the continuous iteration of development and testing in the software development lifecycle process.
Blue Ocean Strategy
A business strategy that encourages companies to create new demand in uncontested market spaces, as opposed to competing in saturated markets with established competitors. The term is derived from the book “Blue Ocean Strategy,” by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, and contrasts with the idea of 'Red Oceans' where companies fiercely compete in bloody waters.
Quantum-safe Cryptography
Cryptographic algorithms that are thought to be secure against the potential future capabilities of quantum computers.
Multicloud
The use of multiple cloud computing services in a single heterogeneous architecture. This can include any combination of cloud services, including infrastructure, platform, or software services, provided by multiple cloud providers.
Privacy by Design
An approach to systems engineering which takes privacy into account throughout the whole engineering process. The concept is an example of value-sensitive design, i.e., to take account of human values in a well-defined manner throughout the whole process and may have been derived from this.
Design Thinking
A problem-solving approach that involves empathizing with users, defining their needs, ideating potential solutions, prototyping, and testing. It encourages an iterative process and seeks to understand users, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems.
Lean Manufacturing
A systematic method for the elimination of waste within a manufacturing process.
Contextual Advertising
A form of targeted advertising where the content of an ad is in direct correlation to the content of the web page the user is viewing. For example, if a user is browsing a page about traveling, the advertisements may be for hotels, flights, or travel gear.
Mobile Payment Systems
Payment services that operate under financial regulation and perform transactions via a mobile device. Examples include Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Mobile payments enable users to make payments and transfer money using their mobile devices.
Mobile Application Management (MAM)
The process of managing and securing enterprise mobile apps. Unlike mobile device management (MDM), which focuses on the device, MAM focuses on application level control. This typically involves the ability to update, secure and monitor applications without requiring control of the entire device.
Containerization
A lightweight alternative to full machine virtualization that involves encapsulating an application in a container with its own operating environment.
Docker Containers
A platform for developers and sysadmins to develop, ship, and run applications in containers. A container is a lightweight, stand-alone, executable software package that includes everything needed to run code, including the runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings.
Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)
A type of software designed to help managed IT service providers remotely and proactively monitor client endpoints, networks, and computers. This is also now known as remote IT management.
Virtual Reality Training
The use of virtual reality technology for training and education purposes.
Augmented Reality Marketing
A marketing strategy that integrates augmented reality technology, which overlays digital information onto the user's real-world environment. It offers a new way to engage consumers through interactive experiences.
Cloud Orchestration
The use of programming technology to manage the interconnections and interactions among workloads in public and private cloud environments.
Cybersecurity Incident Response
The approach taken by an organization to address and manage the aftermath of a security breach or cyber attack. The goal is to handle the situation in a way that limits damage, and reduces recovery time and costs.
Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS)
A cloud-based service that enables users to develop, host, and adopt their own blockchain apps, agreements, and utilities. BaaS providers handle the complex back-end for clients and provide the necessary infrastructure, ensuring the performance, security, and scalability of the blockchain.
Adaptive Security
Security measures that evolve in response to a changing environment and varying demands.
Headless Commerce
An e-commerce architecture where the front-end is decoupled from the back-end. This allows developers to create a “frontend” experience and utilize the back-end technology in a more flexible way. Typically, this approach is used to facilitate omnichannel and cross-platform experiences.
Influencer Marketing
A form of marketing where organizations partner with individuals who have influence over a community (due to their social status or expertise) to promote their products or services.
White Hat Hacking
Ethical hacking, where security professionals hack systems to find vulnerabilities and weaknesses in order to fix them before malicious hackers can exploit them. This is done with the permission of the organization that owns the system.
Black Hat Hacking
Unethical hacking where individuals hack into systems to exploit vulnerabilities for personal or financial gain, or malicious intentions without authorization.
Grey Hat Hacking
A combination of white hat and black hat hacking, where individuals hack into systems without authorization but with good intentions, such as to inform the organization of vulnerabilities in their system. The legality and ethics of grey hat hacking are often debated.
Penetration Testing
A security testing practice where experts attempt to breach a system's security, simulating an attack by a hacker. The purpose is to identify vulnerabilities before a malicious actor can exploit them.
Vulnerability Assessment
The process of identifying, classifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in a computer system, network, or software application. This process helps organizations understand and address security weaknesses.
Online Behavioral Advertising
A type of advertising that uses data collected about an individual’s online activity, such as searches, website visits, and content viewed to deliver ads that are tailored to the individual’s interests.
Digital Rights Management
A set of access control technologies aimed at protecting the copyrights and proprietary rights of digital content such as software, multimedia, and digital documents. This includes methods to prevent unauthorized redistribution and restrict the ways consumers can copy content.
Predictive Maintenance
A technique that utilizes data analysis tools and techniques to predict when equipment or machinery might fail so that maintenance can be performed just in time to prevent the failure.
Recommender Systems
Systems that provide suggestions to users for products, services, or information that might be of interest to them, based on data analysis. Commonly used in e-commerce platforms, streaming services, and social media.
Cloud Bursting
An approach where an application runs in a private cloud or data center and 'bursts' into a public cloud when the demand for computing capacity spikes. This allows a company to manage regular workloads in-house while still being able to handle large surges in workload.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
A policy that allows employees to use their personal devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets for work purposes. BYOD can save costs on hardware, but it introduces various security and management challenges.
IT Governance
A framework that provides a structure for aligning IT strategy with business strategy. It ensures that companies stay on track to achieve their strategies and goals, and implements good ways to measure IT’s performance.
Malware Analysis
The process of understanding the functionality and potential impact of malicious software, such as viruses, worms, and trojans. This analysis helps in developing effective detection techniques and removal tools.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
A comprehensive solution that provides real-time analysis of security alerts generated by hardware and software in an organization. SIEM systems work by collecting and aggregating log data generated throughout the organization’s technology infrastructure, from host systems and applications to network and security devices such as firewalls and antivirus filters.
Deep Packet Inspection
A type of data processing that inspects in detail the data being sent over a computer network, and may take actions such as alerting, blocking, re-routing, or logging it accordingly. It's often used to ensure network integrity and security.
Growth Marketing
A marketing approach that focuses on the entire funnel rather than simply acquiring customers.
Digital Nudging
The use of digital features or elements designed to influence the decision-making process and behavior of users in a predictable way, without removing their freedom of choice. It’s based on the behavioral sciences concept of “nudging”.
Cyber Physical Systems
Systems that involve a tight combination of and coordination between the system’s computational and physical elements. They are often embedded in and interact with the physical world, and operate on feedback loops where physical processes affect computations and vice versa.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A strategy for managing an organization's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. CRM systems help companies stay connected to customers, streamline processes, and improve profitability.
Feature Engineering
The process of selecting and transforming variables when creating a predictive model using machine learning or statistical modeling, such as taking a dataset and constructing predictors (features) that are useful for the task at hand.
Domain-Driven Design
An approach to software development that centers the development on real-world domains and domain logic, bases complex designs on a model, involves collaboration between technical and domain experts, and employs a rich domain-specific language.
Live Streaming
Broadcasting video and audio content over the internet in real-time. This can be used for events, video conferences, game streams, or social media activities.
Virtual Events
An online event that involves people interacting in a virtual environment on the web, rather than meeting in a physical location. Examples are webinars, virtual conferences, and virtual tradeshows.
Geospatial Analysis
The gathering, display, and manipulation of imagery, GPS, satellite photography, and historical data, represented in terms of geographic coordinates or cartographically. It is used for various purposes such as understanding patterns, relationships, and trends.
Configuration Management
The process of systematically handling changes to a system in such a way that it maintains integrity over time.
Business Intelligence (BI)
The process of analyzing business data to make informed business decisions. BI encompasses a wide range of tools, applications, and methodologies that enable organizations to collect data from internal systems and external sources, prepare it for analysis, develop and run queries against the data, and create reports, dashboards, and data visualizations to make the analytical results available to decision-makers.
Retargeting
An online advertising strategy aimed at targeting users who have previously visited your website or mobile app.
Internet of Everything (IoE)
A concept that brings together people, process, data, and things to make networked connections more relevant and valuable. It’s an evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) where not only devices but also data, people, and processes are interconnected.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
An online advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. Essentially, it’s a way of buying visits to your site, rather than attempting to “earn” those visits organically through search engine optimization (SEO).
Affiliate Marketing
A marketing arrangement by which an online retailer pays commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals. This is usually achieved by placing links, banners, or content that is directed towards the audience of the affiliate.
Content Management System (CMS)
A software application or set of related programs that are used to create and manage digital content.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
A metric that measures the number of clicks advertisers receive on their ads per number of impressions.
Microtargeting
A marketing strategy that uses consumer data and demographics to identify the interests of specific individuals or very small groups of like-minded individuals to influence their thoughts or actions.
Self-Healing Systems
Systems that have the ability to perceive that they are not operating correctly and, without human intervention, make the necessary adjustments to restore themselves to normal operation.
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
A digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
A signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, modifying and terminating real-time sessions that involve video, voice, messaging and other communications applications and services between two or more endpoints on IP networks.
Traffic Shaping
A network traffic management technique which delays some or all datagrams to bring them into compliance with a desired traffic profile. Traffic shaping is used to optimize or guarantee performance, improve latency, or increase usable bandwidth for some kinds of packets by delaying other kinds.
Dwell Time
A metric that calculates user engagement, session duration, and time spent in a specific location or webpage. It is used in SEO as a ranking signal and in physical retail to understand consumer behavior.
Programmatic Advertising
The automated buying and selling of online advertising targeting specific audiences and demographics. Programmatic ads are placed using artificial intelligence and real-time bidding for inventory across mobile, display, video and social channels.
Network Topology
The arrangement of various elements (links, nodes, etc.) in a computer network. It is a structural layout of network components and a topological structure which may be physical or logical. Common topologies include bus, star, ring, and mesh.
Data Wrangling
The process of cleaning, structuring, and enriching raw data into a desired format for better decision-making in less time. This is often a vigorous and time-consuming process, especially with large and complex data.
Multitenancy
A reference to the mode of operation of software where multiple independent instances of one or multiple applications operate in a shared environment.
Risk Management Framework
A set of guidelines or processes used by organizations to identify, analyze, and respond to risks that might affect the achievement of objectives. It provides a structured approach for the management of risks.
Blockchain Consensus Algorithms
A method used in blockchain networks to achieve agreement on a single data value among distributed processes or systems.
Return on Investment (ROI)
A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment compared to its cost. ROI is calculated as (Net Profit / Cost of Investment) * 100, and is expressed as a percentage.
Data Fabric
An architecture and set of data services that provide consistent capabilities across a choice of endpoints spanning on-premises and multiple cloud environments. It helps organizations to gain insights, simplify data management, and protect data.
Digital Signage
A sub-segment of electronic signage that uses technologies such as LCD, LED, and projection to display content such as digital images, video, streaming media, and information. It's widely used in public spaces, transportation systems, museums, stadiums, retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and corporate buildings.
Middleware
Software that lies between an operating system and the applications running on it. It's essentially software that enables communication and management of data in distributed applications. Examples of middleware include web servers, application servers, and content management systems.
Context-Aware Computing
A form of computing in which systems can sense, and react based on their environment. Devices use information about the circumstances under which they are operating, including the presence and movement of people and objects, changes in networks and user interaction, and other factors such as time of day to change behavior.
User-Generated Content
Content created and published by the end-users online, often made available via social media platforms, blogs, wikis, forums, etc. This can include various formats such as text, images, videos, and audio.
Near Field Communication (NFC)
A set of communication protocols that enable two electronic devices, one of which is usually a portable device such as a smartphone, to establish communication by bringing them within 4 cm (1.6 in) of each other. It is often used for contactless payments, data exchange, and simplified setup of more complex communications such as Wi-Fi.
Lean Six Sigma
A methodology that combines the concept of Lean and Six Sigma. Lean focuses on eliminating waste, while Six Sigma focuses on eliminating defects and reducing variability. Together, Lean Six Sigma helps in improving the efficiency and quality of the processes.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
A strategic marketing approach that targets specific key accounts or account segments, usually in B2B marketing. It involves creating personalized campaigns that resonate with each targeted account, rather than targeting a broader audience.
Data Encryption Standard (DES)
A symmetric-key algorithm for the encryption of digital data. DES was a widely used method of data encryption, but due to its susceptibility to brute-force attacks, it is now considered to be obsolete for many applications and has been succeeded by more secure encryption algorithms, such as AES.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
An authentication method that requires users to provide two different types of information to verify their identity. Typically, this involves something the user knows (like a password) and something the user has (like a smartphone to receive a code).
Edge Analytics
Data analysis that takes place on a device without interaction with a centralized or cloud-based system. Edge analytics is used in IoT devices where the data can be processed on the device itself, rather than being sent back to a central data store.
Geotagging
The process of adding geographical information to various media, such as photos or online posts. This data usually consists of latitude and longitude coordinates, though it can also include altitude, distance, place names, and more.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
The process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from inception, through engineering design and manufacture, to service and disposal. PLM integrates people, data, processes, and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprise.
Real-Time Bidding
A type of programmatic online advertising that allows advertising inventory to be bought and sold on a per-impression basis via a real-time auction. This occurs in the time it takes a webpage to load, ensuring that ads are matched with the audiences that advertisers want to target.
Content Marketing
A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, ultimately to drive profitable customer action. It can take many forms including blogs, videos, podcasts, and more.
Green IT
The study and practice of using computing resources efficiently and environmentally responsibly. This can include reducing the electricity consumption of computers and their cooling infrastructure, disposing of equipment in a sustainable manner, and using renewable energy sources.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Business process management software that allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate many back-office functions related to technology, services, and human resources. ERP software integrates all facets of an operation — including product planning, development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing — in a single database, application, and user interface.
Named Entity Recognition
A subtask of information extraction that seeks to locate and classify named entities mentioned in unstructured text into predefined categories such as person names, organizations, locations, medical codes, time expressions, quantities, monetary values, percentages, etc.
Virtual Team Building
The practice of organizing online activities and nurturing a shared identity that aims to foster the development of strong relationships among virtual team members. It helps remote employees to connect with one another, recognizing the common purpose and culture even if physically apart.
Web Accessibility
The practice of ensuring that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities.
Precision Agriculture
An agricultural management practice that uses data-driven tools and technologies for observing, measuring, and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops, with the aim to optimize returns on inputs while preserving resources.
Closed-Loop Marketing
A marketing approach where customer data is used to continually refine and optimize marketing efforts.
Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
A network protocol used for transferring data securely over a reliable data stream. It provides secure file transfer capabilities, as well as a number of other features for secure data, remote file management, and file access.
Drone Surveillance
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones for monitoring or capturing visual images over areas to gather data for surveillance purposes. This can be used for various purposes including security, traffic monitoring, weather monitoring, and more.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
A metric that evaluates the cost of acquiring a new customer. This is calculated by taking the total cost of sales and marketing over a specific period, including salaries and other expenses, and dividing it by the number of customers acquired during that period.
Cloud Repatriation
The process of moving data and applications from a cloud computing environment to on-premises data centers or infrastructure. This is usually done for cost-saving, performance, or security reasons.
Heatmaps
A data visualization technique where data values are represented as colors. They are often used to show the concentration of events across an area, such as where users most commonly click on a web page.
Digital Divide
The gap between individuals, households, businesses, or geographical areas at different socio-economic levels with regard to their access to information and communication technologies (ICT). This includes the unequal availability of internet access, technology, or digital skills.
Biased Algorithms
Algorithms that systematically and unfairly discriminate against certain individuals or groups as a consequence of implicit values of their human creators or from biases in data used to train them.
Quantum Internet
An envisioned version of the internet that would rely on quantum technology, including quantum entanglement, to enable ultra-secure communications and networking that cannot be easily eavesdropped or hacked by unauthorized parties.
Telematics
The integrated use of telecommunications and informatics for application in vehicles and for control of vehicles on the move. This includes GPS systems, navigation systems, and more.
Token Economy
A reward system that uses tokens (symbolic reinforcement) for positive behavior. Tokens can be in the form of fake currency, chips, stickers, etc. and are exchanged for rewards. In blockchain, it can also refer to a system involving the creation and exchange of digital tokens.
Adversarial Machine Learning
A technique in the field of machine learning which attempts to fool models through malicious input.
Cold Storage (cryptocurrency)
A way of holding cryptocurrency securely, offline in a physical wallet. This can be in the form of a hardware wallet or a paper wallet. This method protects the data from being stolen by hackers.
Knowledge Base
A technology used to store complex structured and unstructured information used by a computer system.
Customer Success
A business strategy that ensures customers achieve their desired outcomes while using your product or service. Customer Success is relationship-focused client management, that aligns client and vendor goals for mutually beneficial outcomes.
Mobile Optimization
The process of adjusting your website content to ensure that visitors that access the site from mobile devices have an experience customized to their device. Optimized content flows easily between different devices, ensuring better usability and better engagement.
Conversational Marketing
A feedback-oriented approach to marketing used by companies to drive engagement, develop customer loyalty, grow the customer base, and, ultimately, grow revenue. Conversational marketing utilizes dialogue-driven activities to foster genuine conversations and interactions with customers in real-time.
Omnichannel Retail
A multi-channel approach to sales that seeks to provide the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a mobile device, a laptop, or in a brick-and-mortar store.
Webinar
A seminar, presentation, lecture, workshop or conference that is transmitted over the Web using video conferencing software. A key feature of a Webinar is its interactive elements -- the ability to give, receive and discuss information.
Learning Management System (LMS)
A software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.
Marketing Automation
The use of software and technology to automate repetitive marketing tasks. This can include email marketing, social media posting, and even ad campaigns. Marketing automation is often used to nurture leads and manage customer data.
Multi-Cloud Management
The use of multiple cloud computing and storage services in a single heterogeneous architecture. This data integration technique involves distributing cloud assets, applications, software, etc. across several cloud-hosting environments, with a combination of public cloud services and private clouds (either on or off premises) or hybrid clouds.
Neural Machine Translation
An approach to machine translation that uses a large artificial neural network to maximize fluency and accuracy in automatically translating text in one language into text in another language.
Data Compression
The process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
A cyber-attack in which multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system, usually a web server, making it unavailable to users.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.
Sales Funnel
A visual representation of the customer journey, depicting the sales process from awareness to action. The funnel narrows as visitors move through it, and the number of consumer actions decreases, representing the stages of the buying process.
Gamified Learning
The use of game thinking and game mechanics in a learning environment to engage users in solving problems. It is used in various contexts to improve user engagement, organizational productivity, learning, employee recruitment, and more.
Sentiment Analytics
The use of data analysis techniques to analyze opinions, sentiments, and emotions in text. It is often used in social media monitoring, customer feedback analysis, product reviews, and similar settings.
In-App Purchasing
The ability of a smartphone or mobile device to facilitate the sale of products or services within a mobile application.
Transparent Computing
A paradigm in which the technical details of the computing system are hidden from the end-user. The user only sees the interface and the results, not the internal workings or complexity of the system.
Synthetic Media
Content - such as video, audio, or images - that has been created or altered by algorithmic systems, often using machine learning. This can include things like deepfakes, AI-generated art, and more.
Time Series Analysis
A statistical technique to analyze a series of data points ordered in time. Time series analysis can be used to extract meaningful statistics and characteristics about the data, and find trends or forecast future events.
Cryptographic Hash Function
A mathematical algorithm that takes an input and returns a fixed size string of characters, typically a hash value. The output should be the same length regardless of the length of the input. It is often used in data structures and cryptographic applications to ensure data integrity.
Just-in-Time Manufacturing
A production strategy aimed at reducing the time in the production system as well as the response time from suppliers.
A/B Testing
A method of comparing two versions of a webpage or app against each other to determine which one performs better in terms of conversion rate or any other metric.
Fraud Detection
The process of identifying and preventing fraudulent activities, often using a combination of technologies including AI, machine learning, and rule-based systems to monitor and analyze transactions in real-time or retrospectively.
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
The study and practice of usability and user-centric design concerning computers and other interactive technology systems. It focuses on the interfaces between people and computers and how to optimize for user efficiency, understandability, and satisfaction.
Spatial Audio
An audio technology that allows sounds to be positioned in 3D space around the listener.
Graph Databases
A type of database that uses graph structures with nodes, edges, and properties to represent and store data. They are particularly useful for storing information about relationships among data points.
Digital Twin Technology
The creation of a virtual representation or model of a physical asset or system. It is used to analyze and simulate real-world conditions, responses, and interactions.
Text Mining
The process of extracting useful information from text through the identification and exploration of interesting patterns. This usually involves the process of structuring the input text, deriving patterns, and evaluating and interpreting the output data.
Agile Project Management
A project management approach that is based on delivering requirements iteratively and incrementally throughout the project life cycle. It emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
A form of cloud computing that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. Users can provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources without managing the underlying physical hardware.
Subscription Economy
A business model in which consumers pay a recurring fee to have access to a product or service. This can apply to physical goods, like subscription boxes, or digital services, like software or streaming services.
Cohort Analysis
A subset of behavioral analytics that takes the data from a given dataset and rather than looking at all users as one unit, it breaks them into related groups for analysis. These related groups, or cohorts, usually share common characteristics or experiences within a defined time-span.
Unified Threat Management (UTM)
A security solution that consolidates multiple security functions into one solution. It simplifies information security management by providing a single point of contact for security functions such as firewall, anti-virus, intrusion prevention, and VPN.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Digital versions of the paper charts in clinician offices, clinics, and hospitals. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users.
Hyperconvergence
An IT framework that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system to reduce data center complexity and increase scalability.
Digital Health
The convergence of digital and genomic technologies with health, healthcare, living, and society. It enhances the efficiency of healthcare delivery and makes medicines more personalized and precise.
Smart Mirrors
A mirror with integrated technology such as displays, sensors, and connectivity to provide features beyond those of a traditional mirror, such as displaying notifications, weather, news, and more.
Data Sovereignty
The concept that information in digital form is subject to the laws of the country in which it is located. It concerns the protection, governance, and compliance of data based on its location.
Video Conferencing
A technology that allows users in different locations to hold face-to-face meetings without having to move to a single location.
Behavioral Analytics
The use of data about people’s actions and behaviors, through tracking and analysis, to understand intent and predict future actions. It is often used in web analysis, marketing, and advanced system analysis.
Botnets
A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge. Botnets can be used to send spam, launch denial-of-service attacks, or commit other types of cybercrime.
Open Banking
A banking system where banks' data is shared through APIs (Application Programming Interface) with third-party developers.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
A combination of hardware, software, policies, standards, and guidelines that work together to provide a framework for secure communications and digital signatures. PKI includes a pair of cryptographic keys (a public key and a private key) and a certificate authority (CA) that verifies the identity of the key owner.
Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
A contract between a service provider and the end user that defines the level of service expected from the service provider. SLAs are often output-based, and their purpose is to specifically define what the customer will receive.
In-Memory Computing
Storing data in a computer’s main memory (RAM) to facilitate faster data processing compared to traditional databases which rely on disk storage.
Influencer Campaigns
Marketing campaigns that leverage the influence of individuals (influencers) who have a strong online presence and following, to promote products or services.
Inventory Management
The supervision of non-capitalized assets (inventory) and stock items. It involves organizing, tracking, and managing inventory levels and data.
Sustainability Reporting
The disclosure and communication of environmental and socially responsible information aimed at providing stakeholders with a picture of a company's performance and impact.
Virtual Classrooms
An online learning environment where students and teachers interact in real-time, typically through video conferencing, chats, and other collaborative tools.
Load Balancing
The distribution of network or application traffic across multiple servers. This ensures reliability and high availability by redistributing workloads, minimizing server strain, and preventing any single server from being a bottleneck.
Enterprise Architecture
A conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization. It is an essential tool for aligning business and IT strategies, helping to guide the process of standards, systems, and processes.
Knowledge Management System (KMS)
A system for the organization and dissemination of information within an organization. It’s essentially a tool to preserve the company’s knowledge base, managing information that is created and used in organizational processes.
Media Buying
The process of buying media placements for advertising (online ads, television spots, etc.). In online marketing, it refers to the acquisition of display advertising or sponsored content space.
E-Sports
A form of competition using video games, often taking the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players.
Microservices Architecture
An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of services that are highly maintainable and testable, loosely coupled, independently deployable, organized around business capabilities, and can be developed by a small team.
Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
An approach to networking that allows network administrators to manage network services through abstraction of lower-level functionality.
Virtual Reality Therapy
The use of virtual reality technology for psychological or occupational therapy.
Wireless Sensor Networks
Networks of spatially distributed sensors that monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, or pressure, and to cooperatively pass their data through the network to a main location for analysis.
Virtual Reality Gaming
A gaming environment where a person can experience being in a three-dimensional environment and interact with it during a game.
Firewall
A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, such as the Internet.
Data Cleansing
The process of detecting and correcting or removing corrupt or inaccurate records from a dataset. This involves identifying incomplete, incorrect, or irrelevant parts of the data and then replacing, modifying, or deleting them.
Usability Testing
A technique used to evaluate a product by testing it on users.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
A standard security protocol for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser in online communications.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
A power-efficient variant of the classic Bluetooth wireless technology. It is designed for short bursts of long-range radio connection, making it ideal for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
Design Sprints
A time-constrained, five-phase process that uses design thinking to reduce the risk when bringing a new product, service, or feature to the market. The process aims to help teams define goals, validate assumptions, and decide on a product roadmap before any code is written.
Churn Rate
A business metric that calculates the number of customers who leave a product over a given period of time, divided by the remaining number of customers. It is a critical metric especially for subscription-based services.
Predictive Text
A technology used in mobile communications to complete words, or suggest possible next words, in a text message or email based on the characters that have been entered so far.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
A marketing metric that measures the gross revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising.
User Onboarding
The process of helping new users understand and learn how to use a product or service. This can include initial setup, tutorials, prompts, and other information that will assist the user in getting started.
Customer Retention
A set of strategies and tactics organizations use to keep their existing customers and reduce customer churn.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Technology that converts different types of documents, such as scanned paper documents, PDF files, or images captured by a digital camera, into editable and searchable data.
Sales Enablement
The processes, practices, technologies, and tools that improve the performance and productivity of the sales team. This can include sales training, content creation, and information sharing.
Mobile Wallets
Digital versions of traditional wallets that someone would carry in their pocket. It stores payment information, like credit or debit cards, and money balances, and can also include other information like loyalty cards or ticket information.
Eye Tracking
The process of measuring either the point of gaze or the motion of an eye relative to the head. This technology can have applications in various fields such as psychology, marketing, and user interface design.
Container Orchestration
The automated arrangement, coordination, and management of software containers. It helps in managing the lifecycles of containers, especially in large, dynamic environments.
Contextual Commerce
An e-commerce method that enables customers to make a transaction within their current online environment, rather than having to go to an external website or use a different platform. For example, making a purchase within a social media app.
Data Masking
A process of creating a structurally similar but inauthentic version of an organization's data that can be used for purposes such as software testing and user training.
Hyperledger
An umbrella project of open source blockchains and related tools, started by the Linux Foundation, with the idea to advance cross-industry collaboration by developing blockchains and distributed ledgers.
Branding
A marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. Branding helps to identify a product and distinguish it from other products and services.
Virtual Collaboration
The way that individuals are able to work together in a digital environment without necessarily being present in the same physical location.
Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)
The buying and selling of goods and services through wireless handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Mobile Advertising
A form of advertising that is delivered through wireless mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, or feature phones. This can include online ads that appear on mobile websites, and in mobile applications.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
A prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer.
Rich Communication Services (RCS)
An advanced messaging protocol for mobile communications, designed as a successor to SMS. It enables the delivery of multimedia content, chat, and information-sharing features.
Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT)
A policy that allows employees to bring and use their own personal mobile devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) and applications in the workplace for use and connectivity on the secure corporate network.
PropTech
A collective term used to define startups offering technologically innovative products or new business models for the real estate markets.
Vertical Farming
The practice of producing food in vertically stacked layers, often integrated into other structures like skyscrapers, shipping containers or repurposed warehouses. It uses controlled environments, and often hydroponics or aeroponic growing systems.
Voice Search
A technology that allows users to perform searches by speaking into a device such as a computer, mobile device, or voice-activated assistant.
Decision Intelligence
A multidisciplinary field that uses a combination of mathematical modeling, decision theory, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to enhance decision-making processes.
Dwell Time Optimization
The practice of optimizing web pages to increase the amount of time a visitor spends on a particular page before returning to the search results or exiting the site.
Mobile-First Design
A design philosophy that aims to create better experiences for users of mobile devices by designing and optimizing websites for the smallest screen sizes first, and then progressively enhancing the experience for devices with larger screens.
Single Page Applications (SPAs)
Web apps that load a single HTML page and dynamically update content as the user interacts with the app. SPAs use JavaScript to create a more fluid and responsive Web experience, as they do not require to reload the page for every user action.
Quantum Cryptography
The use of quantum mechanical properties to perform cryptographic tasks.
Insider Threat Detection
The process and technology involved in identifying and mitigating the risks associated with insider threats such as employees, contractors or business associates who have access to internal networks and data.
Human-in-the-Loop Machine Learning
A process that involves humans in the training and tuning of machine learning systems. It is used to label data, refine models, and make decisions where human judgment is necessary.
Generative AI
A category of artificial intelligence that can produce new and original content, such as text, images, music, or code, based on patterns learned from existing data.
Large Language Model (LLM)
A type of advanced AI, trained on vast amounts of text data, that is capable of understanding and generating human-like language for tasks like summarization, translation, and conversation.
Prompt Engineering
The practice of carefully designing and refining inputs (prompts) given to a Generative AI model to achieve a desired, accurate, and relevant output.
AI Hallucination
A phenomenon where an AI model generates false, nonsensical, or factually incorrect information but presents it as if it were factual.
Responsible AI
A governance framework for developing, deploying, and managing artificial intelligence systems in an ethical, transparent, and accountable manner, ensuring fairness, safety, and respect for privacy.
Foundation Model
A large, powerful AI model trained on a broad set of unlabeled data that can be adapted and fine-tuned for a wide range of downstream tasks, serving as the base for more specialized applications.
FinOps
A cultural practice and operational framework that brings financial accountability to the variable spending model of cloud computing, enabling organizations to optimize cloud costs and maximize business value.
DevSecOps
A methodology that integrates security practices within the DevOps process, automating security checks throughout the entire software development lifecycle to deliver more secure applications faster.
Service Mesh
A dedicated infrastructure layer built into an application that controls service-to-service communication, providing a reliable, fast, and secure way to manage the network of microservices.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
A version of a new product that includes just enough features to be usable by early customers who can then provide feedback for future product development.
Business Agility
An organization's ability to rapidly adapt to market and environmental changes in a productive and cost-effective way, seizing opportunities and minimizing disruption.
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
A goal-setting framework used to align teams and individuals around ambitious goals by defining measurable key results that track progress toward those objectives.
Change Management
A structured approach for ensuring that changes to an organization's processes, technologies, or culture are implemented smoothly and successfully with minimal resistance from employees.
Ransomware
A type of malicious software that encrypts a victim's files, making them inaccessible until a ransom is paid to the attacker, posing a significant threat to data security.
Passwordless Authentication
A method of verifying a user's identity without requiring them to enter a password, using alternatives like biometrics, security keys, or magic links sent via email or SMS.
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
A cloud-based security service that delivers next-generation firewall capabilities as a subscription, protecting cloud infrastructure, platforms, and applications from cyber threats.
ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
A fundamental data integration process where data is extracted from various sources, transformed into a proper format, and loaded into a central repository like a data warehouse for analysis.
Data Lineage
The process of tracking the origin, movement, transformations, and overall lifecycle of data. It provides visibility into the data flow, which is crucial for compliance, debugging, and trust.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic (non-paid) search engine results by optimizing content and technical performance.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
The systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a newsletter.
Customer Journey Mapping
The process of creating a visual representation of a customer's experience with an organization across all touchpoints, helping to understand their needs, motivations, and pain points.
Headless CMS
A content management system (CMS) where the content repository (the 'body') is separated from the presentation layer (the 'head'), allowing content to be published to any platform or device via APIs.
API-First Development
A software development strategy where the creation of an Application Programming Interface (API) is treated as a primary product, enabling consistent and reusable access to data and functions.
Stablecoin
A type of cryptocurrency that attempts to offer price stability by being pegged to a reserve asset, such as a fiat currency (e.g., the U.S. dollar) or a commodity (e.g., gold).
Digital Nomad
A person who leverages technology and the internet to work remotely from any location in the world, rather than being physically present at a company's office.
Social Engineering
The psychological manipulation of individuals into performing actions or divulging confidential information. This is a type of confidence trick used for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or system access.