---
title: Three Powerful Digital Trends to Explore in 2022
description: With the risk of overlooking how AI is transforming everything in 2022, we put together the top three digital trends to explore this year. Fear of robots replacing all human employees aside, large companies automate their operations to cut costs of their workforces. At the same time it is hard to ignore the echelon of [&hellip;]
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2022-01-06T18:26:55.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T15:47:15.233Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/three-powerful-digital-trends-to-explore-in-2022
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/andy-kelly-0E_vhMVqL9g-unsplash.jpg
categories: Culture &amp; Society
content_type: Analysis
region: Global
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

With the risk of overlooking how AI is transforming everything in 2022, we put together the top three digital trends to explore this year. Fear of robots replacing all human employees aside, large companies automate their operations to cut costs of their workforces. At the same time it is hard to ignore the echelon of people who left their US corporate jobs already, growing beyond the four million mark as we speak. Research shows that the biggest progress is made when human intelligence works with AI, consolidating each other’s strengths.

Are privacy and metaverse the facettes of the same coin? People value their privacy, whatever is left of it and new algorithms across social media platforms are designed to make sure they are used responsibly. Tech giants invest in convincing us of the benefits of [creating a virtual reality](https://richwoman.co/article/jose-micard-teixeira-learning-to-resonate-with-the-freedom-to-create-your-own-reality) as humans’ future, freeing us all from limitations.

# Is the Metaverse your next Uni-Verse?

If  like me, you joined a new app like Clubhouse, 2021 was a year of transformation: fed up with struggling in the past or just surviving the present, people are [changing](https://richwoman.co/article/digital-woman-power-nbsp-going-digital-in-a-post-pandemic-age-930612) their narrative. Men and women across generations who made it through the social, economic and emotional hurricanes of the last two years, began to re-imagine their futures.

Leaving corporate jobs behind, embracing the unknown with all it’s unfolding parts, from [non fungible tokens](https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/17/business/what-is-nft-meaning-fe-series/index.html) (NFTs) and the [metaverse](https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-metaverse-2-media-and-information-experts-explain-165731), into the world’s [space-going billionaires](https://www.forbes.com/sites/rcarson/2021/08/17/billionaires-in-space-privilege-or-progress/), exploring new possibilities in business and technology while keeping their sanity at bay.

What can you expect this year? If you just joined Tick Tock, you want to know what are the most powerful digital trends  to influence your lifestyle in 2022.

## Digital Trend #1: AI growth across economic sectors

A year into the pandemic, the US restaurant industry was short of 1.2 million [employees](https://www.sovereignmagazine.com/2022/01/05/6-ways-to-enhance-employee-productivity-in-2022/) and forced [McDonald’s](https://popculture.com/trending/news/mcdonalds-offered-50-showing-up-job-interview-surprising-results/) to offer $50 j*ust for showing up for an interview*.

The first 10 McDonald’s using artificial intelligence software to take drive-through orders in Chicago, are part of the solution and the [flipping burgers](https://fortune.com/2021/11/29/fast-food-robots-labor-shortage-automation-pandemic/) created by Miso Robotics are just the beginning.

Contrary to the growing fear that AI will replace ‘human jobs’, AI  could revolutionise customer expereince and create jobs across an array of different fields.

If you read about the 75 millions jobs to be lost, you need to learn more about the 133 million new social media specialists, software and application developers, data analysts, e-commerce specialists expected as a result of shifting the way humans, alghorithms and computers interact.

[https://www.youtube.com/embed/yXdrfc5ZVi4?feature=oembed](https://www.youtube.com/embed/yXdrfc5ZVi4?feature=oembed)

## Digital Trend #2: Increased Privacy- a new make up for old Social Media’s faillures

After huge dents and repeat- and- rinse [privacy breaches](https://www.nicva.org/data-protection-toolkit/templates/personal-data-breaches-are-you-prepared), we are told to expect a robust update of privacy policies across all [Social Media Platforms](https://richwoman.co/join). Every platform which disappointed millions of users in the past, will have another try at keeping you safe, preserving the privacy and the quality of your content. [As a result of the public criticism](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/25/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-calls-for-urgent-external-regulation), Facebook made it their mission to grow revenue by attracting more ( hopefully better) members.

Answering a demand for engaging content, the new generation of creative influencers will make a big brand impact. As we speak, algorithms are re-imagined while short-form video content is exploding on Instagram and TikTok and we can see a dramatic [rise in ad expenditure in 2022](https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-trends-for-2022-predictions-from-the-pros/) . A little bird told you perhaps already that Instagram will grow beyond its 50% ad revenue share.

[https://www.youtube.com/embed/jnCF0P6yDcs?feature=oembed](https://www.youtube.com/embed/jnCF0P6yDcs?feature=oembed)

## Digital trend #3: Metaverse- a dream of many?

Back in October 2021 Mark Zuckerberg announced a [brand name change](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/oct/28/facebook-name-change-rebrand-meta#:%7E:text=Facebook%20CEO%20Mark%20Zuckerberg%20announced,series%20of%20public%20relations%20crises.) to “Meta” to officially launch Facebook’s [wish to shape the metaverse transformation](https://theconversation.com/we-know-better-than-to-allow-facebook-to-control-the-metaverse-171467). There are many transparent and not so transparent aspects to consider before you step in…

Backed by major brands including Microsoft [Nike](https://www.theverge.com/22833369/nike-rtfkt-nft-sneaker-shoe-metaverse-company), [Adidas](https://venturebeat.com/2021/12/15/adidas-originals-launches-nft-drop-and-buys-a-plot-in-the-sandbox-metaverse/), [Gucci, Prada, Puma](https://www.voguebusiness.com/technology/what-influencer-marketing-looks-like-in-the-metaverse), 3D web is expected to allow users to create content,interact, socialise and monetise their virtual transactions using cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Linked to NFT’s which create, sell digital artefacts and commercialise interactions, 3web is expected to be a big commercial issue.

While most people prefer to focus on ending poverty or children’s education, wedbush analysts consider that “The metaverse is real”. If you look at the tech giant which [changed its name](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-name-change-meta/) to Meta, the future is virtual. Meta is planning to develop products that support [augmented](https://www.techrepublic.com/article/augmented-reality-for-business-cheat-sheet/) and [virtual](https://www.techrepublic.com/article/virtual-reality-a-cheat-sheet-for-business-pros/) reality, and the first [$10 billion this year](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/metaverse-facebook-wall-street-risks/) seems to be a big leap of faith into what is not the dream of many.

[https://www.youtube.com/embed/gElfIo6uw4g?feature=oembed](https://www.youtube.com/embed/gElfIo6uw4g?feature=oembed)
