CNN International just published a guest post by me, here, on how the key technology trends will impact us in the next 5 years.  The high-lights:

• Artificial intelligence and ultra-smart software engines will be embedded everywhere.
• Automation is likely do away with hundreds of millions of “simple” jobs.
• Augmented reality and “natural” human-computer interfaces will overtake traditional means of making queries.
• Automated, real-time, mobile and accurate language translation will be with us within five years.
• Everything will be recorded, photo- and video-graphed, tracked and measured.

The need for global agreements on these key issues will emerge as a direct response to the vastly accelerating abuse of personal data and the powerful AI that crunches it, giving those that control it almost irresistible powers. I predict even the most technology-friendly or social-network obsessed users will soon start to object to being instrumentalized in such a way This will force governments and businesses towards creating a “secure framework” for society. As with nuclear power, we will need to distinguish between what can be used for bona-fide purposes and what could be used for sinister purposes. The resulting digital data and AI ecoystem will need to become the global guideline, akin to a kind of “artificial intelligence and automation non-proliferation agreement.” Technology does not have ethics — but we should.

Read on… and please comment.  And be sure to read Andrew Keen's post on these topcis, on CNN, as well.

UPDATE: here is the Spanish version (CNN Mexico) and the Spanish PDF: OPINIÓN Gerd Leonhard CNN- En un futuro no muy lejano, ‘Siri', te dirá con quién salir – CNNMexico.com