Cutting-edge technology defined with the pros and cons

Technology advances at an extremely fast pace these days. New software, software stacks, hardware, and ideas are born and ready so quickly that many companies can't keep up. As soon as the cloud was developed, cloud-native deployments became fashionable. Just as containers became popular, Kubernetes emerged.

This level of advancement in the field of technology makes many companies nervous. But when the competition is willing to take risks – and it pays off – these companies can reap dividends from taking those risks.

But are these risks something that would benefit your company? Let's dive.

What is cutting edge technology?

Cutting edge (also known as “ cutting edge ”) technology is exactly what it sounds like: technology that hasn't had the opportunity to fully mature. Because of this, there is always a high risk of unreliability.

But let's not confuse cutting-edge technology with alpha or beta versions. Cutting-edge technology may be software that is out of beta and made available to both the general public and business users, but has not yet been properly evaluated by users. This type of technology exists at the frontier of knowledge and is often seen as “revolutionary”.

At one point, cloud, containers, artificial intelligence, and machine learning were all cutting edge. Now, they are all common. New cutting-edge technologies include quantum computing, deep learning, cobotics (human-robot collaboration), and neuromorphic chips . And, who knows, in a few years all this could be common.

But is this type of technology suitable for your business?

The pros of cutting-edge technology

First, let's look at the benefits of using cutting-edge technology.

Revolutionize your pipeline

This is probably one of the biggest advantages of using cutting-edge technology. The modern business pipeline is drastically different than it was before. Software and software stacks govern the business process and any chance of a company gaining an advantage over the competition must be seriously considered.

Cutting-edge technology allows your company to revolutionize the way your pipeline works. You may find that an entirely new technology can bring new capabilities to life in your existing pipeline or even enable you to create a completely new way of doing business. These types of revolutions can change the course of your company in ways you never imagined.

Cut costs

Because cutting-edge technology can not only help revolutionize but also make your pipeline more efficient, your company will be able to save money. Another thing to consider is that some creators of cutting-edge technology offer financial incentives for early adopters. Therefore, by trying this cutting-edge technology, you can receive a price discount. It's also not out of the realm of possibility that companies will allow you to serve as a test bed for free.

However, beyond the idea of ​​getting software at a discount, cutting-edge technology is often developed to make a current process more efficient and effective, which equates to improving your bottom line.

Improve your reputation

People get excited about revolutionary technology. This is especially true from company to company. When Company A sees Company B testing something new, it has a positive effect. They want to know how this new technology works. But the most important thing is that your company is seen as a leader in the sector.

You can't buy that kind of reputation. You also can't ignore the benefits of being seen as a risk-taker and leader in your industry.

The cons of cutting-edge technology

Now that your brain is spinning around the idea of ​​adopting cutting-edge technology, let's pick up the pace a little.

Things break

This is the biggest problem with cutting-edge technology. Because it hasn't been given the time it needs to prove its worth, this type of technology often does the one thing you don't want: it breaks.

Imagine you’ve deployed that new software stack into your pipeline that promises to be a total game changer for your company. After deployment, everything works perfectly. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, it breaks. Your business processes may or may not stop.

Can you afford this level of risk in your production systems? Probably not.

Less support

At the same time, when these things break, you will likely find that there is less support available. The company that produced this cutting-edge technology may not have had time to create supporting documentation . And because it's so new, other companies probably haven't had time to implement it and report their findings/issues. This means that not only do you have a place to look for help, but you may also find that the help isn't as helpful as you need it to be.

Not future proof

Finally, and this cannot be underestimated, there is no guarantee that cutting-edge software will survive. You may have received a note that the developer company has big plans for this new software stack, but after six months or a year of use, the company may give up or decide to move away from what they were originally creating. If this happens, you will be back to square one.

Conclusion

The rewards of cutting-edge technology are quite attractive. At the same time, the risks are quite scary. So why would you consider using unproven technology? Some companies will employ cutting-edge technology in non-production environments. This way, your company can see the possible benefits, without having to deal with the risks in a production environment.

Even if you decide to avoid cutting-edge technology, at some point you will probably find that it will be used enough and will mature to the point where it can be safely deployed in production environments. So if you don't move forward with adoption, at least keep an eye on that cutting-edge technology that piques your interest.

Common questions

How does cutting-edge technology impact job markets?

Cutting-edge technology often leads to the creation of new job sectors while potentially disrupting existing ones. Automation and AI, for example, can replace certain manual jobs, but also create new opportunities in technological development and data analysis.

Can cutting-edge technology widen the digital divide?

Yes, cutting-edge technology can widen the digital divide, especially between those who have access to the latest technologies and those who do not. This division can be observed across different regions, socioeconomic groups and educational levels.

How does cutting-edge technology influence environmental sustainability?

Cutting-edge technology has a mixed impact on environmental sustainability. Some technologies, such as renewable energy systems, promote sustainability, while others can increase energy consumption or electronic waste, posing environmental challenges.

What is the role of ethics in the development and implementation of cutting-edge technology?

Ethics plays a crucial role in guiding the responsible development and deployment of cutting-edge technology. This includes considerations of privacy, security, fairness and the potential social impacts of technology.

What is the difference between cutting-edge technology and cutting-edge technology?