Xilinx Industry Predictions: 5G, Data Center, AI and Software, IIoT and Healthcare

Source: Xilinx Blog

Last week, we predicted automotive industry trends for 2021, and today we’re looking at predictions for the 5G, data center, AI and software, healthcare, and IIoT markets.

For our wired and wireless networking equipment, we believe adaptability, open standards, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will drive the development of 5G networks in 2021. Operators want to control their own destiny and mix best-in-class hardware and software in new 5G systems. Our powerful and adaptable SoC and RF solutions will help lead the way.

In the data center, we expect SmartNIC deployments to outpace traditional NICs with hyperscalers and cloud service providers. SmartNICs offer compelling TCO and performance benefits, and co-processing has become a must-have for increased efficiency with today’s high-speed network demands. Another big trend we are seeing in the data center is the growth of interactive live streaming. Interactive live streaming services will allow for watching shows, sports with friends, and deeper engagement with our favorite brands and teams – which will drive demand for the ultra-low latency live streaming performance provided by data center accelerator cards.

Looking at the global AI market, we believe that domain-specific architectures (DSAs) will represent the future of AI inference. DSAs leverage adaptive hardware tailored for each set of workloads to operate at maximum efficiency. In 2021, AI inference will continue to move away from fixed chip approaches and toward adaptive computing and DSAs.

Until last year, unlocking the power of hardware adaptability was out of reach for the average software developer and AI scientist. In 2021, new open source tools will simplify programming and enable software developers and AI scientists to leverage hardware adaptability for next-generation applications. With this new ease of programming, FPGAs and adaptable SoCs will become more accessible to thousands of software developers and AI scientists.

In healthcare, we predict that telemedicine, including remote monitoring, wireless communications, and video conferencing, will account for more than a third of all patient care applications within the next five years and more than half by the end of this decade. Finally, for the Industrial IoT solutions we support, we believe that robots will expand beyond the factory floor and into our stores and communities as businesses worry about workers being too close to each other and need to reassure consumers of health and safety in the face of the ongoing pandemic.

2021 will be a milestone year for the impact of technology on business and society. Xilinx will continue to support a variety of technological innovations and advance cutting-edge science and technology through our highly flexible and adaptable processing platforms.