The fourth annual Global Technology Innovation Survey by KPMG predicts a number of technologies that will enable the next revolution in the consumer world. These include including cloud computing (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), mobility, the Internet of Things (IoT), data & analytics, biotech, 3D printing, cyber security, artificial intelligence/cognitive computing, and digital currency platforms.

Different countries are banking on different things. Everyone agrees that the Cloud is going places, and the easiest to convince is China. Because of their faith in cloud computing, the Chinese are also vying with great enthusiasm for Artificial Intelligence (AI). But this is more common sense than it is insight.

Cloud, IoT, and Data (in short, Cloud)

A more important takeaway from the lofty report is the part about tech driving business transformation, particularly through Cloud Computing (11%), Internet of Things/IoT (9%), and Data & Analytics (9%). Their combined share makes for a third of what will be the smartest enterprise investments from 2016 onward. The top benefits that tech leaders are pursuing with disruptive tech strategies (globally) are improving business efficiencies and achieving faster innovation cycles (each with a 20% share). Gaining faster innovation cycles is best done using analytics (25%), while efficiencies are achieved through the same means 17% of the time. Analytics also drives more effective research & development / R&D (13%).

Japan has such high hopes for cognitive computing that 23% of the country’s tech leaders believe it will have the greatest effect on society. Think they’re onto something? 🙂 This aligns well with 14% of Chinese tech leaders predicting the Internet of Things/M2M having the greatest impact on business transformation. Of course, there’s a reason why Cloud, IoT and Data are front-runners in these forecasts: the trio go hand in hand.

As a bonus, KPMG also shares a list of 11 industries where IoT will leave its mark, complete with how deep that mark will be. Looking at the next three years, analysts predict that the Retail sector has a 22% potential of monetization through IoT, followed by Technology with 13%, Aerospace and Education (with 10% each), and transportation with 9%. Check out the tables below for a broader picture of the analysis.