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Methodology Choosing the top 10 list for 2023 To achieve this, expert groups of academics and industry leaders were curated for each of the 10 technologies listed in the 2023 report. They were Technologies for consideration for the 2023 then asked to predict the future impact of their list were collected via a survey distributed to the respective technology, rating the projected in昀氀uence steering group and wider expert network, as on a scale from 1 to 10, should these technologies well as the World Economic Forum’s Innovator achieve widespread adoption in the next 3-5 years. Communities from December 2022 to January The survey aimed to assess the potential effect of 2023. Survey respondents were asked to complete these technologies across 昀椀ve distinct metrics: the following 昀椀elds: A. People – Technology name Participants rated their expectations regarding – Description of the technology each technology’s potential to enhance security and dignity—spanning areas such – Fields impacted by the technology as food security, access to clean water, and – Description of the impact of the technology on improvements in healthcare outcomes—over these 昀椀elds, including bene昀椀ts and risks to society the next decade. – Justi昀椀cation for why the technology should B. Planet be on the 2023 list. Participants gauged the extent to which they envisage the technologies could help protect and The 95 valid technology nominations were reviewed, restore our planet. This included considerations debated and ranked by the steering group over such as restoring biodiversity, minimizing waste, the course of three meetings between January and and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. February 2023, eventually whittling the list down to the 昀椀nal 10 based on the judging criteria: C. Prosperity Survey respondents were asked to evaluate – Novelty: the technology is emerging and at an the potential of each technology to improve the early stage of incipient development, not already quality of life for individuals worldwide. Factors widely used. considered included job creation, enhanced connectivity, and increased leisure time. – Applicability: has the potential to be of signi昀椀cant use and bene昀椀t to societies D. Industry and economies in the future; is not of only Participants assessed the potential of these marginal concern. technologies to disrupt existing industries and generate new markets over the next decade. – Depth: is being developed by more than one company and is the focus of increasing E. Equity investment interest and excitement within the Finally, the survey asked participants to rate expert community; likely to have a signi昀椀cant the potential for these technologies to promote impact in the next 3-5 years. global societal equity. This involved estimating their capacity to democratize access to – Power: is potentially powerful and disruptive essential resources and services like healthcare, in altering established ways and industries. energy, materials, and the internet. Members of the steering group volunteered Academics were mainly selected from Frontiers’ to author the articles in the report, consulting network of scienti昀椀c journal editors, while industry specialists in their networks for added input. All leaders were selected from the Forum’s Innovator articles were fact-checked and edited by Frontiers. Communities. Of the 100+ experts invited to contribute to one “Impact 昀椀ngerprint” of the 10 technology surveys, 69 respondents from 18 countries contributed their assessment. Scores were averaged for each dimension of The content of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies the impact 昀椀ngerprint for each technology, of 2023 report is built upon the contributions with optional comments collated for additional of experts from academia and industry. The context to scores. methodology of this edition is based on the previous 10 editions but incorporates “impact 昀椀ngerprint” The results have been visualized using radar charts survey data for the 昀椀rst time. (see Figure 1) and are present in each section. Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2023 5

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