Software supply chains are under attack and AI is the solution

Attacks on Software Supply Chains increased by 650% in 2021. In the last three years alone, the Executive Order of National Cybersecurity (2021) was passed in the United States, the European Union passed the EU Cybersecurity Act (2019) and the United Nations has passed the UN ECE (2021). Hackers are currently operating an approximate 1,600,000 malicious bots worldwide, meaning that protecting supply chains and critical assets has shot to the top of the digital agenda. 

Additionally, as software supply chains become increasingly convoluted and fragmented, best-in-class AI applications are now becoming necessary for maintaining adequate cybersecurity measures to mitigate against malware, bugs, and back-doors. The complexity of supply chains will continue to push out developers defending against cyber attacks as AI solutions can more easily track the immense vulnerability scope of a more automated and connected world. In turn, these AI solutions will also require cutting-edge cybersecurity themselves as they serve as the gateway to supply chain vulnerabilities. 

The metaverse is a heavy-hitting business structure already

Users are increasingly flocking to the metaverse, or specifically, particular metaverses to create artificial worlds, play games, maintain social relationships and interactions and engage in consumer buying and selling. Certain Metaverses, such as the Roblox gaming platform, already have amassed actively monthly user bases of more than 190 million - 2/3 of American children between 9 and 12 are already spending their time on Roblox.

Current challenges include content, VR user experience, digital asset trading, and payment services, however, as innovation continues and these challenges are addressed, even higher adoption of Metaverse usage is expected.

As user bases are growing, so are the opportunities for making money. Cryptocurrency and blockchain-based assets in particular are the current trends. NFT trading platform OpenSea has already announced $2 billion of revenue in 2022 alone and a total of 128 companies received $1.2 billion in Q1 of 2021 for blockchain gaming. Social goods are becoming digital assets, purchased by users and large companies. Investments should focus on Metaverse infrastructure providers, like Immutable, that power the digital economy as well as crypto-enabled experiences as they benefit from the growing activity in the Metaverse ecosystem.

Innovation within the crypto ecosystem, like the development of the Metaverse, NFTs, decentralised finance and smart contract platforms like Ethereum and Solana, are driven more by today’s users than institutions. With this in mind, in the future, public blockchains will likely dominate over enterprise blockchain systems. 

Crypto assets create unstoppable value transfer, transport, and possession. For instance, one transaction in the amount of $475 million Bitcoins cost a total of $15 dollars in fees. Particularly in countries with low-quality institutions and high inflation, Bitcoin introduces a minimum "technological institution" that can proliferate separately to the traditional economy.  Looking at a strategic allocation of investments, adding a small proportion of crypto assets (4%) to a typical portfolio significantly improves risk-adjusted returns.