Here Comes the "Emerging Edge"

When we see new terms emerging, it often is a sign that a category of functions, devices or computing modes is evolving. Consider artificial intelligence and edge computing, which increasingly will be done directly on devices ranging from smartphones to sensors to autos. 

Some might call on-device AI “emerging edge,” for example, where a more traditional use of “edge” might mean processing in an in-building data center or at a metro data center or at the base of a cell tower. 

And where edge computing has been pitched an a solution for very-low-latency computing or conservation of network bandwidth, emerging edge provides ultra-low latency by eliminating the immediate need for connectivity to any remote location at all. 

Emerging edge computing, now used to support image processing or natural language, also is being envisioned as suitable for other types of machine learning that do not require uploading data to the cloud for processing. 

Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and autonomous vehicles provide some obvious examples. 

Predictive Maintenance, smart homes and smart buildings are other use cases where temperature, humidity, occupancy, and other measurements can be processing right on the appliances collecting the data. 

Likewise, wearable devices and medical sensors, retail checkout functions and logistics functions often will work right on the appliances collecting the data, as could  be the case for some manufacturing or agricultural sensors as well. 

The obvious analogy is the shift from standalone personal computers to internet-connected appliances that rely on external and remote computing. 

In the case of emerging edge computing, the shift is back to the appliance or device itself. 

In some ways, such a shift also could affect our notions of what “digital infrastructure” is. 

If one assumes “digital infrastructure,” refers to the transport and access layers of the computing  stack, then digital infra narrowly includes the physical components that enable digital communication and data storage, such as:

• Internet access networks

• Data centers

• Wholesale capacity networks

• Wireless communication towers

On the other other hand, if one considers digital infra the platform for end user apps and services, then a broad definition of infra could include the entire ecosystem of hardware, software, and services that support the digital economy, including:

• Chips (processors, memory, storage devices)

• Apps (mobile, web, desktop)

• Devices (phones, PCs, AR/VR appliances, sensors)

• Platforms (operating systems, cloud computing, databases)

• Customer-facing retail networks (internet, mobile, satellite)

• Cybersecurity infrastructure

“Emerging edge” allows more of the actual customer-used apps to merge with the “infra.” 

The narrow definition of infra might exclude end-user apps, platforms and devices. The broad definition might include them, and “emerging edge” is one trend that will encourage the broader definition.