Artificial Intelligence Was the Most Discussed Technology of 2021

Laurent T / Shutterstock
(Image credit: Laurent T / Shutterstock)

TEL AVIV, Israel—Using data from the analytics tool Buzzsumo, Walkme.com has compiled a list of the most discussed technologies online in 2021, with artificial intelligence topping the list with 175,837 online articles. The closely related topic of machine learning was second, with 103,508 articles posted online between January of 2021 and November of 2021.

The buzz around AI was so high that the 11 month total amounted to about 526 articles a day. 

Technologies offering new realities also ranked high, with virtual reality holding the third spot (64,509 articles) followed by augmented reality (34,632 articles) in fourth place.

“With the pervasiveness of AI, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most discussed technologies today,” said Rafael Sweary, president and co-founder of Walkme.com in a statement. “Take another widely discussed topic, the Great Resignation, and sure enough, there’s an AI use-case tied to it. AI can help understand how humans interact with software and proactively recommend ways to improve the user experience, with actions that can be taken immediately. It’s a win for businesses, who can glean valuable data regarding technology usage and understand where the end-users are having issues. And it’s a win for the employee, who can quickly navigate the company’s tech stack, and not have to struggle with onboarding or training - especially remotely. Everything is done automatically, powered by AI and machine learning to extract data.”

The full Walkme.com top ten list of the most discussed technologies ranked by the number of online articles, is: 

  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) (175,837 stories)
  2. Machine Learning (103,508)
  3. Virtual Reality (VR) (64,509)
  4. Augmented Reality (VR) (34,632)
  5. Quantum Computing (32,548)
  6. Cloud Computing (28,874)
  7. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) (27,435)
  8. 5G (21,928)
  9. Digital Twins (9,486)
  10. Edge computing (7,433)

Source: Walkme.com

More information on Walkme.com is available here.  

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.