Self-driving cars, remote robotic surgery, and autonomous weapons are all on the way thanks to the 5G wireless network, which promises to change lives and add trillions of dollars to the world economy every year.

As 5G brings a big jump forward in speed, capacity, and connection, new products, services, business models, and entire sectors will emerge.

Economists are already putting a dollar figure on the inevitable revolution, with IHS Markit forecasting that by 2035, 5G will generate an additional $12 trillion in annual sales. Last year, China's economy was almost the same size.

The first change for customers will be better mobile internet speeds, which will eventually be up to 100 times faster than 4G, allowing individuals to download full-length movies in seconds. At work, increasing job automation and digital connectivity will be the norm, resulting in a new wave of productivity increases for some industries.

Here are some of the ways that 5G will alter the globe.

1. Logistics

The future of transportation begins with self-driving cars, and the automotive industry is expected to see some of the most significant changes in the early days of 5G. Self-driving cars are being developed by everyone from Apple Inc. to Uber Technologies Inc. However, while test cars are currently on the road in some locations, commercialization of these vehicles — which are effectively big mobile computers processing massive quantities of data in real-time — will be impossible without the speed and capacity of a fully deployed 5G core network.

Shipping and logistics will also be transformed by 5G and autonomous vehicles. This could imply platoons of linked autonomous vehicles and "ghost" cargo ships, as well as significant logistical gains. The Port of Hamburg is currently exploring the installation of sensors on vessels to track movement and environmental info, allowing staff wearing smart glasses to perceive the action via augmented reality, boosting traffic flow and efficiency.

2. Internet of Things

The internet of things refers to all machines and devices connected to the internet, and its massive expansion is expected to accelerate when 5G becomes available. According to researchers at DBS Group Research, there will be 125 billion connected gadgets by 2030, up from 11 billion last year.

This advancement in connectivity will be critical to the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning, allowing huge amounts of data to be collected and processed in real-time from remote and mobile sensors. 

3. Healthcare

Do you have a stomachache? One day, you could be able to request a house call from a self-driving mini-clinic that performs automated diagnostic tests and connects you to a variety of doctors via video. That's one view of the future of health care, in which rapid breakthroughs in data transmission, robots, and artificial intelligence alter the quality of care and how it's given. Remote robotics-assisted operations and even partially automated surgeries could be included. Elderly people, particularly those living in rural or underserved areas, should benefit, especially in places like Japan, where the countryside is rapidly disappearing.

Wearable technologies will be able to monitor not just your physical condition but also your emotional and mental moods in real-time, allowing for more tailored, data-driven medicine. Cognifyx, a cognitive and behavioral science firm based in Singapore, recently partnered with Grab, a ride-hailing service, to test drivers for mental weariness.

4. Office Life

Work in the office will become a lot smarter. Because of advancements in AI and machine learning-enabled by 5G networks, fewer white-collar professionals will be involved in repetitive tasks, including cognitive ones like accounting and data processing. In most cases, smart machines will do tasks that are important components of jobs rather than taking over complete jobs. Workers with higher-order cognitive skills like problem-solving and critical thinking and those who can work with intelligent technologies will be in great demand.

The future of 5G technologies is bright and is set to impact the lives of humans on a massive scale.