Gartner's latest report ushers us into 2024 with a narrative that is both informative and exciting. The study anchors businesses in an AI-rich landscape, suggesting a future where enhanced security, sustainable innovation, and AI-driven efficiency are practical cornerstones of business success.
The extent and manner of applying these innovations are yet to be fully realised, but their impact on our work dynamics and tech engagement in the coming year is undeniable.
“The machine customer era has already begun. There are more machines with the potential to act as buyers than humans on the planet. Today, there are over 9.7 billion installed IoT devices." - Don Scheibenreif, VP analyst at Gartner
Key Trends Shaping 2024
Let's unpack these top 10 strategic tech trends, translating them into practical insights.
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Mastering AI TRiSM for Future Decisions
Gartner emphasises the paramount importance of trust in AI. By 2026, applying AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRiSM) controls could eliminate up to 80% of faulty and illegitimate information, significantly boosting decision-making accuracy. This trend focuses on ModelOps, proactive data protection, AI-specific security, and risk controls for AI models and third-party applications.
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Advancing Cybersecurity: The Rise of CTEM
Emphasising proactive cybersecurity, Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) aims to align security with business strategies, addressing a range of vulnerabilities. The goal is a substantial reduction in breaches by 2026.
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Digital Solutions for a Sustainable World
This trend spotlights digital solutions in achieving Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) outcomes. By 2027, it's expected that a significant number of CIOs will tie their remuneration to the impact of sustainable technology.
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Developer-Driven Self-Service: Platform Engineering
Platform engineering is becoming increasingly popular, aiming to enhance the developer experience and accelerate business value delivery. Most software engineering organisations are predicted to establish platform teams by 2026.
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Accelerate Creation: AI-Augmented Development
By 2028, AI coding assistants are expected to become mainstream, revolutionising software engineering. This trend focuses on improving developer productivity and prioritising high-level tasks like design and business application.
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Tailor Your Tailor’s Work: Industry Cloud Platforms
Over half of enterprises are expected to utilise industry-specific cloud platforms by 2027, enhancing adaptability and agility amidst industry shifts.
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Intelligent Applications: The Future of Personalised Tech
AI is set to transform applications by 2026, with a significant shift towards personalised, adaptive user interfaces. This underscores the integration of AI to improve outcomes and enable data-driven decisions.
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Power AND Responsibility: Democratised GenAI
By 2026, over 80% of enterprises are predicted to use Generative AI Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), models, or deploy generative AI-enabled applications in production, up from less than 5% in early 2023. This rapid adoption signifies a significant democratisation of knowledge and skills in the enterprise.
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Augmented Connected Workforce
Focusing on optimising human staff value through technology, analytics, and skill augmentation, this trend expects to halve the time to competency for key roles by 2027.
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The Era of Machine Customers
Envisioning a future where non-human actors make purchases, this trend predicts a significant impact on digital commerce by 2028. Gartner analysts Don Scheibenreif and Mark Raskino offer valuable insights.
Earlier this year, Scheibenreif, VP analyst at Gartner and leader of Gartner’s research on customer experience, alongside Raskino, VP analyst and Gartner Fellow in charge of CEO research, discussed the broad scope of transactions involving machine customers. In their seminal work, "When Machines Become Customers", they explore the challenges and opportunities this trend presents for organisations and how they can effectively navigate them.
Scheibenreif emphasises the dawn of this new era, stating: “The machine customer era has already begun. There are more machines with the potential to act as buyers than humans on the planet. Today, there are over 9.7 billion installed IoT devices, ranging from equipment monitoring systems and surveillance cameras to connected cars, smart lighting, tablets, smartwatches, smart speakers, and connected printers. Each of these is progressively gaining the ability to analyse information and make decisions independently. Essentially, every IoT-enabled product could potentially become a customer. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 50% of individuals in advanced economies will have AI personal assistants performing tasks for them daily.”
This profound shift underscores the need for businesses to adapt and prepare for a future where digital commerce is increasingly influenced by machine customers.
Strategic Adaptation in a Shifting Global Economy
Each trend presents a dynamic intersection of challenges and opportunities, providing a comprehensive overview that can act as a strategic guide for businesses keen to align with the pulse of technological progress.
Given the World Economic Forum's forecast of slower global economic growth in 2024, attributed to factors like higher interest rates, rising energy prices, and a slowdown in the world's leading economies, the competitive landscape is set to become even more challenging. In this context, it becomes imperative for businesses to stay abreast of these innovations and remain ahead of the curve to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.
At Sentium, we remain committed to our goal to harness the latest technology and support our existing and future clients to overcome their business challenges and succeed in their respective industries.