AI – what artificial intelligence is and is not
February 2019
4 business and tech trends to look out for in 2019
Everything is changing. Legacy telecommunications companies have moved from the foundational infrastructure of the internet and evolved into the digital economy – thriving through the deployment of new technologies and data-driven measures.
People and trends are changing, which means business and markets must adapt alongside.
Although emerging for the last few years, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are among the top trends expected to redefine business this year. But what else should businesses watch out for? Here are our top four trends to keep look out for this year:
Enterprise will really utilise new tech in 2019, as intelligent software becomes the driving force behind agility, enhanced efficiency and an all-around move to digital. Implementing IoT, AI, and automation the B2B space is not all about being a market disrupter, – though every business aims to be on the brink of something new – it’s about stepping up your digital transformation game by focusing on assets, distributed management, and remote control. Though still a crucial benefit of tech, capabilities far exceed those on the surface of chatbots and better-managed customer service. IoT, AI, and automation can help you expand to the edge and begin virtualisation processes.
Security had a feverish hype in 2018, with promises of fines to companies who fail to comply with GDPR. And although fines for data breaches are yet to materialise, the rise in IoT deployment has pushed security back up the list business priorities.
Protecting your business has never been more important than now, when data-driven software is at the center of operations. Risk is on the rise with internet-enabled devices, which is why upping you cybersecurity game is critical. Devices across departments and industries open businesses up to greater vulnerability, especially as more and more tech is connected to the same network.
However, Gartner expects IoT security concerns will stifle growth, predicting that “a lack of prioritisation and implementation of security best practices and tools in IoT initiative planning … will hamper the potential spend on IoT security by 80%.”
Software-defined infrastructure is where computing infrastructure is controlled entirely without human interference. Businesses, in pursuit of digital transformation, will have virtualised more than half of their IT infrastructure in their data center and edge locations by the end of the year, IDC has estimated.
Further development in IoT, 5G and the cloud goes hand in hand with agile and intelligent software. Connected technology must have a reliable, rapid response rate for the likes of autonomous cars and industrial machinery. 5G will likely provide greater bandwidth and gigabit speeds too, meaning it will actually help to drive virtualisation. Virtualising legacy hardware and infrastructure like computing, network, and storage resources will also reinforce the need for airtight security.
For companies still using legacy equipment and are a while away from achieving digital transformation goals, ensuring your CIO sits at the helm of your business’ technology strategy is critical. Digital transformation relies upon deploying the right technology, with the right data and the right strategy. This will enable your business to excel. CIOs, helped by a strong team, should be leading transformation efforts if you want to develop or exceed current rates of innovation.
Originally posted here
