With the ever-changing pace of enterprise technology, it can be hard to pinpoint which focuses will be around years or even weeks to come. Some technologies seem to be ‘in’ one day and ‘out’ the next, but through our research as well as meeting and engaging with companies across various industries, we have come to realize a few areas that have surpassed the ‘fad’ stage and will likely remain legitimate forces in enterprise technology for quite some time. While some analysts and industry influencers may not be convinced just yet, let us dive into why we believe artificial intelligence, the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), and process automation will prove to be three of the most promising areas of enterprise technology.
Over the last three years, artificial intelligence has impacted almost every industry imaginable – from customer service to digital media, to human resources and healthcare. For both B2B and B2C industries, the use of AI has been a useful tool to automate and optimize workflows. Coca-Cola, for example, has found considerable success leveraging Watson Services for Core ML to test whether the technology actually helps its field technicians better inspect vending machines. However, while more companies incorporate innovative AI strategies, they should be advised that practical applications are not to be treated as a plug and play strategy. Decision-makers will need to account for the extended time that may be needed to allow an AI system to learn and observe the data being collected and use those findings to create a sound plan of action. As interest in the space continues to rise, startups should view this as an opportunity to help meet growing demand and learn from the mistakes and shortcomings of their industry counterparts.
In early 2017, Gartner forecasted that there will be 20.4 billion IoT devices deployed by 2020, roughly three devices for every person on earth. The analyst firm also predicted that vertical-specific business devices are on pace to rise from 1.64 billion in 2017 to 3.17 billion in 2020. While these are significant numbers pointing to the growth potential and sustainability of the industry, for enterprise companies, managing a vast number of devices could be expected to pose a serious challenge. The key will be integrating these devices with standard business applications and processes. Another opportunity that will help support the expansion of IoT technology for enterprise companies will be the use of IoT discovery platforms to convert connected device data into intuitive enterprise software. Referring to the digital transformation being seen within enterprise companies, a recent Forbes article stated, “As companies adopt more advanced use cases for IoT, more of them will be able to use data from connected devices not only for analysis but to trigger business processes and transactions in enterprise software, automating entire value streams through the enterprise.”
Lastly, with the goal of reducing time and cost investments, many companies will continue to prioritize the automation and streamlining of core processes. Complex IT and HR departments will experience increased disruption through the automation of business tasks. To make a seamless transition, leaders will need to experiment with AI capabilities and various applications in order to effectively automate internal processes. Additionally, we will see enhanced efficiency as employees collaborate with machines and advanced technology products to complete assigned tasks.
We can never be completely sure what technology practices and software will experience longevity, however based on recent trends and skyrocketing adoption rates, we can make a very educated guess on the tools that will continue to have the biggest impact on the enterprise landscape. AI cannot be discounted as we’ve witnessed integrations across countless industries as well as data scientists that continue to push the limits of this next-generation tech. Similarly, with IoT and process automation, based on the sheer need to incorporate these concepts into the workplace, we can confidently predict that there will be quite some time before either even gets close to hitting its respective ‘glass ceiling.’