Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2019

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, we thought this would be a good opportunity to review the research from Gartner – one of the world’s leading research and advisory companies – on their technology predictions for 2019 and beyond. First published in October, the report offers in-depth analysis, predictions and statistics that are essential reading for those working in technology and digital transformation.

We are heading into an unprecedented period of change, with AI undoubtedly at the forefront of what is now being dubbed the fourth Industrial revolution. What’s clear from this report, and indeed from many of the other reports and keynotes we’ve seen this year, is that tech development is rapidly outpacing human ability to adapt.

Indeed, Gartner’s vice president says, “As the advance of technological concepts continues to outpace the ability of enterprises to adapt, organizations face the increasing possibility that change will seem chaotic. But chaos does not mean there is no order. The key is for CIOs to find a way to identify practical actions that can be seen within the chaos”.

The report’s key findings are:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) opens up a new frontier for digital business. This is because virtually every application, service and Internet of Things (IoT) object incorporates an intelligent aspect to automate or augment application processes or human activities.
• The way we perceive and interact with technology is undergoing a radical transformation. Conversational platforms, augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality will provide more natural and immersive ambient experience within the digital world.
• Digital representations of things and organizational processes are increasingly used to monitor, analyse and control real-world environments. These digital twins, combined with AI and immersive experiences, set the stage for open, connected and coordinated smart spaces.
• Formal mechanisms to identify technology trends and prioritize those with the biggest potential impact on the business create competitive advantage.

So what are the top ten trends? They’re explained in more detail in the video below.

The full-length report also goes on to offer key recommendations for organisations, stating that Enterprise Architecture (EA), and technology innovation leaders driving business transformation through technology innovation, must:

• Explore the ways that almost any physical device within the organization or the customer’s environment can be powered by AI-driven autonomous capabilities.
• Educate, engage and ideate with senior business leaders about their strategically relevant priorities and where AI can automate or augment human activities.
• Develop and deploy across a mix of platforms including targeted-use of virtual, augmented and mixed reality to create immersive user experiences and conversational interactions.
• Support IoT initiatives by developing and prioritizing targeted, high-value business cases to build digital twins of physical things and organizational processes.
• Learn about and monitor quantum computing while it is still in the emerging state. Identify real-world problems where it has potential and assess its possible impact on security.

2019 is set to be the biggest year of disruption yet. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our clients to help them to stay ahead of the curve. It’s certainly going to be an interesting 12 months.

Read the full report here.