IT world trends are an ever-exciting topic because they transcend the industry. Many technological trends and their outcomes define how we live in one way or another.
Today we look at the IT trends everyone should be following over the next 12 months.
AI chatbots
Chatbots came into our lives a few years ago. And while some might argue that it’s for the worse, chatbots were able to increase the speed of response to users and helped them gain autonomy from the company’s representatives by being available 24/7 upon demand. For businesses, chatbots facilitate automation and work optimisation.
AI has brought chatbots to the next level, allowing users to have near-human communication without engaging a company’s employees. Given the popularity of customer self-service capabilities, the need to optimise costs, and an ever-increasing standard of service, AI chatbots will continue to be implemented in companies around the globe, contributing to the advancement of this technology.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is not exactly a new trend, but it is expected to make a lot of noise in the coming year. Even before the pandemic, the global security market was estimated to be $366 billion. And after 2020, when millions of people shifted to remote work, lots of companies rapidly digitised their processes as a response to the new environment.
Although this digital breakthrough is praised by many, it opened new opportunities for cybercriminals. It is estimated that 70% of data breaches in 2021 were motivated financially. As a response to a rising threat, companies are expected to implement a wide range of security measures to ensure their data and clients stay protected.
Blockchain
Blockchain is closely associated with cryptocurrencies, yet it is widely applicable in many other areas of life and business.
Blockchain has a unique approach to storing data that is considered one of the safest options. So, it is a perfect technology for sharing and storing sensitive data. For example, it is ideal for signing contracts because once the data is locked, it can’t be changed unnoted.
Blockchain popularisation is in line with the focus on cybersecurity and is expected to be one of the biggest trends in 2023.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality, or AR, enhances reality through images or videos. Perhaps the most common instance of using AR is the Pokemon Go game with Pokemons being shown in random parts of the city for app users. Another example is Snapchat with its face filters.
Just like many other technologies, AR has gained notoriety with games and fun apps, but it has caught the attention of many businesses that are now looking at implementing it in their operations. An example would be a furniture shop that builds an app enabling potential customers to digitally insert a sofa or a lamp into their apartment to see if it fits their aesthetic. A more mind-blowing example of AR’s use is in the medical sector where doctors can use enhanced images in preparation for surgeries and other procedures.
AR helps make smarter, data-driven decisions and reduce the chance of error or failure, which is essential to the world’s current state where the cost of every mistake is unpredictable and can severely damage the business.
Sustainability
The last trend we want to cover today is not about a particular technology but sustainability.
Sustainability goes well beyond environmental issues. During the pandemic, many professionals and even C-level managers raised their concerns about the work culture, equality and diversity, and the mental state of employees. Workplace toxicity that was once deemed cool and edgy is unacceptable now. Integrating more technologies into processes of hiring and managing employees is expected to make a shift towards a friendlier, more sustainable workplace, allowing employees to thrive.
Final thoughts
The IT trends we discussed today have big potential for reshaping the world we currently live in. Whether they live up to their full potential or remain underwhelming for a while, following them provides unique insight into what our futures might look like.
It’s important to stay aware of the more prominent trends, but it’s not necessary to follow each and every one of them. As a business, you should evaluate whether the trend would benefit your company or if it would merely be a vanity project.
If you are struggling to decide whether to hop on the trend, hiring a team of tech consultants could ease the process for you. Companies, such as Emphasoft, provide custom software development and consultancy to many different clients from all industries, and they are capable of guiding you and helping figure out what project could strengthen your business.
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