By Alexis Wierenga | 3-minute read | October 17, 2023
Executive Insights from Day 2 of the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo
Although generative AI is already impacting the way we work and live, multiple other technology innovations are overlapping to change the very nature of how humans and technology interact. Leigh McMullen, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst, walked through ten predictions to seize on in the years to come.
These are Gartner’s top strategic predictions for 2024 and beyond:
AI makes us seem better than we are.
AI productivity shifts geopolitical balance.
The real value of neurodiversity spikes.
Energy-aware operations are a competitive advantage or a major failure risk.
GenAI supercharges legacy modernization.
Robot workers outnumber people.
Machine customers force CEOs to embrace new channels.
Malinformation is a multifront threat.
CISOs get more power.
Unions of people form to combat machines.
"By 2027, the productivity value of AI will be recognized as a primary indicator of national power."
Leigh McMullen, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner
By 2028, enterprise business success will require executing a strong cloud strategy. Dennis Smith, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst, guided IT leaders through navigating the evolving cloud computing landscape, including the implications of multicloud, industry clouds and sovereign cloud deployments.
"Unfortunately, many enterprises have embarked on their multicloud implementations without strategies rooted in sound assumptions and proper vetting. We believe that by 2028, half of those that have implemented multicloud strategies will be dissatisfied with those deployments.”
Dennis Smith, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner
Teams should follow these recommendations as they work toward an effective cloud future:
Sourcing and procurement: Stress leveraging multiple governance techniques while engaging a diverse set of vendors.
Security and risk: Require the adoption of DevSecOps and “policy as code” practices.
Infrastructure and operations: Drive the shift to adaptive governance and infrastructure product ownership.
Data and analytics: Encourage looking toward cloud-based D&A providers for new, innovative and composable decision-making capabilities.
Applications/software engineering: Institute agile and composable techniques while encouraging joint business-IT development and low-code technologies.
As an intelligence multiplier and complexity orchestrator, AI brings adaptability to a world in constant flux. No longer a passive partner, AI is generating new knowledge and formulating new strategies. Erick Brethenoux, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, explained how, in service of differentiation and to find unforeseen opportunities, CIOs need to make AI a ubiquitous, transparent and ethical decision-making companion.
"Be audacious. Breaking boundaries is the safest way to compete.”
Erick Brethenoux, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner
As you experiment with AI techniques, take these steps to shape your AI portfolio:
Initiate: Open your own AI labs. Do not wait, or you will not be able to catch up.
Expand and balance: Do not focus only on everyday AI within your boundaries. Start pushing outside of them to achieve game-changing AI be competitive.
The Gartner 2023 Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies features emerging technologies that will significantly affect business and society over the next two to 10 years. These technologies will help CIOs address the digital demands of the future, and drive competitive differentiation and efficiency.
"Generative AI will be the foundation for AI innovation, but other emerging AI techniques, such as casual AI and federated machine learning, also offer immense potential.”
Arun Chandrasekaran, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner
The 2023 Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies features four themes:
Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo, The World’s Most Important Gathering of CIOs and IT Executives™, brings together thousands of executives every year to address the strategic needs of enterprise CIOs and their leadership teams.
Learn more about the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo event and what's in store for 2024.
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Leigh C. McMullen is a Distinguished Vice President, Analyst and Gartner Fellow in Gartner's CISO, Security & Risk Management team. Mr. McMullen leverages his experience as both a line-of-business manager and IT leader to provide CISOs with insight on navigating and making a difference within the C-suite. Additionally, he provides clients with a holistic view of executive management leadership research, specializing on the topics of politics, influence, culture, business engagement, internal selling, marketing & communications. Mr. McMullen's Fellows work, the Delta Business Operating System examines business operating models which are designed to change and adapt rather than just scale.
Dennis Smith is a Distinguished Vice President, Analyst in the Infrastructure and Operations organization. He is responsible for research in the areas of cloud computing, infrastructure platform engineering and container technologies.
Erick Brethenoux is leading Gartner's Artificial Intelligence steering council. He specializes artificial intelligence techniques, decision intelligence and applied cognitive computing. Mr. Brethenoux guides organizations on the strategic, organizational and technology aspects of using artificial intelligence as a driving force of their growth. In particular, his research focuses on the operationalization of artificial intelligence techniques and practices, AI Engineering and next-generation decision intelligence systems.
Arun Chandrasekaran is a Distinguished Vice President, Analyst at Gartner, where his research focus is emerging technologies and trends, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Arun is a trusted advisor to executive and IT leaders, which includes the board of directors, CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, and their direct reports. He has advised thousands of CIOs, CTOs, and conducted hundreds of workshops for several Global 2000 organizations on AI, Cloud, and Innovation. In addition, he covers the start-up ecosystem closely, advising venture capitalists and tech CEOs. He is part of the core team that analyzes emerging technology trends and creates the annual Gartner top strategic technology trends research. He also leads the Gartner hype cycle for emerging technologies. His research focus areas include emerging trends in AI, including Generative AI and AI foundation models, Public Cloud, and Cloud-native architectures.
