This year has been full of innovations and exciting technological breakthroughs that have transformed society and the global economy.

But digital evolution does not stand still for a moment, so we look, once again, to the future and spotlight the technologies and technological innovations that will mark 2024. Some trends repeat (with new approaches), and new ones arrive that will have a lot to say in the coming months.

Generative AI

It may seem obvious to start with generative artificial intelligence, but it has become arguably the most influential technology.

We have only seen its first steps, and 2024 will be when we really start seeing its full potential. In addition, we may see a focus on democratizing knowledge and training across different business roles and functions, as well as technical.

Gartner predicts that “by 2026, more than 80% of enterprises will have used Generative AI APIs and models and/or deployed GenAI-enabled applications in production environments, compared to less than 5% in 2023″. This eye-catching figure will help bring new products to market faster, increase business efficiency and productivity, hyper-personalization, and the most advanced technology available today, within everyone’s reach.

Cybersecurity as a central pillar

Cyber attacks have become a major concern for businesses in recent years. As a result, cyber security is no longer just another priority but an absolute necessity.

IT leaders must adopt a pragmatic and systemic approach to adjust cybersecurity optimization priorities continuously. This is best achieved through basic steps such as using encrypted services, training and raising employee awareness, conducting pentesting tests, creating and updating protocols and software, and validating compliance and governance….

Finally, adopt a Zero Trust approach, a model that assumes potential data breaches and verifies each request as if it came from an uncontrolled network. Thus, each access request is strongly authenticated, authorized within the constraints of the policy, and inspected for anomalies.

“Figital” convergence and Digital Twins

It is a novel concept that refers to the space created where the real and digital worlds converge. The two are increasingly intertwined, and technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and immersive experiences are breaking down the blurred line between the two.

Closely linked to the digital twins, we are witnessing a moment where the digital is becoming more realistic and the real much more flexible and malleable. This technology allows us to change the components we want in the digital world until they are optimized and achieve their best version in the real world.

It is a trend that will accelerate new digital skills in all kinds of jobs, as well as refine business processes, improve efficiency and save exponentially on costs.

Quantum Computing

We recently shared an article on whether it is time to get ready for quantum computing, and the conclusion was clear: a resounding yes.

It is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement. It is a technology that has the potential to optimize investment strategies and encryption or discover new products in unseen timeframes.

The significant differentiating factor of this trend is that quantum computers are much, much faster than regular computers, which is why large companies such as Microsoft, AWS, and Google are putting a lot of effort into innovating in this field. In fact, their global market revenues are expected to exceed 2.5 billion dollars by 2029.

Green Tech

We are in a time of environmental crisis, and technology is one of the keys to helping create an ecological and social rights balance.

Governments and organizations commit to zero emissions agreements and sustainable technologies to prevent, mitigate, and adapt to environmental risks. Indeed, they improve human rights outcomes, well-being, or prosperity, as well as enhance business conduct, capacity building, or overall performance.

A greener and more sustainable future can be created without sacrificing efficiency and business growth thanks to new technologies such as AI, blockchain, cloud computing, extended reality, robotics, and many others.

The importance of data

Data is one of the most critical assets for a company, and a good use of it can be the differentiating factor against the competition. It is key to making more effective business decisions and has a major impact on a company’s success.

Here, we find a concept such as datification, which transforms everything into data-driven devices or software. What does this mean? It means that tasks are changed by data-driven technology, from smartphones to office applications, which need to be stored correctly and securely.

Therefore, a Data-Driven strategy helps companies create new customer experiences, accelerate operations, and capitalize on new market opportunities, as well as the agility to pivot when the unexpected happens.

Platform Engineering

It is the discipline of creating and managing internal self-service platforms. That is, each platform is a layer created and maintained by a dedicated product team designed to meet user needs by interfacing with tools and processes.

It is a practice that optimizes the developer experience and accelerates the delivery of business value. It reduces cognitive load by improving developer experience and productivity, enhancing their ability to run, manage, and develop their applications, improving talent retention, and ensuring reliability and security.

Smarter applications

Last year, we talked about super apps, a combination of an app, a platform, and a digital ecosystem, all within a single app, which created personalized, engaging, and far-reaching user experiences.

With the advent of generative AI, enterprise apps are going one step further, becoming much smarter and transforming the experience for customers, users, product owners, and developers.

By incorporating data from transactions and external sources, intelligent applications bring insights into the applications that business users already use, and through AI, they add predictions or recommendations, allowing applications to be tailored to the user, resulting in better outcomes and data-driven decision-making.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Closely linked to artificial intelligence and machine learning, RPA automates business processes such as interpreting applications, processing transactions, handling data, and even responding to emails.

Its main advantage is that it automates repetitive tasks that used to be done by employees, allowing them to focus on more creative and productive tasks. It also saves costs, increases profitability, reduces time spent on time-consuming tasks, and has a lower probability of error.

It, therefore, helps harness the human talent of companies and is very useful in collecting and storing various data and in sectors such as finance, customer service, or human resources.

IoT and Hyperconnection

We are witnessing a time when IoT sensors and networks of connected devices have become central to creating digital twins, building the metaverse, improving the performance of smart machines, or designing future cities.

IoT technology collects and interprets the data collected by industrial machines and then provides information about the process to improve efficiency, save costs in production, detect new business opportunities and consumer trends, or support product innovation.

We are only in the early stages of what can be achieved, with forecasts suggesting that around 50 million IoT devices will be in use by 2030. This could create a massive network of interconnected devices that provide greater security, efficiency, and decision-making for businesses as more data is collected and analyzed.

Whether you are looking for a specific innovative model to optimize your business or you want to implement a complete digital transformation, at Plain Concepts, we are always on the lookout for new technology trends. We offer a wide variety of digital solutions for all types of businesses and can help you find the one that best suits your needs.

AUTHOR

Elena Canorea

Communications Lead