With technological advancements making headlines more than ever this year, 2024 technology predictions are gearing up to be fascinating. In this article, a range of technology experts give their predictions for the year ahead.
From the widespread use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to ransomware gangs attacking with more ferocity than ever before, organisations are now working overtime to ensure that IT teams are equipped with appropriate tools, training and defences to not only fend off new cyber threats but also make the most of these advancements in 2024.
So, with so much change in the air, what will the world of 2024 look like?
The year of cyber
One thing’s for sure as we enter the new year – cyber will be as prevalent as it’s ever been. Now, with the widespread proliferation of AI for both threat actors and IT teams, the world of cybersecurity is set to get more complex.
Moshe Weis, CISO at Aqua, explained: “In 2023, we saw the increasing adoption of AI in offensive and defensive cybersecurity strategies. This trend is intensifying in 2024, with AI-driven threat actors becoming more sophisticated and organisations deploying advanced AI-driven security measures. The industry recognises the importance of staying ahead of these evolving threats through behavioural analytics, anomaly detection, and ethical AI practices.”
AI and Machine Learning are also expected to significantly impact how we share and process information in the coming months, positively integrating their way into threat intelligence. This integration will enhance threat prediction and response capabilities,” stated Avkash Kathiriya, Senior VP of Research and Innovation at Cyware.
“The trend of cross-industry collaboration in sharing internal and external threat intelligence will also become more commonplace, underlining its role in building robust and adaptable cybersecurity strategies. It will drive change within the industry and make trusted community intelligence more valuable than commodity intelligence.”
AI…But make it generative
Despite the explosion of AI in the mainstream media this year, there is much debate over how ‘innovative’ the technology is at the moment. However, generative AI is one aspect that most can agree has genuinely started to change the game. Russell Gammon, Chief Solutions Officer at Tax Systems, commented: “Everyone has played around with the new technology, and all the big tech firms are investing heavily in it. But it’s still in its infancy, and 2024 will be the year that we start to utilise it properly and reap the full benefits.
“ChatGPT will go from being a fun toy to play around with to being the foundation of business applications and products. We have already seen businesses enhance existing products with AI, but over the next 12 months, we will see it add real commercial value as whole new products are built upon the technology.”
“Naturally, as we see this new technology more integrated into business models, it will be important that organisations have the right infrastructure to support it, notably the right skills and training. Gen AI training has focused on building literacy and awareness so that employees have a basic understanding of how the technology works, including its limitations and ethical considerations,” said Apratim Purakayastha, Chief Product Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Skillsoft.
“We will see Gen AI training become much more specialised and varied across different roles and departments. Expect to see more courses on ‘using generative AI for X’ – whether for marketers, project managers, HR professionals, customer support representatives, etc.
“By providing relevant, hands-on learning experiences that connect directly to an employee’s job, organisations will unlock the next phase of AI enablement within their workforce.”
It’s all about compliance
Compliance is a steady priority for all businesses, which will remain the same in 2024. However, the nuances within governance and compliance will continue evolving, and organisations must keep up.
Jay Sanderson, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Digital Experience at Progress, stated: “As global data privacy regulations intensify, the adoption of Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) will surge, with a premium placed on solutions that offer built-in, robust compliance frameworks—turning regulatory adherence into a competitive advantage.”
Of course, the biggest buzzword on everyone’s lips for next year is DORA. Richard Gadd, Senior VP of EMEA & India at Commvault, commented: “This year, IDC research revealed that only 33% of senior executives are involved in cyber preparedness initiatives, but 61% of those leaders believe an attack could severely impact their business in the next 12 months.
“With that in mind, there needs to be a fresh focus on data protection and data security, building a well-grounded structure of cyber resilience. This is even more important when we consider that the Digital Operations Resilience Act (DORA) is coming into effect in January 2025, giving industry leaders only 12 months to ensure they meet the security requirements of this act. This move towards cyber preparedness must come from the top-down as a matter of urgency, with C-suite members showing more dedication to building a more reliable and holistic security posture.”
Finally, the biggest challenge to regulation and compliance in 2024 will be AI, but it will be essential to get it right. Gary Lynam, Managing Director, EMEA, Protecht, explained: “While many organisations will find implementing AI-powered risk and compliance management daunting, there’s never been a better time to start exploring it. And for those that don’t, they will surely get left behind.
“The FCA has recently reinforced that the Senior Managers & Certification Regime also gives us a clear framework to respond to innovations in AI. This clarifies that senior managers are ultimately accountable for the firm’s activities. This, combined with the likely revisiting of UK SOX if the UK has a change in government in 2024, means a busy, demanding year ahead for accountable managers.”
Shifting priorities in 2024?
Business priorities are constantly in flux to tackle the onslaught of social, technological, and political changes that may affect day-to-day operations. In addition to some of the ‘bigger’ topics promising to define 2024, like AI, we will undoubtedly see countless more focus areas creating waves in the technology landscape:
- Sustainability
Sustainability is a huge topic on the minds of almost all businesses as we move into 2024. Regulations and customer demand force organisations to consider tangible, meaningful ways to impact the environment positively. One of the biggest industries that will be affected by this in the coming years is the data centre industry.
As a sector, few naturally lend themselves to an environmental model less than data centres. However, it’s for this reason that it’s so vital. Terry Storrar, Managing Director, Leaseweb UK, commented: “Sustainability will stay firmly in the hotspot next year. And rightly so, as it’s a serious issue. It is very positive that customers are challenging data centre operators and service providers on their green agenda, along with more government regulations coming into play.
“Rather than huge steps, it is more a pattern that data centre businesses are taking sure, small steps towards environmental goals, such as achieving 100% renewable energy use.”
- Labour shortages
Unfortunately, one thing that is unlikely to change in 2024 is the UK’s intense labour shortage. As of October 2023, approximately 9.7% of businesses were still reported to be suffering from a shortage of workers.
Speaking to the contact centre industry, Dave Hoekstra, Product Evangelist, Calabrio, explains that a main priority next year needs to be addressing labour shortages head-on.
“Contact centres will significantly increase investments in training programs, with 35% of managers ranking it as their top tactic for attracting and retaining new hires,” he said.
“Faced with a current 35% skill gap among agents, there will be a concentrated effort to address specific training challenges, particularly in emotional intelligence (33%), job aptitude (37%), and onboarding. This increased focus on comprehensive training underscores the industry-wide dedication to equipping agents with the technical and soft skills to navigate the demands of the hybrid, AI-driven contact centre environment.”
- A decline in the public cloud
Lastly, with the ‘cloud gold rush’ finally dying, many businesses are beginning to realise that putting everything in a public cloud may not have been the promised silver bullet.
“Cloud-also is a new topic in the industry, and while it’s currently more vibrant in the US as they have put more data in the cloud already, I expect we’ll see a growing trend in organisations moving data away from the public cloud globally in the next 12 months,” predicted Guillaume Crapart, Senior Director of Channel Sales at Quantum.
“It’s also something that will drive budget decisions, as IT leaders determine whether to apportion budget from the cloud to use instead for on-premises storage for specific data types. And thirdly, the semi-private cloud is another storage option.
“I believe we’ll see a rise in popularity in 2024 as organisations seek to have their cloud-based data closer to home and subjected to stronger security measures than the public cloud allows. In combination with the cloud-also trend, organisations will gain more privacy and control over their data – a must in today’s digital world.”
As technology evolves rapidly in 2024, we will undoubtedly see a momentous amount of change in how organisations and end-users operate. It’ll be essential to ensure businesses carefully assess their unique needs and what their customers seek.
