At the rate of business-technology progress, predicting what will happen next week is tough enough. By 2024, we might all be teleporting to work. But new research from digital infrastructure advisory platform UPSTACK takes a stab at what next year could hold in store with its inaugural Technology Trends Report, based on input from more than 40 of its experts who help enterprises achieve their business goals through technology.
Those experts identified the top focus areas for IT leaders to create the biggest impact for their organizations in 2024, led by:
Security
The high costs of successful network breaches—loss of data, reputation, revenue, customers, etc.—make cybersecurity the No. 1 priority in 2024. The security talent shortage increases the challenge, so it’s imperative for companies to choose the right vendors to close the gaps and optimize defenses.
Customer experience
Tech-enabled CX has risen as a strategic imperative for businesses, and is priority No. 2. Automation and AI technologies can help organizations ensure more consistent customer interactions while increasing scalability and decreasing overhead.
Hybrid data center/cloud
With the spiking use of resource-intensive applications like AI, AR and VR, the need for IT infrastructure will only grow. A hybrid data center/cloud approach—priority No. 3—enables organizations to optimize workloads across environments based on costs, usage, compliance and more.
“IT leaders have a tough job. They’re expected to place bets today on the technology that will help their businesses grow in the future—all while ensuring that existing infrastructure and applications are always on and secure,” said Darren Jones, UPSTACK’s executive vice president and co-head of customer experience, in a news release. “UPSTACK helps thousands of business leaders identify ways to leverage technology to reduce risks and capitalize on opportunities. We hope that sharing the Trends Report reaches and benefits an even wider audience.”
