Digital Lifescapes

Telecom and pay TV providers are entering a period where traditional connectivity revenue is growing at well under 2 percent a year worldwide, even as traffic volumes, quality expectations, and competitive pressures continue to rise. This widening gap between flat service revenues and escalating investment needs is the central strategic challenge now confronting network operators, tech vendors, and investors across the communications value chain. This transitional environment forces service providers to pivot from "grow by adding lines" to "grow by monetizing experiences, insights, and ecosystems." Enterprise digital transformation, 5G, fiber, and cloud computing are all necessary enablers, but none of them automatically translate into higher ARPU or margin; they need to be coupled with new value propositions and operating models. Telecom and Cable Market Development According to the latest IDC market study, worldwide spending on telecom and pay TV services is expec...

Are you prepared for a future where no enterprise IT activity will occur without the direct involvement of artificial intelligence (AI) agents? AI will transform the core of business technology. Many IT jobs will be impacted. According to Gartner’s latest worldwide market study, this seismic shift will redefine how tasks are accomplished and radically alter workforce dynamics, skill requirements, and business competitiveness. The Rise of Ubiquitous AI in IT Gartner’s 2025 survey of over 700 CIOs highlights a pivotal forecast: by 2030, AI technologies will underpin every IT function. Currently, about 81 percent of IT work is performed without any AI assistance, but this era is rapidly coming to a close. The transition will see a dramatic reengineering of workflows and job roles as organizations embrace AI-powered solutions. Gartner predicts that by the end of the decade, zero percent of IT work will be done without AI, as human and machine collaboration becomes the default operating mod...

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the sales profession in ways that few could have imagined even a few years ago. Gartner’s recent prediction -- that by 2028, 10 percent of sales associates will use Generative AI (GenAI) tools to covertly manage multiple jobs -- highlights the profound workforce disruption unleashed by this technological revolution. As an independent advisory consultant in the business technology sector, I see this as a pivotal moment for vendor leaders to rethink their sales strategies and the very nature of work, productivity, and employee trust. The AI-Driven Sales Role Transformation The integration of GenAI into sales workflow is already a present-day reality. According to recent market studies, 81 percent of sales teams are either experimenting with or have fully implemented GenAI tools, with some reporting up to a 15 percent revenue uplift and a 10–20 percent increase in sales ROI. The rapidly emerging technology is now considered essen...

The telecom industry stands at a pivotal moment of transformation. As mobile network operators grapple with the challenges of creating new revenue streams, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an enabler of next-generation capabilities. The recent Juniper Research worldwide market study illuminates how AI is not merely an add-on but increasingly the foundation of transformative cellular network evolution. According to the study, network operators are projected to invest more than $86 billion in developing and deploying AI in their platforms over the next four years. Mobile Network AI Market Development Annual investment is expected to grow from $13.5 billion in 2025 to $21.9 billion by 2029, representing a substantial 62 percent increase. This investment surge is primarily driven by operators' pursuit of zero-touch operations, where human intervention in network management is minimized or eliminated entirely. What's particularly notable is that while AI is being deployed...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved from a futuristic concept to a cornerstone of global economic transformation. According to the latest IDC market study, investments in AI solutions and services will reach a cumulative global impact of $22.3 trillion by 2030. This growth underscores AI's influence across industries, reshaping business models, enhancing operational efficiency, and driving innovation at unprecedented scales. The Rise of AI as an Economic Driver AI has become an integral part of mainstream business growth strategies. In 2025 alone, IDC predicts that AI investments will contribute significantly to global GDP growth, with organizations leveraging AI to optimize processes, personalize customer experiences, and drive data-driven decision-making. Generative AI (GenAI), in particular, is expected to boost operational efficiency, enabling businesses to automate complex tasks and allocate resources more strategically. AI adoption spans diverse sectors; for example: Ma...

While the 2025 economic outlook is uncertain, one thing is clear. The global technology sector continues to produce remarkable resilience and growth, defying earlier concerns about headwinds.  Forrester's latest worldwide market forecast reveals an acceleration in technology spending, projecting it to reach $4.9 trillion this year – a 5.6 percent increase from 2024's $4.7 trillion. This investment surge signals a fundamental shift in how business leaders across the globe are approaching their digital transformation journeys. Global IT Market Development    The magnitude of this spending becomes even more striking when we examine its composition. Software and IT services are poised to command two-thirds of global technology investments in 2025, highlighting the central role of digital capabilities in modern business operations. The software sector, in particular, stands out with its projected 10.5 percent growth rate, positioning it to capture an impressive 60 percent of g...

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscale cloud computing is fundamentally reshaping data center infrastructure, and liquid cooling is emerging as an indispensable solution. As traditional air-cooled systems reach their physical limits, the IT industry is under pressure to adopt more efficient thermal management strategies to meet growing demands, while complying with stringent environmental regulations. Liquid Cooling Market Development The latest ABI Research analysis reveals momentum in liquid cooling adoption. Installations are forecast to quadruple between 2023 and 2030. The market will reach $3.7 billion in value by the decade's end, with a CAGR of 22 percent. The urgency behind these numbers becomes clear when examining energy metrics: liquid cooling systems demonstrate 40 percent greater energy efficiency when compared to conventional air-cooling architectures, while simultaneously enabling ~300-500 percent increases in computational density per rac...

As an independent advisory consultant with experience across the technology sector, I've observed the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on various industries across the globe. The recent IDC market study of AI in Europe provides valuable insights. The forecast AI spending in Europe will reach $133 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.3 percent, underscores the significant momentum behind AI adoption. This substantial investment reflects the increasing recognition of AI's potential to enhance productivity, drive innovation, and create new business model opportunities. Generative AI Market Development While AI itself is not a new concept, the emergence of Generative AI (GenAI) has catalyzed a new wave of excitement and investment. GenAI's ability to create content, from text to images and even code, has captured the imagination of businesses and consumers alike. The IDC market study highlights the exceptional growth expected in...

New IT investment is aligned with digital business growth. The rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies has become a key growth catalyst across many industries. The latest growth forecast from IDC provides a compelling snapshot of the AI market's upward trajectory and underscores its pivotal role in shaping the future of business innovation. Worldwide spending on AI will more than double by 2028, reaching $632 billion. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29 percent over the 2024-2028 forecast period. Such rapid adoption is a clear indicator of AI's increasing importance and the willingness of business leaders to invest heavily in the strategic use cases that fuel net-new growth. Artificial Intelligence Market Development "AI-powered transformations have delivered tangible business outcomes and value for organizations worldwide and they are building their AI strategies around employee experience, customer engagement, business process, ...

The rapid evolution of digital payment technologies is reshaping global financial apps, with instant payment platforms emerging as a transformative force. These innovative payment systems are streamlining transactions and also driving financial inclusion or economic growth across diverse markets. The recent worldwide market study by ABI Research provides compelling evidence of the explosive growth in instant payment transactions. Instant Payments Market Development According to ABI findings, the top eight global instant payment platforms are projected to see their transaction volumes skyrocket from 213 billion in 2023 to 681.1 billion by 2028. This remarkable growth trajectory underscores the increasing adoption and importance of instant payment solutions in our increasingly online world. One key driver is the global rise in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments. "Account-to-account wallets, which have seen widespread use in P2P transfers, are experiencing increased usage given their use in...

Is your workforce truly your greatest asset, or is it simply another cost center? The CEO’s role has traditionally been synonymous with strategy, innovation, and financial performance.  However, a seismic shift is underway -- the strategic imperative for Business Technology talent development. The C-suite is increasingly recognizing that the key to unlocking business value lies not just in technology or market share, but in the skilled people who power the organization. Gartner’s latest research study findings underscore this shift, placing workforce considerations as a top-three business priority for chief executives. Business Technologist Market Development This elevation of the workforce to strategic prominence is a direct consequence of several converging trends. The Great Resignation, coupled with an increasingly competitive global talent market, has made talent acquisition and retention a paramount challenge. Moreover, the rapid pace of information technology change demands a...

For the past decade, navigating uncertainty has been a defining characteristic of the Global Networked Economy. From economic downturns to tech-driven disruptions, leaders have had to adapt in the face of constant change. According to Gartner's latest worldwide market study, there's a significant shift in C-suite priorities. Survey results reveal a focus on digital business growth, with CEOs identifying it as the top priority. About 73 percent of CEOs ranked growth as their primary objective, a 17 percent increase compared to 2023. This sentiment is underscored by the finding that 60 percent of CEOs plan to increase hiring in 2024. Digital Business Market Development "Along with the increased focus on growth, the survey showed a relatively weak position for cost management, suggesting that most CEOs and senior business executives believe the most challenging economic times are past," said David Furlonger, VP Analyst at Gartner . Several key factors are contributing to...

The business technology landscape is undergoing a continued shift in IT infrastructure. The public cloud, once a fringe player, has become the undisputed engine driving IT innovation and digital business growth. As executives grapple with their digital transformation initiatives, scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency remain paramount. The public cloud delivers on all these fronts, and Gartner's recent forecast underscores this reality. Worldwide public cloud end-user spending is projected to reach $675 billion in 2024, a significant increase from  $561 billion in 2023. This growth is driven by Generative AI (GenAI) and software application modernization. Public Cloud Computing Market Development Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This foundational layer, comprising compute, storage, and networking resources, is anticipated to reach $180 billion in 2024. This underscores the continued demand for core cloud infrastructure as organizations migrate workloads and application...

Across the globe, digital business transformation has a new catalyst for substantive advancements. Generative AI (GenAI) is about to transform many industries around the world. According to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), spending on GenAI in the Asia-Pacific region will reach a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 95.4 percent between 2022 and 2027. "China is projected to maintain its position as the dominant market for GenAI, while Japan and India are set to become the most rapidly expanding markets in the forthcoming years," said Deepika Giri, head of research, IDC APJ . Asia-Pacific  Generative AI Market Development The IDC market study clearly shows the burgeoning Generative AI landscape in the Asia-Pacific region. Here are some of the most significant insights. Surging GenAI Spending: The study predicts a growth trajectory for GenAI spending in the region. By 2027, expenditures are expected to reach $26 billion, reflecting the widespre...

The Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) is a new, collaborative initiative designed to accelerate recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in communities and regions throughout the U.S. by connecting organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of doing economic development. However, it's unknown if new technology will be a key component. For example, less than 25 percent of government organizations will have Generative Artificial Intelligence ( GenAI ) enabled citizen-facing services by 2027, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. Furthermore, fear of public failure and a lack of community trust in government use of the technology will slow adoption for external use by a nation's citizens. Government GenAI Market Development Like many organizations over the past 15 months, federal and regional governments have been exploring the opportunities and risks associated with the emergence of GenAI tools. Gartner’s annual global survey of over 2,400 C...

The evolution of business payments has lagged when compared to the pace of new adoption methods in other segments, marked by a gradual transformation to electronic payments, such as bank wire transfers like ACH and EFT payments. Advancements in globalization and eCommerce, accompanied by the legislation to regulate transactions and protect transacting parties, and the improvement of domestic and cross-border payment rails, have contributed to the uptake of new methods. Business Payment Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study from Juniper Research, the value of business-to-business (B2B) payments will grow by 40 percent in 2028 -- that's up from $89 trillion in 2024, due to digital payment adoption in developing markets. Instant payments will revolutionize B2B payments by enabling cheaper and more secure international trade, with instant payments reaching 42 percent of all cross-border payments by 2028, at $16 trillion -- up from just 17 percent in 2024, at...

Generative AI is revolutionizing the way organizations work, boosting growth and unlocking unprecedented levels of productivity. From crafting hyper-personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers to automating tedious tasks and fostering seamless workforce collaboration, GenAI's applications are rapidly expanding across diverse industries. This evolution is particularly evident in areas like marketing, where GenAI can generate targeted ad copy and content that drives conversions, and in workforce collaboration, where it can automate repetitive tasks and streamline communication channels. However, unlike the broader AI landscape, GenAI's implementation has faced challenges in heavily regulated industries like banking and new fintech services. Adapting its capabilities to comply with strict regulations and ensuring data privacy remain key hurdles to overcome. As these challenges are addressed and GenAI's potential is further explored, we can expect e...

While the vast majority of CEOs anticipate a significant upside growth potential from artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, there are others in the C-suite who are fearful of the impact. Rapid Generative AI (GenAI) adoption is the top-ranked issue for the next two years for Legal, Compliance, and Privacy leaders, according to a recent survey by Gartner. "Increases in capability and usability have prompted rapid and widespread company adoption of GenAI," said Stuart Strome, director of research at  Gartner . Generative AI Market Development While AI regulation is still being developed, however, uncertainties and unforeseen risks abound. Businesses will have to contend with these challenges to ensure the ethical and legal use of this powerful new technology. Gartner identified four areas that business leaders need to address: Limited Visibility into Key Risks The ease of adoption, widespread applicability, and the ability of GenAI tools to perform a range of different busines...

In an evolving era of rapid advancement, market demand for innovative technology in the industrial and manufacturing sectors is skyrocketing. Leaders are recognizing the immense potential of digital transformation and are driving initiatives to integrate technologies into their business operations.  These initiatives aim to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately drive growth and competitiveness in an increasingly digital business upward trajectory. The industrial and manufacturing sectors have been the backbone of the Global Networked Economy, contributing $16 trillion in value in 2021. Industrial and Manufacturing Tech Market Development   This growth represents a 20 percent increase from 2020, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of these sectors in the face of unprecedented challenges, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research . The five largest manufacturing verticals -- automotive, computer and electronic, primary metal, food, and ma...

Banks that adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable better customer success and business experience are moving towards a Banking-as-a-Platform (BaaP) operating model to fuel new digital revenue growth. The main strategic goal of a Platform banking business model is to become involved in strategic Fintech partnerships which can improve their product offering for both retail and corporate clients. Each platform is largely self-contained in producing business and technology outcomes, and autonomous in prioritizing its work to meet growth goals and clearly defined areas of specialization. BaaP Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research , global revenue from BaaP services will increase to $49 billion globally in 2028 -- that's up from $4 billion in 2023. BaaP can help traditional banks regain their competitive edge against NeoBanks. Through collaboration with innovative vendors, traditional banks can offer new services from partners, includ...