Digital Lifescapes

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...

The past decade has witnessed an explosion in Artificial Intelligence (AI) use cases. From facial recognition software to virtual assistants, AI is rapidly reshaping our digital world. However, most of this AI processing power has resided in the public cloud, requiring a broadband internet connection and raising concerns about personal data privacy. This deployment model is about to evolve. The future of AI is the ability to function directly on our devices, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research. On-Device AI Market Development The research predicts a significant growth in AI chipset shipments, reaching over 1.3 billion units by 2030.  This surge signifies a critical shift towards on-device AI, empowering smartphones, PCs, tablets, and other gadgets with the ability to process AI tasks locally. This transition is driven by two key factors. Firstly, smartphone and PC vendors are prioritizing the development of chipsets specifically designed for on-device AI,...

The European Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) market will reach $47.6 billion in 2024 and record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.7 percent over the 2022-2027 forecast period. Europe represents around one-fifth of the global AI market according to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). While the share of GenAI reached only 9.6 percent of the total European AI market in 2023, it is increasing rapidly. Investment in GenAI will grow more than three times as fast as spending on the rest of the artificial intelligence market. As a result, GenAI will be more than a quarter of the European AI market in 2027. European AI Market Development Software will be the largest technology segment in 2024, with a market value higher than hardware and services combined. Furthermore, software is expected to have the fastest growth during 2022-2027, driven by demand for AI applications and platforms. The share of hardware technologies will...

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...

Business technology investment continues to fuel new digital business growth. For example, the transformative role of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) within IT operations (ITOps) across the Asia-Pacific region. Almost half (43 percent) of organizations surveyed are currently exploring potential GenAI use cases, with 55 percent of financial organizations and telecom firms investing in GenAI technology in 2023, according to the latest market study by IDC. With the digital-first mindset gaining momentum, leaders are seeking innovative solutions to enhance operations. GenAI stands out as a pivotal technology, offering the means to mitigate risks, boost efficiency, and improve overall productivity. Generative AI Market Development Generative AI is gaining popularity in Information Technology (IT) operations and IT service management, particularly in cost-sensitive Asia-Pacific environments. This technology offers automation of ITOps tasks, reducing operational costs and optimizi...

The introduction of Artificial intelligence (AI), and the emergence of Generative AI   (GenAI), are now resulting in two key focus areas for Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and their IT leadership team. "GenAI is not just a technology or just a business trend. It is a profound shift in how humans and machines interact," said Mary Mesaglio, VP Analyst at Gartner . "We are moving from what machines can do for us to what machines can be for us." AI platforms are evolving rapidly from being our tools to becoming our teammates. Gartner predicts that by 2025, GenAI will be a workforce partner for 90 percent of companies worldwide. CIO Leadership Market Development CIOs have a major role in how they shape AI and how AI shapes us. According to recent Gartner surveys of CEOs, enterprise CIOs are their number one choice to unlock the value of GenAI tools. In fact, CIOs and IT executives will prioritize two areas to unleash the possibility of AI over the next 12-24 months – ...

Ongoing concerns about economic volatility and access to skilled digital transformation talent are top-of-mind for many CEOs and CFOs. And, business technology investment is being re-prioritized as more executive leadership teams focus on strategic business outcomes. Meanwhile, spending on artificial intelligence (AI) will reach nearly $118 billion in 2022 and surpass $300 billion in 2026, according to the latest worldwide market study by  International Data Corporation (IDC). The ongoing incorporation of AI into a wide range of products will drive a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.5 percent over the 2022-2026 forecast period. This is more than four times greater than the five-year CAGR of 6.3 percent for overall worldwide IT spending during the same period. Artificial Intelligence Market Development The past two years have accelerated the use of AI in IT systems, and organizations are now more willing to take advantage of the efficiency benefits and enhanced capabilities ...

Your Digital Transformation depends on strategic investment in business technology that drives profitability and growth. Given the current global economic outlook, will your Chief Financial Officer (CFO) deny your next request for IT project funding? Think again. Seventy-eight percent of CFOs plan to maintain or increase their enterprise-wide digital investments in the next two years, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. The findings come even as CFOs indicate they are planning cost reductions in other areas of the business if inflation persists this year. Digital Transformation Market Development "Companies that drive the right digital investments have 2.7x higher customer retention, 1.6x higher customer satisfaction rates, and 1.9x higher average order value," said Alexander Bant, chief of finance research at Gartner . Leading digital-enabled companies are also 3x more likely to achieve above-industry revenue and margin growth. Gartner has also found t...

Two years of the global COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to operate remotely -- with the majority of knowledge worker employees working from home. While the virus evolved into new variants, some business leaders were already contemplating a 'return to office' scenario. Clearly, some leaders struggle to understand what their employees want, and how to support them to do their jobs in the most safe, productive, and satisfying way. However, the predictable significant increase in employee resignations should help them to reconsider. Future of Work Solutions Market Development IDC recently published results from a survey of the Asia-Pacific (APEJ) region, which provides insights for companies to understand their workforce and how to accommodate them to ensure the best productivity and business continuity. "Great Resignation is the latest buzzword. As employees reassess their current employment, talent retention is a top business agenda item for organizations," ...

This year may very well be another period of unprecedented challenges and opportunities. In 2022, several highly anticipated technology-related advancements will NOT happen, according to the predictions by ABI Research. Their analysts identify many trends that will shape the technology market and some others that, although attracting huge amounts of pundit speculation and commentary, are less likely to advance rapidly over the next twelve months. "The fallout from COVID-19 prevention measures, the process of transitioning from pandemic to endemic disease, and global political tensions weigh heavily on the coming year's fortunes," said Stuart Carlaw, chief research officer at ABI Research . What Won’t Happen in 2022? Despite all the headlines and investments, the metaverse will not arrive in 2022 or, for that matter, within the typical 5-year forecast window. The metaverse is still more of a buzzword and vision than a fully-fledged end goal with a clearly defined arrival d...

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented demand for emergency care. Many healthcare sector leaders would like to be at the forefront of tech-enabled medical caregiving. However, the fragmented way that hospitals acquire solutions can introduce cost, time, and resource inefficiencies that hinder care delivery. As a result, some healthcare providers have embraced the concept of the ‘Smart Hospital’ as a means of optimizing multiple aspects of their operational performance. The current model isn't perfect, and the implementation can present challenges -- such as cybersecurity, interoperability, and solution execution. Smart Hospital Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, the smart hospitals market will be worth $59 billion by 2026 -- that's up from $29 billion in 2021, representing an average annual growth of 15 percent. The concept of the smart hospital includes healthcare providers leveraging advanced analytics, connected device...

While most senior executives at progressive organizations have already evolved their human resource policies to accommodate employee desire for flexible working models, others still resist change. Unfortunately, many of the laggards are now experiencing the "Great Resignation" phenomenon. The global pandemic required business leaders to rethink when, where, and how their knowledge workers and front-line employees perform their work. Yet even with the ongoing pandemic recovery slowly underway, some organizations are still trying to determine their workforce approach. According to the latest worldwide market study and recent survey data from International Data Corporation (IDC), stability and geography will likely define the balance of future work strategies. Distributed Workforce Market Development On a global basis, physical office sites are expected to be the dominant location for work as legacy organizations eventually find themselves in a more stable environment. However, ...

When you hire qualified talent for a key role and trust them to perform, you'll likely achieve the best outcome. Skilled and experienced people will deliver results, regardless of the challenges. That's a key lesson learned from the pandemic experience as most knowledge workers were asked to work from their homes. However, some resist returning to an open-plan office. It's unacceptable. Meanwhile, forward-thinking leaders decided a "return to normal" is undesirable, and in hindsight, everyone should aspire to be more accomodating than before. Therefore, location flexibility is okay. Hybrid Workforce Market Development How will people adapt to these changes? They'll apply the modern IT tools at their disposal. They'll learn new skills and thrive. Nearly 80 percent of employees are now successfully using online collaboration tools for work in 2021 -- that's up from just over half of workers in 2019, according to the latest market study by Gartner. This g...

Even the most reluctant CEOs have discovered that supporting their remote workers was less disruptive than they anticipated. Moreover, productivity often increased as jubilant workers were freed from the noise and other distractions at their employer's poorly designed open-plan offices. Short audio or video conference meet-ups have replaced the typical 1-hour long mind-numbing in-person meetings that were common at many enterprises prior to the pandemic. Legacy business leaders that were not previously Agile converts have now embraced these online collaboration tools. It's amazing. Conferencing Solutions Market Development Global end-user investment on cloud-based web conferencing solutions will grow 24.3 percent in 2020, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. Global workplace restrictions spurred by the coronavirus pandemic will expand the cloud conferencing user base throughout 2020, but growth may actually taper off in 2021 as the lasting effects...

Given the current economic environment, all business and technology decision-makers must come together in support of a cohesive strategy for ongoing information technology (IT) investment. In order to deliver custom digital products and services, resilient organizations will pivot from an 'operational mindset' to a more 'market-driven mindset'. As IT and Operations Technology (OT) converge, companies will focus on using digital business capabilities to improve processes via better instrumentation, infrastructure, integration and insight. To help organizations expand to the OT buyer and become resilient decision-makers, International Data Corporation (IDC) has published a new 'Future of Operations' (FoO) framework. Digital Engineering Market Development By 2025, intelligent enterprises will see a 100 percent increase in productivity, resulting in half the response time of peers due to the ability to anticipate market and operational changes and 25 percent...

Ignore the doom and gloom, artificial intelligence (AI) will become a positive job motivator. Moreover, 2020 will be a pivotal year in AI-related employment dynamics, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. The number of jobs affected by AI will vary by industry. Through 2019, healthcare, the public sector and education will see continuously growing job demand, while manufacturing will be negatively impacted. Starting in 2020, AI-related job creation will cross into positive territory, reaching two million net-new jobs in 2025. Artificial Intelligence Market Development "Many significant innovations in the past have been associated with a transition period of temporary job loss, followed by recovery, then business transformation and AI will likely follow this route," said Svetlana Sicular, research vice president at Gartner . AI will improve the productivity of many jobs, eliminating millions of middle- and low-level positions, but also creating mil...

The media tablet market has apparently matured. Following the first year-over-year decline in worldwide media tablet shipments in the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), International Data Corporation (IDC) has scaled back its five year forecast for the product category. That being said, the market outlook is still somewhat promising. Worldwide shipments are now expected to reach 234.5 million units in 2015 -- that's a modest year-over-year increase of 2.1 percent from 2014. Although the outlook has been tempered, IDC expects positive growth for the market in the years to come as demand in the commercial sector increases -- particularly as more enterprise mobility applications gain adoption and improve user productivity in meaningful an substantive ways. "Despite the growing popularity of phablets, there still remains a portion of the market that wants to use a larger device so they can tailor their experience to the appropriate screen size," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior ...

As we approach the end of 2014, it's important to revisit the enterprise mobility application marketplace. Clearly, the mobile cloud apps trend will be far reaching in 2015 -- it will touch every department within many organizations and it will be adopted by most forward-thinking industries. The upside for further market development and growth is already significant. 451 Research expects the Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) market to grow from $3.8 billion in revenue in 2014 to $9.6 billion in 2018. EMM, defined as a set of tools that include mobile device management, mobile application management, mobile email container applications, mobile application platforms, mobile back-end as a service (MBaaS) and mobile virtualization, can be used solo, in parallel or in a tiered fashion across a mobile environment. 451 Research sees these as important tool-sets adopted by the enterprise, and as critical enablers of future mobile computing. As enterprises increasingly adopt EMM, t...

Prepackaged mobile applications reached a plateau during 2013, but with more exciting advancements expected in 2014, North American companies are once again deploying a wide array of mobile worker software. According to the latest market study by Frost & Sullivan, 48 percent of business decision makers report that their companies already deploy one to ten apps for employees on mobile devices. They also found that the mobile app viewed as "most necessary" by businesses is wireless email, followed by mobile sales force automation. The Frost analysis measures the current use of and future decision-making behaviors toward mobile enterprise apps -- specifically mobile asset tracking, mobile sales force automation, mobile workforce management, and wireless email solutions. Convincing companies of the fundamental business necessity of mobile worker app solutions is critical to a provider's success. Specifically, among the four mobile apps featured in this research,...

In what now seems like the distant past, previously everything that I did with digital content   typically revolved around just one multifaceted device, with various local storage options – that was my laptop PC with a variety of USB memory sticks and a couple of mobile hard drives. Today, I’m embracing a different Digital Lifescape – one that includes multiple device types, where much of the content that I produce is stored in the cloud. In fact, while some apps do everything on my mobile device, an increasing number of software applications that I use also reside within the cloud. Sharing content with friends, family or business associates are easier to do when it’s all stored in the cloud. In the legacy PC era, I used to send small files via email as attachments and use snail-mail for collections of larger files that were on a CD-ROM disc or flash memory drive. Today, I merely change the access privileges for the content asset that I want to share and point the person(s) t...