Digital Lifescapes

Business technology investment no longer follows a predictable path to growth. The global venture capital (VC) investment in artificial intelligence (AI) was close to its peak in 2021 reaching $22.3 billion, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research. This is just $400 million shy of the historical high of $22.7 billion recorded in 2019. Compared to the $15 billion recorded in 2020, the market made a remarkable recovery, with a 48.5 percent year-on-year growth. Will the future AI marketplace return to stable growth, or will it remain volatile? Artificial Intelligence Market Development "COVID-19 greatly accelerated the speed of digital transformation within the enterprise. Businesses are looking for solutions to work processes automation, customer care, due diligence, transcription and translation, and sales and marketing enablement tools," said Lian Jye Su, research director at ABI Research . At the same time, COVID-19 led to the Great Resignation of 2021...

Given the trend thus far, quantum computing developments will be slow and steady. Meanwhile, optimistic growth projections abound. Enterprise spending for quantum computing will grow from $412 million in 2020 to $8.6 billion in 2027, according to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). This represents a 6-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50.9 percent over the 2021-2027 forecast period. The forecast includes core quantum computing as a service, as well as enabling and adjacent quantum computing as a service. IDC states that major breakthroughs in quantum computing technology, a maturing quantum computing as a service infrastructure and platform market, and the growth of performance-intensive computing workloads suitable for quantum technology will drive the majority of the market growth. Quantum Computing Market Development IDC also expects ongoing investments in the quantum computing market will grow at a 6-year CAGR (2021-2027) of 11.3 per...

Manufacturers have traditionally been considered the primary drivers of new robot technology investment. Robots are now infiltrating other business sectors. The robotics industry gained new momentum in 2017 with total venture capital (VC) investment reaching $2.7 billion, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research. "While the growth in investment from 2016 to 2017, at 23.2 percent, slowed from growth between 2015 and 2016, this was affected by applying a narrower understanding of robotics, leaving out categories like autonomous cars," said Rian Whitton, research analyst at ABI Research . Robotic Technology Market Development Had the same definition of robotics been used as in previous years, total investment would have exceeded $5 billion. Given the narrower definition, the sizeable increase in investment is a further indication of the growing confidence in the robotics industry, and the sense of urgency investors have in funding these key technologi...

The savvy CEOs anticipate that trends in 2017 are likely to follow the path of disruptive events in 2016. Change is the norm. Digital technology will continue to have a dramatic impact on legacy players in the marketplace. Technology, Media and Telecommunication (TMT) sectors completed 3,021 deals worth $698.2 billion in 2016, representing a decrease of 4.5 percent in value and 5.7 percent in deal count compared to a record 2015, while deal count remained consistent, according to the latest market study by Mergermarket . The TMT sector accounted for 21.4 percent of global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity -- that's up from 18.5 percent in 2015, and its second highest share on Mergermarket record (since 2001) after 2013 (22.4 percent). TMT Sector Market Development Deal activity accelerated towards the end of 2016, with deals announced in the final quarter of the year (683 deals, $295 billion) marking the highest Q4 value on record. U.S. M&A activity rampe...

Legacy insurance sector CIOs must embrace the innovation and disruption potential of technology start-ups to complement their own digital insurance strategies, according to the latest worldwide market study by Gartner. Sixty-four percent of the world's 25 largest insurance companies have already invested directly or indirectly -- via their venture capital arms -- in what Gartner refers to as the emerging Insurtech start-up market. Gartner predicts that 80 percent of life, property and casualty insurers globally will partner with or acquire Insurtech companies by the end of 2018. Analysts believe that these pioneers can stimulate or accelerate innovation among incumbent industry players, and complement existing digital transformation strategies. Insuretech Market Development Opportunities "Gartner has seen growing interest among insurance business and IT leaders in collaborating with Insurtechs or making them part of their overall innovation policies, but most insurance...

Many silicon valley venture capital firms would prefer to forget the epic dot-com bubble that lasted from 1997 to 2000. But who can forget their naive rush to invest in some of the most absurd Web 2.0 start-ups and silly Social Media companies? It was truly unprecedented. Granted, the people who would most like to erase those memories are the senior executives at large corporations who helped to orchestrate the acquisition of a dot-com flop, at ridiculous market evaluations, then close the failed business within a year to eighteen months of the purchase. That fiasco would never happen again. Or, could it? Technology-related mergers and acquisitions (M&A) spending in 2015 is likely to continue at the record pace that was set last year, according to the latest market study by 451 Research. Bullish sentiment from corporate acquirers and bankers, combined with an optimistic macro-economic environment and a re-energized private equity market, is fueling the current M&A outlook...