Data, AI and security – the Gartner Technology Trends 2022

Where is the technological journey heading in the coming year? With the Technology Trends for 2022, Gartner analysts look ahead to which topics will be of particular concern to enterprise CIOs. The trends identified have the potential to generate growth and innovation, and are expected to lay the technological foundation for three key issues on the corporate agenda: building trust, shaping change and accelerating growth.

Are you ready for the technologies of the future?

Trend #1: Generative Artificial Intelligence

In the broad field of artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI is emerging as a particularly powerful variant for Gartner. It refers to a form of machine learning that derives insights about content or objects from their data and uses them to create new, fully realistic artifacts. Potential uses range from creating software code to simplifying drug development to targeted marketing. Gartner estimates that 10% of all data will be generated by Generative AI by 2025. This compares to less than 1% currently.

Trend #2: Data Fabric

Data fabric is the term used to describe flexible integration of data across platforms and business users. It aims to simplify the enterprise data integration infrastructure, break down data and application silos, and help build a scalable architecture. The biggest benefits of Data Fabric are to improve data usage through integrated analytics, reduce data management efforts by up to 70%, and shorten time to value.

Trend #3: Distributed Enterprise

At least with the Corona pandemic, work behavior has shifted from the traditional office-centric organization to hybrid models or fully remote work. This has given rise to Distributed Enterprises, whose employees may be widely distributed geographically.

For companies, this development is accompanied by the need not only to provide the technical prerequisites for smooth working, but also to adapt their own business model to the new circumstances. Essentially, it’s about being able to deliver and use distributed services. Gartner predicts that by 2023, 75% of companies that take advantage of distributed services will be able to realize revenue growth 25% faster than their competitors.

Trend #4: Cloud-native Platforms

To enable enterprises to deliver digital solutions anywhere, anytime, Cloud-native Platforms (CNPs) play an important role. CNPs provide technology developers with scalable and elastic IT capabilities as a service by leveraging the core capabilities of cloud computing. They also accelerate value creation and reduce costs. Gartner analysts estimate that by 2025, more than 95% of all new digital initiatives will be based on Cloud-native Platforms. Currently, the CNP share is less than 40%.

Trend #5: Autonomic Systems

Autonomic systems are self-managing physical systems or software systems that learn from their environment. Unlike automated systems, they are able to dynamically change their own algorithms without the need for external software updates. This allows autonomic systems to adapt particularly quickly to new conditions on site. Such autonomous behavior already plays a role in complex security environments and will be used in the future, especially in physical systems such as robots, drones and manufacturing machines.

Trend #6: Decision Intelligence

A company’s decision-making capabilities can be a key competitive advantage over its rivals. Decision Intelligence is designed to improve decision making by helping to better understand how decisions are made, how outcomes are evaluated, and how they are improved via feedback. Gartner estimates that one-third of large enterprises will actively use Decision Intelligence for structured decision making in the next two years to derive concrete competitive advantages.

Trend #7: Composable Applications

In today’s business world, nothing is as constant as change. Therefore, companies need to demonstrate high adaptability to change in order to be successful. This also applies to their technology architecture, which should be able to support fast, secure and efficient changes to applications.

A Composable Applications architecture ensures the required adaptability and is said to increase the speed of implementing new functionalities by up to 80%. Gartner sees this as an essential prerequisite for mastering accelerated change, building resilience and driving growth.

Trend #8: Hyperautomation

Hyperautomation is the approach of identifying as many processes as possible that are candidates for automation and then implementing the process automation as quickly as possible. Three main issues come into focus: improving the quality of work, accelerating business processes and increasing agility in decision making. Hyperautomation provides companies with accelerated growth and greater resilience.

Trend #9: Privacy-enhancing Computation

Privacy is relevant to enterprises in two ways: First, regulatory requirements to protect personal data are becoming more stringent. Second, customer trust is at stake due to data leaks and other incidents. Accordingly, Gartner analysts say that 60% of large enterprises will implement one or more privacy-enhancing techniques by 2025.

Privacy-enhancing Computation measures aim to protect personal and sensitive information at the data, software and hardware levels. They enable secure sharing, aggregation and analysis of data without compromising confidentiality or privacy.

Trend #10: Cybersecurity Mesh

Systems and users today can be located anywhere in the world. Accordingly, the traditional security perimeter is becoming less valid. A Cybersecurity Mesh architecture, on the other hand, creates an integrated security structure that protects all systems regardless of their location. What’s in it for you? Gartner estimates that organizations using a Cybersecurity Mesh architecture can reduce financial losses from individual security incidents by an average of 90%.

Trend #11: AI Engineering

Often, AI projects fail before they even go live and are abandoned. AI Engineering is designed to change that. The term refers to an integrated approach to operationalizing AI models that is supposed to make a real difference – at least if you believe Gartner’s predictions: by 2025, companies with AI Engineering are expected to generate at least three times more added value from their AI projects than companies that do not take this approach.

Trend #12: Total Experience

The Total Experience business strategy combines the disciplines of Customer Experience, Employee Experience, User Experience and Multi-Experience. Behind it is the goal of increasing customer and employee trust, satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. If this succeeds, Total Experience also has a positive impact on a company’s sales and profits.