8 minute read
TIMES OF DISRUPTION
TOP TECH TRENDS THAT WILL DISRUPT BUSINESSES IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
The pandemic has redefined the technology landscape, with digital transformation accelerating like never before. Next year promises to bring even more disruption as businesses seek to navigate the post-pandemic world. Innovations in AI and machine learning, IoT, edge computing, and 5G would impact businesses in 2022 and beyond. We reached out to industry leaders to get their take on which disruptive technologies will transform business landscape in the near future.
Advertisement
“The past two years have been extremely transformative for the IT sector. We are now operating in an app-driven, cloud-first world, and this will drive disruptive technologies trends in 2022,” says Adele Trombetta, Head of Customer Experience Group (CX) Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia at Cisco.
Trombetta says collaboration technology has become essential in the hybrid work environment. “We have seen some amazing innovation in the last two years, with the momentum continuing in 2022. Notably, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are being used to offer userparticipation insights, deliver meeting notes, transcriptions, and even real-time translation. Platforms are also evolving to include interactive features, such as gesture recognition, virtual backgrounds, polling capabilities and noise reduction. In the next year, I expect those innovations to expand further with a focus on inclusive participation.”
Walid Yehia, Sr. Director, Presales – MERAT, Dell Technologies, believes AI and machine learning are technologies that will have a great influence on how economies will operate. “From smart venues and cities, to autonomous vehicles, the interplay of AI with 5G and the proliferation of IoT devices will revolutionise the way we live. As more data becomes available and analysed, AI and machine learning will become more sophisticated. Organisations can use these technologies to their advantage in many ways, including automating daily tasks, thus freeing up the workforce to address complex challenges and leaving room for innovation. Moreover, the combination of AI with other emerging technologies can be used to better understand and predict consumer behaviour, which can ultimately define what pioneering products and services go to market,” he says.
Cherif Morcos, Vice President of Digital Business Solutions, GBM, says we can expect to see wider acceptance of technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) through connected sensors and machines, Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI), and data and analytics as more industries enhance their infrastructure to make way for these newer technologies. 5G was successfully introduced to several countries in 2021, with the GCC being early adopters, and the coming year will see further uptake thanks to an increase in edge computing.
“As security becomes a growing concern in the technology space, we will also see further adoption of cybersecurity mesh which supports the zero trust security strategy by protecting each device and access point,” he says.
As with AI, in 2022, there would be continued interest and uptake of Internet of Things and cloud solutions, says Ranjith Kaippada, Managing Director, Cloud Box Technologies.There is also a huge interest in advanced robotics which is driving a great amount of innovation especially in the manufacturing industry. This will prove to be a boon for organisations that are planning on upgrading or building smart factories and will bring about massive improvements across the manufacturing process.
Ranjith Kaippada
Walid Yehia
“Simultaneously at Cloud Box Technologies we are preparing for additional implementations for AI use in cybersecurity. This is relevant in an environment where our lives are taken over by automation and machines and there is an additional need for protection for both our customers as well as the end users,” he says.
Ali Hyder, group CEO of Focus Softnet, says the constant changes in the current business landscape call for dynamic applications that support fast, safe, and efficient change. Gartner defines them as ‘Composable Applications’ as they could be remodeled and repurposed according to a firm’s period-specific or projectspecific requirements. “Businesses that adopt a composable approach in their applications (such as ERP) would outpace their competition in terms of speed by 80% in implementing new features,” he says. He further adds that traditional programming and simple automation will not be enough for growing enterprises. They would require self-managing physical and software systems that learn from their environments. Termed as Autonomic Systems, they could dynamically modify their own algorithms without external updates, enabling them to adapt to changing conditions.
Piecing it together
How can companies effectively integrate disruptive technologies into existing IT environments? First, organisations need to understand the ramifications of embracing these new technologies and wrap them around legacy systems to fuel digital transformation.
Firstly, when making strategic decisions about your technology investment, access to the right data and insights is everything, says Trombetta from Cisco. “Platforms such as the Cisco CX Cloud can give businesses a holistic view of their
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
“One area that I see is ripe for disruption is around threat detection and data recovery. Cyber attackers have been coming after technologies that help businesses overcome paying a ransom. This puts more emphasis on data recovery as the perimeter security tools are consistently breached, but the last line of defence, data recovery, is the fallback position. I think in 2022 the prejudice towards data recovery tools and controls in the fight against ransomware and data exfiltration will finally end. With the evolving threat landscape and continued impact of the global pandemic coupled with enterprises realising that front-end perimeter security is no longer sufficient on its own, enterprises will ask partners and existing vendors, what can you do for us? Along with this, I would also encourage organisations to request vendors to provide them with references of customers who have fallen victim to ransomware so they can speak directly to these businesses and understand if and how the vendor’s technology enabled them to avoid paying the ransomware while preventing any data loss. And that’ll open up a new line of conversation as CISOs and SecOps, keen to take advantage of whatever is at their disposal, realise the benefits of the ML and inbuilt threat intelligence.”
Gregg Petersen, Regional Director - MEA at Cohesity “Deploying sustainable technologies in the industrial sector can benefit the development of the country while maintaining the overall health of the planet. The process of making technical and mechanical activities more energy-saving, eco-friendly, and sourceefficient while focusing on innovation, reusability, long-term planning, and social responsibility is known as sustainable technology.
“Some of the many advanced sustainable technologies that will transform businesses in 2022 include smart monitoring systems that carry the intelligence to turn the equipment off when it senses that the machine is utilizing more than the required energy, and nanotechnology applications for greenhouse gas management, sustainable living, production of green energy, and green manufacturing.”
Marwan Zeidan, Real Estate and Healthcare Segment Director, Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric
environment and help them stay up-to-date with industry trends. Additionally, tools like ThousandEyes and AppDynamics, provide visibility over what is happening in the cloud, what is performing well, what is not, and how to resolve issues.” Trombetta points out having the technical expertise to deploy, maintain and optimise disruptive technologies within the business is hard. “Luckily, vendors like Cisco have this expertise and can help companies get more out of their investment faster. My advice is to engage with Customer Experience and leverage their expertise when deploying – or even considering
“2022 will witness companies continuing to deploy AI and IoT infrastructure without owning a single server or proprietary piece of cognitive code. Modern no-code interfaces will become more popular as a lack of programming knowledge will cease to become a barrier to offering world-class customer and employee experiences through cloud technology.”
Manish Mishra, Head, Middle East & Africa, Freshworks
“Livestream commerce and video commerce are going to be more and more mainstream. AI-based personalization of videos will move beyond early adopters. More companies will recognise themselves as Tech-enabled rather than just Tech supported. This isn’t as much about a new technology but by the disruptive effect of globally available technology that the region is now waking up to.”
Aswin Ravi, Director, WebEngage MEA
investing in disruptive technologies,” she says.
Yehia from Dell says enterprises are striving to stay ahead of the game, with disruption dramatically reshaping the competitive landscape for many industries. Updating their business models to adapt to change is essential in surviving the onslaught of disruptive technologies. Letting go of old systems is also important, but organisations need to take heed of vendor lock-in, and hidden legacy systems. “Moreover, understanding and analysing new trends will also allow businesses to prepare for and grasp new opportunities. Instead of transforming by adopting multiple technologies, focusing on changes that align with business priorities will result in a real competitive advantage. Having customer-centric goals is also essential and can increase the value of the products or services offered, enabling resiliency and business continuity,” he says. According to GBM’s Morcos, it is crucial for companies to think longterm when adopting new technologies by focusing on changes that support business priorities rather than adopting multiple technologies,
Adele Trombetta
Cherif Morcos
all at once. This is where CIOs and CTOs play an irreplaceable role, by understanding and analyzing new trends and bringing technology to the forefront of boardrooms discussions.
Hyder from Focus Softnet sums up: “Organisations would have to prioritise digital disruptions by identifying them early. Digital disruptions should be viewed within three dimensions — the scale of the disruption, its reach, and the richness of the experience. A keen watch over their competitors and cultivating a culture of innovation would go a long way in this regard.”
