The year 2023 has been momentous for the world of technology, with established tech and innovative developments transforming the nature of corporate operations. Rajesh Ganesan, President at ManageEngine, has provided five predictions for organisational IT trends in 2024.
"Although the need to implement a digital-first experience has been constant, the ways by which it can be realised vary periodically. In 2024, we believe that organisations will benefit from a unified approach of deploying new tech, focussing on demanding aspects of business such as privacy, LLMs, and orchestration," Ganesan stated.
Consideration of privacy and AI governance is anticipated to become a main concern for businesses in 2024. The last year has seen the implementation of numerous regulations across geographies, including the EU's AI Act, the UAE's Data Protection Act, and India's DPDP Act. With AI becoming ever more integral to business operations, the threat to privacy from disruptive technologies like deepfakes and augmented reality remains substantial. Ganesan believes that AI governance will become a critical business component, and every individual within an organisation will carry a responsibility for protecting privacy.
The adaption of purpose-built Large Language Models (LLMs), rather than generic equivalents, is proposed to become a prime focus for corporations. Enterprise-focused LLMs permit comprehensive conversations between employees and customers, ensuring alignment with constantly developing software tools. Such models will empower businesses in handling both creative and redundant tasks. Further, it will facilitate organisations in safeguarding their data, limiting bias in data, and delivering detailed audit reports to comprehend AI decisions, says Ganesan.
Orchestration is foreseen as becoming omnipresent across enterprises. The move towards digital transformation has resulted in splitting data into organisational siloes, disrupting information flow. By harnessing orchestration's power, Ganesan predicts businesses will construct interconnected digital pipelines, facilitating workflow automation and streamlined operations. Firms will be better equipped for complex tasks and digital survival.
Ganesan forecasts a shift from a digital-first experience to a secure digital-first experience. Companies will use contemporary IT management tools, creating a safe and comprehensive digital journey. Moreover, an identity-centric approach will ensure that only authorised persons gain access and permissions as part of safeguarding identities and data. Solutions such as Cloud Infrastructure and Entitlement Management (CIEM) will be employed to enhance visibility and reduce threats across diverse cloud environments.
Ganesan also points to an increased need among UK customers for data sovereignty and data residency—challenges addressed by the two data centres managed by ManageEngine, opened in 2023. Providing enhanced data security, these centres hold all required SOC, ISO, and PCI DSS certifications, complying with local regulations and industry-specific norms.
The dynamic nature of today's tech landscape poses multiple obstacles for companies, hindering progress. From geopolitical climates and cyber threats to technological disruption and competitive stress, businesses are faced with a multitude of challenges. However, Ganesan anticipates firms will invest in tactics to enhance their cyber resiliency proposition, thus making cyber resilience an essential business differentiator to thrive in an intricate global market in 2024.