What's trending in IT

It’s always good to know what’s hot and what’s not across the technology world, and what better place to find out than the recent Gartner Symposium in Barcelona.

So what’s the word from the experts? Here's The Cloud Community team's takeaways!

The prevailing consensus is that generative AI is a dominant force in the technology world's trajectory. According to Daryl Plummer of Gartner, "GenAI presents an unprecedented opportunity to achieve feats previously unimaginable in the realm of human existence." He emphasised that CIOs and executive leaders are willing to embrace the risks associated with GenAI in order to harness its extraordinary benefits by putting it core of every strategic decision.

Here’s some of the other trends from a productive few days in Barcelona.

AI's increasing role in key economic measures

Analysts predict that by 2027, AI's productivity impact will be a primary economic indicator, with governments integrating AI into their national planning and legislation to bolster AI initiatives.

Where old meets new

By 2027, GenAI tools will reduce the costs of modernising legacy business applications by 70%, offering CIOs a cost-effective solution for some long-awaited upgrades.

Enterprise spending on malinformation

Gartner estimates that enterprise spending on malinformation will exceed $30 billion by 2027, diverting 10% of marketing and cybersecurity budgets to combat this multifaceted threat.

The expanding role of CISOs

Due to regulatory pressures and an expanding attack surface, Gartner predicts that 45% of CISOs will expand their responsibilities beyond cybersecurity, unifying security management throughout organisations.

Increasing unionisation

The adoption of GenAI is expected to trigger a 1,000% increase in unionisation among skilled workers by 2028, highlighting the importance of clear communication about AI's impact on job roles.

Digital charisma filters for career progression

Gartner foresees that in 2026, 30% of workers will use digital charisma filters to enhance their career prospects, making interactions more socially effective and diverse.

Recruitment of neurodivergent talent

Gartner predicts that by 2027, 25% of Fortune 500 companies will actively recruit neurodivergent talent, such as individuals with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, to improve business performance.

Dedicated sales channels for machine customers

Machine customers will reshape key business functions, with Gartner projecting that by 2025, over 25% of sales and service centres in large organisations will cater to machine customers' unique needs.