CIO Review APAC

Six Major IT Developments that Experts Predict Will Emerge in 2023

CIO Review APAC | Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Some experts believe businesses will need to be smarter in their IT investments, while others predict a rise in managed cloud services and third-party platforms.

FREMONT, CA:IT is still expanding steadily as businesses continue to put their attention on digital transformation. Global IT spending is anticipated to exceed USD 4.6 trillion this year, up 5.1 per cent from 2022 levels. According to a recent statement from Dell Technology Ireland, many companies want to use IT expenditures to expedite their ambitions for digital transformation.

Several experts have shared their own predictions about how the IT industry will change in 2023 as the new year gets underway.

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Businesses Will Need to be Smarter in IT Investment

Even when organisations want to transform their operations digitally, that doesn't imply they have a clear plan in place to get there. To have the best odds of success in the upcoming year, businesses will need to be wise about how they spend money on their IT.

In digital transformation, 57 per cent of organisations say they want to modernise their systems, but just seven per cent have a clear plan for putting these changes into action. They need to start planning and, more crucially, investing now. Only then will companies be free of the constraints of old technology.

Employers Will Be More Flexible to Retain IT Staff

A dramatic transition to remote and hybrid working during the Covid-19 outbreak was maintained in several industries even after lockdowns decreased.

In the meantime, there have been worries about an IT skills gap. CTO of Thrive's European branch of managed services firm, this has made businesses eager to keep their current IT workers. The ongoing crisis in the cost of living and energy prices is also related to this desire to keep employees.

Businesses will observe considerably more inventive flexible working patterns. They must combine this with home or hybrid working practices now. In order to provide some stability in case of IT team losses, this might result in more managed service providers (MSPs) chances for professional services-as-a-service.

A Rise in Managed Cloud Services

It is no secret that more businesses are embracing the cloud. According to predictions, the cloud computing business will reach a USD 1 trillion worldwide value by 2028. A recent PwC poll, the Covid-19 outbreak has caused Irish businesses to become more dependent on cloud-based services and outside sources. The usage of outsourced managed cloud services is anticipated to become a more common practice in the near future for SMEs.

Managed Service Providers Will Be Vital for SMEs

According to a recent PwC poll, firms' reliance on cloud-based services has also contributed to an increase in cyberattacks, and many companies anticipate that cybercrime will rise this year. A recent poll by IT service provider Typetec found that almost 80 per cent of Irish SMEs had been the victim of a cyberattack in the previous year.

SMEs disproportionately feel the weight of cyberattacks since even a single ransom demand can have a significant negative impact on these businesses. 2023 is shaping up to be a potential perfect storm for SMEs who haven't shored up cybersecurity defences, along with rough economic waters.

Managed service providers have evolved into a lifeline for SMEs since they may support or assume the function of a security team to defend against cyberattacks.

Convergence of OT and IT

The convergence of operational technology (OT) and IT systems will accelerate as a result of the growing focus on digital transformation and variables related to the global economy. Industrial control systems, fire control systems, building management systems, and other such systems are examples of OT systems or devices that interact with and monitor the physical environment.

In addition, more IoT assets have entered the market recently, while firms are focusing on becoming more productive and competitive in this context.

The tighter merger of previously separate industries goes along with this.

There will be more industry cooperation as well as greater linkages between the public and private sectors in the area of cybersecurity since IT has become inextricably tied to geopolitical and economic stability.

Companies Will Shift to New Platforms

New IT infrastructure is created to meet new requirements as enterprises become more networked and complicated. Nevertheless, those times are long gone and that bespoke islands of identity, policy, authentication and connectivity are now the norm rather than the exception. To consolidate the number of solutions and lower the total cost and complexity of lifecycle management, CIOs and CISOs will gravitate to platforms that are extendable across numerous use cases.

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