Enterprises enhanced their investments in telecom and IT infrastructure in a bid to further their digital transformation journey. The adoption of next-generation technologies including the cloud, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data gained traction with organisations increasingly relying on them to drive cost and operational efficiencies. There was also a growing interest in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), robotics, blockchain and 3D printing. However, as enterprises transition to new technologies, security is emerging as a major concern. The IT heads of leading enterprises discuss the key challenges and their technology roadmap for 2018…

What were the key technology trends witnessed in the enterprise space during 2017?

In my opinion, AI, VR and big data were the top technology trends in 2017. Enter­prises around the world are making huge investments and strategic acquisitions with the aim of becoming leaders in these segments. These segments are dominating value creation in the enterprise software industry and many innovations are taking place in these areas across industries. Fur­ther, these trends are opening up new business segments and models. Agility and innovation in software have taken a front seat as an increasing number of customers now want greater value than a run-of-the-mill product. Software is no longer an en­abler, but is more of a market differentiator.

What is the level of adoption of new technologies such as cloud, big data analytics and IoT among Indian enterprises?

The government’s plan to develop 100 smart cities, for which Rs 70.6 billion has been allocated in the current budget, could lead to a massive and quick expansion of IoT in the country. Also, the laun­ch of the Digital India programme, which aims at “transforming India into a digitally empowered society and a knowledge economy”, will provide the required impetus for the development of the IoT industry. The various initiatives proposed to be taken as part of the Smart Cities Mission and the Digital India programme such as the setting up of digital infrastructure will further boost the IoT industry.

“Artificial intelligence, virtual reality and big data were the top technology trends in 2017.”
Neel Paliwal

What are the key challenges faced while adopting and managing new technologies?

The growing technological opportunities also bring some challenges. Thus, leaders in the software industry must have a deep understanding of the emerging technology trends and their potential and unlearn traditional software engineering practices. They need to take experimentation to a new level so as to motivate knowledge wor­kers and bring innovation to the table. This is the reality of the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity world. Hence, enterprises must invest in skills, review exis­­ti­ng processes, and encourage ideas.

Which technology trends are likely to domin­ate the enterprise space in 2018?

Cybersecurity, AI and data analytics will continue to be the top technological trends for industries across the globe. We will see more sub-trends in AI as this segment is still evolving. Meanwhile, cybersecurity will take some leaps to grow exponentially and governments are already spending big on security and information protection. Data analytics is an obvious choice due to the explosion of the internet, data and connectivity.