Emerging Trends For The IT Specialist In 2024

The information technology field is typically characterized by rapid development and change, and good IT Specialists will be typically proactive in acquiring knowledge to keep abreast of those developments. In recent times, this industry dynamic has been further influenced by changes in business practice as a result of a global health pandemic.

This has necessitated a rapid adoption of remote or decentralized business processes and procedures across virtually all industries and business sectors.  For IT Specialists, this is particularly noteworthy, as it has accelerated the broader uptake of internet and cloud-based applications.

Cloud technology and AI – the ‘smart’ cloud

The refinement of cloud technology with the additional layering of artificial intelligence is perhaps one of the most significant developing trends.  With the increased uptake of cloud-based applications, a formal aws certification has become a desirable option to broaden the skill set of company IT personnel.  Artificial intelligence and machine learning are emerging technologies that are steadily merging with fundamental cloud technology, and the potential applications for this ‘smart cloud’ technology are virtually endless.

Website AI chatbots and smart assistants are essentially the tip of the iceberg, and it would greatly benefit the company IT Specialists to familiarize themselves with the potential applications for this emerging technology in their particular business sector.

Artificial intelligence & Machine learning

Perhaps the most significant uptakes of AI are set to occur in the fields of transportation and intelligent living spaces. A slew of tech companies is now competing with vehicle manufacturers to develop AI-driven sub-processes such as engine and performance control and monitoring in cars and heavy vehicles. On a larger scale, the concepts of AI and fully autonomous “driverless” vehicles go hand in hand.

Sensing devices for these AI-driven vehicles include LiDAR, radar, and camera technology and incorporate technology such as motion sensors and real-time optical devices. The development of ‘smart spaces’ – residential and commercial buildings with sub-processes like lighting and environmental control operated by interconnected smart devices is another sector significantly utilizing AI technology.

A natural extension of this will be the subsequent interconnection of such smart spaces to service entire suburbs and cities. The concept of machine learning tends to be used interchangeably with the term artificial intelligence, and the IT Specialists should be aware of the distinction between the two. Not all AI platforms have a machine learning function. Simply put, an AI system with machine learning capability is able to develop and refine its operation as it progressively works and interacts with human input.

Virtual & augmented reality

Virtual reality, or VR, was once the gamer’s domain, but the technology has broader practical applications that will see it grow exponentially in the near future. By creating an immersive replication of the real world (or alternate reality), VR has potential applications in education and distance learning, marketing, travel, and e-commerce.

Augmented reality, or AR, is a hybridized version of the real world and uses graphics overlaid across a real-world setting.  With these technologies projected to grow to a value of over $200 billion by 2022, the need for both hardware and software specialist support is significant.

Summary

Global pressures have exacerbated the uptake of internet and cloud-based technologies during a period of a worldwide pandemic. This further amplifies the need for the proactive IT manager or specialist to equip themselves with the necessary knowledge and training to stay ahead of rapidly emerging technologies.