Humanity was never prepared for the disruption COVID-19 brought with it; no visionary could have envisioned this, no analyst could have seen this coming. But their predictions about the “digital future” came true – COVID-19 accelerated digital adoption in almost every stream of life.
In this article, we are looking back at some of the key changes the pandemic brought to the world of technology – here are the digital trends that shaped 2020.
Automation
Enterprises across industries aggressively leveraged automation to reduce costs, increase performance, and become more productive during 2020. Though automation was on the rise before, this year witnessed widespread adoption of automation by organizations of all sizes and has climbed the ladder from being a low priority concern to a mission-critical area of interest. Organizations that adopted automation before the pandemic have weathered the disruption better than others. They have experienced fewer disruptions to their operational processes, supply chains, workforce productivity, and have continued to ensure an improved customer experience.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
2020 witnessed a staggering adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies. These technologies played a crucial role in building a digital ecosystem where humans and machines can collaborate to harness data-driven insights. With growing advancements in the technology spectrum, AI & ML technologies will change the way businesses operate and compete. Organizations must identify and embrace technological advances in the emerging technology spectrum to stay afloat and thrive in the coming years.
Cloud computing
In 2020, cloud computing has become a metaphor for modern computing, and enterprises continued to embrace cloud computing. With COVID-19, most countries enforced stringent lockdowns with stay-at-home policies, increasing the demand for cloud solutions and services. Enterprises realized the cloud’s potential as a reliable option for ensuring business continuity and embraced it because of its scalability and reach. To ensure maximum efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and to reduce the chances of vendor lock-in, enterprises adopted a hybrid cloud strategy to meet their end-to-end requirements. Enterprises that embrace the cloud intending to improve their flexibility, efficiency, and agility to their existing operations, will have a competitive edge over other industry players.
Data Analytics
Data is an untapped goldmine in the digital landscape, and business executives across industries are trying to unlock its real potential. Before COVID-19, though enterprises of different types and sizes were aware of data analytics and started adopting the concept, they haven’t integrated it into their daily operations. Enterprises that identified and adopted data analytics well in advance have successfully served customers, hired employees, streamlined demand and supply, and optimized operational processes during this pandemic. In 2020, data analytics has reiterated its position as a crucial factor for thriving and surviving in this digital business ecosystem.
Conclusion
These trends are likely to continue influencing and disrupting how business models are built and operated. To stay competitive in this ever-changing, fast-paced digital world and to be prepared for the digital disruptions in the coming years, enterprises need a reliable partner to consult and develop the solutions that will keep them future-proof.
At Black Rock IT Solutions, we are committed to ‘future-proof digitally’. We assist enterprises on their journey towards business resilience – we understand the changing patterns in consumer behavior and technology and can help you adapt to changes quickly and efficiently. Drop a mail to info@blackrockdxb.com to know more about how we can help you stay ahead of the ‘wheel of disruption.’