The top 5 tech trends for 2023

According to management and technology consultancy BearingPoint, the following 5 tech trends will be particularly in the focus of companies next year: Generative AI, Metaverse, Cloud-native Platforms, Embedded Data & Analytics, and Zero Trust at Scale. To find out these trends, more than 1200 technology consultants were surveyed.

AI still No. 1 in tech trends

According to survey participants, artificial intelligence (AI) is still the top trend, just with a new focus than the year before. Metaverse is a new addition to the list of top tech trends this year - this trend is also seen as playing an important role in making businesses more sustainable. Embedded Data & Analytics is ranked 4th for the second year in a row.

Commenting on the findings, Stefan Pechardscheck, Global Head of Technology at BearingPoint, said: "Our new technology trends provide answers to the most pressing challenges for businesses. Our top 5 technology trends for 2023 are real game-changers and can be the basis for new business models. New trends like the metaverse - where digital and real merge - will play a big role in society, as will sustainability through substitution or optimization. Our customers can benefit from all these technologies. Digital tools are getting better, opportunities are more diverse, and companies have more potential to create value."

1. generative AI - accelerated innovation through new data

Generative AI is a broad term that describes any type of Artificial Intelligence that uses learning algorithms to generate new digital objects such as images, videos, audio, text, and code. The purpose of a generative AI model is to generate synthetic data and train the model to make inferences about the most relevant training data.

While generative AI is often associated with deep fakes, the technology is playing an increasingly important role in automating the repetitive processes used in digital image and audio correction. Generative AI is also being used experimentally in manufacturing as a tool for rapid prototyping and in business to improve data augmentation for process automation (RPA).

Tomas Chroust, Partner at BearingPoint: "AI solutions not only make predictions, but can generate new ideas based on existing data. Artificial intelligence thus opens up new dimensions of innovation."

2. metaverse - merging the digital and the real

The Metaverse blurs the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds, between actual and virtual reality - a network of 3D virtual worlds where VR and AR headsets enable social connections. The Metaverse is a persistent, living digital universe that offers individuals a sense of agency, social presence, shared spatial awareness, and the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive virtual economy with profound social impact.

In addition, the Metaverse can help with environmental transformation by helping to reduce CO2 emissions - whether by replacing physical goods and meetings with digital solutions, by replacing real presence with virtual interactions, or by digital twins that will help us optimize the physical world.

3. cloud-native platforms - new ways in product development

As most public and private organizations have migrated their legacy information systems to the cloud using the 6R (Rehost, Replatform, Repurchase, Rearchitecting, Retire and Retain) model, development teams are now using cloud frameworks and platforms to develop new applications. This new approach to product development is driven by traditional cloud promises such as accelerated product development cycles, scalable managed services, innovative cloud capabilities (serverless, machine learning, advanced analytics), and sustainable, resilient, and highly automated technologies.

This revolution in new application development brings challenges in change, vendor and cost management, and has a major impact on how IT organizations manage talent and corporate culture.

4. embedded data & analytics - no success without actionable use cases

Successful companies take a holistic approach and continuously incorporate data and analytics into their business. They also keep an eye on new trends and adapt accordingly. However, they always move along a roadmap with initiatives and use cases that lead them to their goals. Companies need to define and prioritize actionable use cases and work with a holistic plan. Without such use cases and a corresponding plan, data analytics will not go far.

5. zero trust at scale - cybersecurity at the core of the information security architecture

Enterprises increasingly operate in complex business ecosystems. These require connections to IT resources from a multitude of users from different organizations, connecting from any location and from any device. All of this is happening against a backdrop of an explosion in cyber threats that necessitates the promotion of Zero Trust as a core architectural principle. Therefore, Chief Information Security Officers need to implement comprehensive, dynamic and granular identity and access control solutions on a large scale.

Source: BearingPoint