Gartner’s Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends of 2024

In the throes of digital transformation, navigating the future of technology has become a pivotal aspect of strategic business planning. As we step into 2024, Gartner’s top 10 strategic technology trends provide a blueprint for innovation and growth. These trends are set to shape the technological landscape, driving organizations to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving digital era.

1. AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRiSM)

AI TRiSM is a framework that guides businesses in responsibly managing AI models. It emphasizes the importance of controlling biases in AI decisions, enhancing fairness, and ensuring consistent model accuracy. This systematic approach to AI governance allows businesses to scale AI applications confidently while mitigating risks.

As artificial intelligence systems become more integral to business operations, AI TRiSM ensures the trustworthiness and security of AI applications. This section would elaborate on the importance of ethical AI practices, risk assessment models, and the impact of AI TRiSM on decision-making accuracy.

Gartner highlights the substantial benefits of implementing AI TRiSM, noting that by 2026, enterprises utilizing these controls will significantly improve decision-making accuracy, potentially reducing faulty and illegitimate information by up to 80%.

2. Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)

Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) is a critical security strategy focused on aligning vulnerability assessment with business priorities. It involves understanding the attacker’s perspective to confirm exposure and remediation priorities. CTEM is not only about patching known vulnerabilities but also about identifying and mitigating unpatchable risks. This proactive stance is vital in an era where threats evolve rapidly, and traditional reactive security measures fall short.

CTEM represents a proactive approach to cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for continuous assessment of threats. The focus here would be on how CTEM can minimize the window of opportunity for attackers and the statistical benefits of implementing CTEM strategies.

Gartner predicts that by 2026, organizations utilizing CTEM will achieve a two-thirds reduction in breaches, underscoring its effectiveness in bolstering cybersecurity defenses.

3. Sustainable Technology

Sustainable Technology trend highlights the integration of digital solutions within an organization’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. It’s about leveraging technology not just for economic gains but also for the betterment of the ecosystem and society at large. This approach considers the long-term impact of technology choices, encouraging a balance between innovation and sustainability.

Gartner anticipates that by 2027, a significant portion of CIOs’ compensations will be tied to the sustainability impact of their technology choices, reflecting the growing importance of sustainable practices in corporate strategies.

4. Platform Engineering

Platform Engineering represents the strategic assembly and management of self-service internal platforms that enhance the developer experience and streamline business value delivery. It allows developers to leverage reusable components and services for application development with greater autonomy. This discipline plays a crucial role in accelerating the pace of innovation and operational efficiency within software engineering organizations.

By 2026, Gartner predicts a widespread adoption of platform teams, signifying a major shift toward internal, scalable, and efficient development ecosystems.

5. AI-Augmented Development

AI-Augmented Development leverages artificial intelligence, including generative AI and machine learning, to assist software engineers throughout the development process. This trend is reshaping the landscape of software creation, enhancing the capabilities of engineers by reducing the time spent on coding and allowing a greater focus on more strategic tasks such as application design and user experience.

Also read: Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning

By 2028, Gartner projects that a significant majority of enterprise software engineers will utilize AI-powered coding assistants, reflecting the profound impact AI is poised to have on the development world.

Also Read: Gartner's Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2023

6. Industry Cloud Platforms

Industry Cloud Platforms (ICPs) are tailored cloud environments designed to meet the specific needs of various industries, combining Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) capabilities. These platforms enable businesses to rapidly adapt to industry-specific demands and technological advancements.

Gartner forecasts that by 2027, more than half of enterprises will utilize ICPs to boost their business initiatives, marking a significant increase from less than 15% in 2023. This trend highlights the growing recognition of the value of customized cloud solutions in driving industry-specific innovation and agility.

7. Intelligent Applications

Intelligent Applications are advanced software systems infused with artificial intelligence capabilities, enabling them to adapt, learn, and act autonomously. These applications improve over time through interactions with users and data, offering personalized experiences and outcomes.

Gartner’s analysis indicates that by 2026, a significant portion of new applications will incorporate AI to create more dynamic and responsive user interfaces.

This trend suggests a shift towards more intelligent, data-driven application ecosystems that not only enhance user engagement but also drive more informed decision-making processes within businesses.

8. Democratized Generative AI

Democratized Generative AI refers to making advanced AI capabilities widely accessible, enabling users across various sectors to generate new content like text, images, and code. This technology trend is poised to transform creativity and productivity by automating tasks that typically require significant human effort.

Gartner predicts that by 2026, the majority of enterprises will have harnessed generative AI for production environments, a substantial increase from current usage.

This shift will likely empower a broader base of users to innovate and create, democratizing access to sophisticated AI tools and potentially reshaping numerous industries.

9. Augmented Connected Workforce

The Augmented Connected Workforce trend leverages technology to enhance human capabilities, creating a more connected and efficient workforce. This strategy involves the use of advanced analytics, employee skill enhancement tools, and intelligent automation to support and augment the capabilities of human employees. By embracing this trend, organizations can accelerate skill development and adaptability across a variety of roles, ensuring that their workforce is more resilient and prepared for the demands of a digital-first business landscape.

Gartner anticipates that such initiatives will significantly reduce the time required to bring employees up to speed in critical roles.

10. Machine Customers

Machine Customers are autonomous systems capable of acting as economic agents, engaging in transactions to purchase goods and services. This groundbreaking trend suggests that in the near future, businesses could be serving not only human consumers but also intelligent machines that operate independently. This shift has the potential to transform market dynamics and consumer behaviors.

Gartner’s projection is that by 2028, machine customers will account for a significant portion of the digital marketplace, indicating a need for businesses to prepare for a new kind of customer relationship and transaction model.

Bottom Line

As we stand on the brink of 2024, the strategic technology trends identified by Gartner are set to redefine our engagement with the digital world. These trends are not merely advancements but are the building blocks for a resilient and efficient future, fueling growth and innovation at every turn.

Are you pondering your next move in this tech-transformed landscape? Our expertise is at your disposal to craft a technology roadmap tailored to your organization’s unique journey toward digital transformation and beyond. Contact us, and let’s embark on this path together.