There are a lot of big changes on the horizon in the world of technology. It seems like in the past few years things have already changed so dramatically that there’s no way we could be pushed any further from our comfort zone. In reality, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Who’s going to face the biggest challenges moving forward? Both IT leaders and CIOs will need to take a starring role in the fight forward. From security problems to data tools, where will this industry be in the next 5 years? 10 years?
By looking closely at the challenges of today, we can anticipate what’s coming next. In this guide, we’ll examine the biggest challenges facing CIOs and IT leaders in 2019 and beyond.
Rise of Self-Service
We’re constantly open to more self-service tools than we ever were before. Businesses and individuals alike have access to cloud solutions, hosting, and so on, all with just a few clicks. They don’t necessarily need a dedicated CIO or technology team to keep things up and running.
In a world where users can download a solution in minutes, how do IT teams keep up? Businesses are growing tired of waiting for solutions from IT. However, as we know, these self-service solutions come with their own risks. Not only are there security concerns, but they’re rarely one-size-fits-all. It’s up to IT leaders to find a way to manage this self-service moving forward.
AI Revolution
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is here to stay. This is far from a new technology, but now we’re starting to actually see it being used in day-to-day life. While only 15% of enterprises are currently using AI, 31% said it was on the agenda for the next 12 months.
How can we expect AI to be used? Most likely, it’s going to be used everywhere. From marketing to HR, it’s going to fill in all these spaces we’ve needed help with for a while. Additionally, it might be able to bridge the gaps in cybersecurity, analytics, and even customer service. CIOs will be tasked with capitalizing on these benefits.
5G Networks
Mobile speeds aren’t usually given much thought in the IT world, but they’re more important than you think. 5G is going to affect every aspect of the business world, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. What we really care about is how 5G is going to lead to the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT).
With faster download speeds, the IoT is really going to take off. We’ll have huge growth in our number of connected devices, and this spells big changes for IT departments and CIOs. How can we leverage this new resource to make a bigger impact? The team at WGroup is already looking for ways to utilize these analytics to make smarter business decisions, and that’s only going to become a bigger undertaking.
Security Threats
Of course, this wouldn’t be a list of IT challenges without talking about security. Online security has been a concern for the past few years, but this issue is really coming to a head nowadays. Cyber-attacks are on the rise for businesses of all shapes and sizes. As our devices become more connected, there will be new threats to be on the lookout for.
As AI tools and the IoT continue to rise, we’re going to see a new generation of AI-driven attacks. These will be smarter and more powerful than we’ve ever seen before. It’s the IT leaders and CIOs who will be fighting this security crisis.
Skills Gap
Last but not least, the world of IT is currently facing a skills gap. While we usually think of this as an easy field to find valuable candidates, that’s only true at certain levels. There’s a need to recruit a wider range of diverse employees. Not only should new hires have a wide range of skills, including “soft skills” like communication and critical thinking, they should also represent a variety of backgrounds and educations.
A broader field of candidates leads to more productivity. When we limit recruiting to only the top programs and colleges, we miss out on a range of new applicants who might be equipped with their own ideas. CIOs in particular should push for change in this skills gap.
Final Thoughts
The future of IT looks bright, but it also looks different. In this brave new world of modern technology, everyone needs to bring their best ideas to the table. How will we address the growing connectivity of our tech devices? How will businesses respond to increased mobile speeds?
These are the questions we should be asking as IT leaders. From there, we’re able to solve these tasks one at a time. Who knows where we’ll go next?
