Gartner Identifies Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends For 2024

Democratised generative artificial intelligence, intelligent applications, augmented-connected workforce, sustainable technology and industry cloud platforms are some of the technological developments that organisations need to explore in 2024, according to a report that lists the top 10 strategic technology trends by research and consulting firm Gartner.

The report noted that generative and other forms of AI offer new opportunities and drive several trends in technology. However, a disciplined approach to widespread adoption of the technology and attention to risks are critical for deriving business value from long-term use of AI.

Enterprise leaders “must evaluate the impacts and benefits of strategic technology trends, but this is no small task, given the increasing rate of technological innovation,” said Chris Howard, chief of research at Gartner.

Top Strategic Technology Trends For 2024 

Democratised Generative AI

By 2026, Gartner predicts that over 80% of enterprises will have used generative AI APIs and models and/or deployed generative AI-enabled applications in production environments, up from less than 5% in early 2023.

Generative AI applications can make vast sources of internal and external information accessible and available to business users. Rapid adoption of generative AI will significantly democratise knowledge and skills in the enterprise. Large language models enable enterprises to connect their workers with knowledge in a conversational style with rich semantic understanding.

AI Trust, Risk And Security Management 

The increasing accessibility of AI has highlighted the critical need for AI Trust, Risk and Security Management. Without controls, AI models have the potential to produce compounded negative effects that outweigh AI's benefits to society and its ability to perform well. AI TRiSM provides tooling for ModelOps, proactive data protection, AI-specific security, model monitoring and risk controls for inputs and outputs to third-party models and applications.

Gartner predicts that by 2026, enterprises that apply AI TRiSM controls will increase the accuracy of their decision making by eliminating up to 80% of faulty and illegitimate information.

AI-Augmented Development

AI-augmented development is the use of AI technologies, such as generative AI and machine learning, to aid software engineers in designing, coding and testing applications. Software engineering with AI support increases developer productivity and helps teams handle the growing need for software to run the enterprise. Software engineers can focus more of their time on strategic tasks, like creating engaging business applications, by writing less code through AI-powered development tools.

Intelligent Applications

According to Gartner, intelligent applications include learned adaptation to respond appropriately and autonomously. Intelligence in applications comprises various AI-based services, such as machine learning, vector stores and connected data. This intelligence has numerous use cases to better augment or automate work. Intelligent applications can deliver experiences that dynamically adapt to the user, and there is a growing need and demand for such applications.

Augmented-Connected Workforce

Augmented-connected workforce is a strategy for optimising the value derived from human workers. The need to accelerate and scale talent is driving this trend. Using workforce analytics and intelligent apps, ACWF supports the experience, well-being and capacity for skill development of the workforce by offering everyday context and direction. ACWF also drives business results and positive impact for stakeholders. 

Through 2027, 25% of chief information officers will use ACWF initiatives to reduce time to competency by 50% for key roles.

Continuous Threat Exposure Management 

Continuous threat exposure management is a practical and systemic technique that allows enterprises to continuously and consistently assess the accessibility, exposure and exploitability of an enterprise’s digital and physical assets. When CTEM assessment and remediation scopes are aligned with business projects or threat vectors instead of an infrastructure component, vulnerabilities and unpatchable threats are revealed.

By 2026, Gartner predicts that enterprises prioritising their security investments based on a CTEM programme will realise a two-thirds reduction in breaches.

Machine Customers

Machine customers (also called custobots) are nonhuman economic actors that can autonomously negotiate and purchase goods and services in exchange for payment. By 2028, 15 billion connected products will exist with the potential to behave as customers, with more to follow. According to Gartner, this growth trend will be the source of trillions of dollars in revenues by 2030 and become more significant than the arrival of digital commerce. Strategic considerations should include opportunities to either facilitate these algorithms and devices, or even create new custobots.

Sustainable Technology 

Sustainable technology is a framework of digital solutions used to enable environmental, social and governance outcomes that support long-term ecological balance and human rights. Technologies such as AI, cryptocurrency, internet of things and cloud computing are driving concern about energy consumption and environmental impacts. Thus, it is even more important to ensure that IT is used in a sustainable, circular and efficient manner. Gartner predicts that by 2027, 25% of CIOs will see their personal compensation linked to their sustainable technology impact.

Platform Engineering 

Platform engineering is the area of building and operating self-service internal development platforms. Each platform is a layer, developed and maintained by a specialised product team, which interfaces with tools and procedures to fulfil the needs of its users. Optimising efficiency, improving user experience and accelerating the delivery of business value are the objectives of platform engineering.

Industry Cloud Platforms 

By 2027, Gartner predicts that more than 70% of enterprises will use industry cloud platforms (ICPs) to accelerate their business initiatives, up from less than 15% in 2023. ICPs address industry-relevant business outcomes by combining underlying SaaS, PaaS and IaaS services into a whole product offering. ICPs are tailored cloud proposals specific to an industry and can further be customised to an organisation’s needs.