"Halfway through I was already thinking about the Rise of The Machines. Quite frankly it is a bit disconcerting but given the way and the pace that IT is developing, understandable to a large degree."
What You Need to Know...
Gartner's top predictions for 2016 and beyond continue to offer a look into the digital future, a world driven by algorithms and smart machines, where people and machines will need to define and develop harmonious relationships. These predictions help our clients understand the radical changes they face in the digital world.
Those changes are coming fast.
Gartner predicts, for example, that in 2016 spending on new Internet of things (IoT) hardware will exceed $2.5 million a minute. And, as mind boggling as that number is, it pales in comparison with the corresponding prediction that, by 2021, 1 million IoT devices will be purchased and installed every single hour. That level of density of deployment and use will present dramatic challenges to enterprises and IT organizations that need to manage and track IoT activities.
The changes that are coming extend far beyond the IoT. The increasingly smart, autonomous nature of machines means that we're seeing the beginning of "robos" rising — the worldwide spread of autonomous hardware and software machines to assist human workers in practical scenarios.
You can see the Gartner thinking here.
You can also see our take on 2016 in the December issue of Comms Business Magazine.