Accurately prophesizing the technology landscape of the future is a challenging task. For example, a scene in the 1989 movie “Back to the Future II” famously depicted the existence of hoverboards in 2015 – an encouraging vision that sadly failed to become a reality. “We were promised hoverboards,” lamented the opening sentence of a New York Times article titled “Why a ‘Back to the Future’ Hoverboard Never Took Off.”
Still, despite an unavoidable margin of error, tech industry experts can make educated guesses about how the months and years ahead of us will unfold. t’s safe to say that technology will continue to significantly influence the trajectory of our personal and professional lives for the foreseeable future. In terms of specific forecasts for the tech world, here are some predictions experts have made concerning the fate of IT in 2023.
1. Businesses will spend more on IT despite an expected economic slowdown.
Eighty-three percent of IT buyers in Europe and North America are worried about a recession in the new year, according to The 2023 State of IT report from Spiceworks Ziff Davis (SWZD). However, 51 percent still say their organizations will increase IT budgets, with a mere 6 percent expecting to lower tech spending. Factors driving higher expenditures include the following:
- Escalating cybersecurity threats
- Out-of-date infrastructure that needs upgrades
- Staff growth
- Greater focus on IT initiatives
2. Companies will increasingly rely on managed service providers to maximize return on investment for new IT solutions and maintain hybrid work arrangements.
North American and European businesses report that managed services will account for 18 percent of their total IT budgets in 2023, up from 17 percent this year and 16 percent in 2021, according to SWZD. This growing investment in managed IT services stems from the need for assistance with hybrid work set-ups and the optimization new tech stacks following modernization efforts. Within the managed services category, the top areas of investment include the following:
- Managed business applications
- Managed security
- Managed hosting
- Managed hardware maintenance and support
3. Sustainability will be a significant factor in IT investment decisions.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements have become increasingly important to businesses and investors in recent years, and Gartner predicts that will continue in 2023, making sustainability one of the top technology trends for the year. Companies will consider each IT investment’s impact on the environment, and leaders will look for solutions that bring businesses closer to their sustainability goals.
4. Artificial intelligence will play a bigger role than ever in our professional lives.
In 2023, AI will elevate its status to “indispensable, trusted enterprise coworker,” according to a blog entry by Forrester analyst Rowan Curran. For example, Forrester anticipates that TuringBots will generate 10 percent of code and tests globally, and up to 10 percent of Fortune 500 companies will turn to AI for content creation.
Our trusted technology advisors can assist you if you’d like to explore your IT solution options for 2023 and beyond. We can offer expert insights into the shifting tech landscape and help you craft an IT roadmap based on your organization’s current and anticipated situation, objectives and requirements.
Take the first step toward a bright future for your business today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com to schedule a meeting with one of our trusted advisors.
