By David Richards, Chairman, President, CEO & Co-Founder, WANdisco

More Cloud, Private Blockchain and Social Media Regulation

There will be some surprises in 2020 that will emerge slowly but make an unmistakable impact within the worlds of the cloud and blockchain. Meanwhile, the drumbeat for social media regulation will get louder, causing online giants to make some meaningful changes. 

Look for a renewed uptick in cloud adoption.

"Born in the cloud" companies, such as Netflix and Airbnb, have largely tapped into all the cloud computing they need. In 2020, the thousands of companies created before the cloud will look to join the party, ushering in a much bigger phase of cloud growth. The process will begin by shifting their data to the cloud, laying the foundation for an optimal environment for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications.

Private blockchains will make a bigger impact than public ones.

The hype around blockchain and cryptocurrency will continue, however, the real leap will be in private blockchains which use distributed ledger technology for maintaining consensus across clouds. While distributed ledgers don't get the cryptocurrency buzz, they are gaining traction and in 2020 will increase productivity for enterprises by minimizing transaction times and facilitating increased back-office efficiency and automation.

Calls for social media regulation will get louder - and make a difference.

Every week there are new calls for regulation and on Jan. 1, 2020, the California Consumer Protection Act becomes a reality. Look out for Californians opting out of their data being used by the tech giants and for regulation to become more than just talk.

Cloud and blockchains are nothing new - what will be different is how they become relevant for more enterprises. As for social media - you only have to see how nervously CEOs are talking to know that something big is coming down soon. We are just at the beginning of the 2020s. Get ready for a bumpy ride!

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About the Author

DAVID RICHARDS - Chairman, President, CEO & Co-Founder

Since co-founding WANdisco in Silicon Valley in 2005, David has led the company to rapid international expansion, opening offices in the UK, Japan and China. David spearheaded WANdisco to a successful listing on the London Stock Exchange (WAND:LSE) and shortly afterward brought about the acquisition of AltoStor, which accelerated the development of WANdisco's first products for the big data market. David holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Huddersfield. In 2017, David was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University in recognition of him being a champion of British technology and a passionate advocate of entrepreneurship.