Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024. Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
What to Expect from AI
By Rupert Colbourne, CTO Orbus Software
One certainty for 2024 is that the
interest in all things AI will continue unabated. However, organizations should
take a pragmatic approach as they evaluate how to integrate intelligent
solutions and where they will benefit. As the year progresses, the AI winners and losers will start to
emerge, which will help guide companies on their automation journey. Below are five
predictions related to the continued adoption of intelligent technologies.
1. Why Slow and Steady Will Win the AI Race
Being a trailblazer with AI is not the best path forward. With the
myriad of challenges, spanning regulation, security, bias, ethics, data
privacy, ownership, and authenticity concerns, rushing to adopt AI may cause
more problems than it solves. However,
standing pat is not the answer. Therefore, until there is some clarity and
consensus on these issues, a more measured approach to adoption will reap the
benefits instead of diving in.
2. AI Arms Race Continues
The thirst for more resources to power LLMs will remain
unquenched in 2024. This will drive hyper scalers to source more GPUs and
compute time from other hyper scalers as they race to train their models. Over
time, this growing demand will become a significant problem limiting the
potential of LLM and AI apps.
3. IT Skills Shift up With AI
As AI is increasingly adopted, it will affect what human
skills are in demand. For IT teams, deep technical knowledge will no longer be
as critical or desirable as machines take on tasks such as code creation and problem-solving.
To be successful in IT in the automation era will require a data scientist
skillset and the ability to get the most out of generative AI. Ultimately, as
automation continues to advance, the CIO of the future will be hybrid, part
human, part machine!
4. AI Bots Need to be Policed by AI Bots
Security concerns are growing around AI-enabled systems.
Due to the complexity and self-learning capabilities, AI will be the only path
to police these intelligent systems. This will upend the established security
market, and machine versus machine will become the new reality.
5. Co-pilots Become BFFs with Product Teams
Co-pilots will take on an increasingly important role in
helping product teams with conceptual problem-solving. Co-pilots will review
and inspect user stories, design choices, and code written to solve a problem.
As it learns, the co-pilot will accumulate an extensive library of solutions
shortening the agile lifecycle. It will become a best practice engine for the
product and engineering team, helping guide them to a solution without wasting
precious time and money exploring a multitude of avenues, as happens currently.
This streamlining of the SDLC will accelerate the delivery of high-quality
software and applications.
It doesn't require a crystal ball to know that AI adoption
and automation will continue. However, organizations
must be mindful of the areas outlined and take steps to ensure that they are an
AI winner rather than a loser.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rupert Colbourne has been with Orbus
Software since its founding,
driving the ongoing vision and delivery of the product portfolio to meet the
increasing demands of enterprise-scale transformation. Over the last 15-plus
years, he has pioneered Orbus' unique development approach: leveraging the
Microsoft technology stack to provide familiar, easy-to-use tools that deliver
maximum ROI for customers.