Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024.  Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.

Navigating the AI Revolution, Giving Developers Autonomy and the Widespread Adoption of Platform Teams

By Haseeb Budhani, co-founder and CEO, Rafay Systems 

The explosion of AI in the enterprise has driven significant shifts in overall business strategy as well as the dynamic within and responsibilities of IT teams. To be successful with AI, businesses will need to establish strategic approaches to pilot AI initiatives in preparation for the new complexity it brings to organizations. Platform teams have emerged to help address this complexity while driving organizations toward a more agile and competitive future, acting as catalysts for widespread automation. In parallel, developers will need more autonomy with self-service capabilities, recognizing control and efficiency as pivotal drivers. Below are my predictions for a transformative year ahead.

The "Tiger Team" Approach for the AI Revolution

As businesses race to integrate AI into their internal processes, one strategy gaining traction is the concept of the "tiger team" - a small, specialized group entrusted with piloting AI initiatives before their full-scale implementation. This approach allows companies to navigate the complexities of AI without disrupting the entire organization. More companies will build a tiger team to focus on AI implementation that is both pragmatic and forward-thinking. This approach not only mitigates potential challenges but also cultivates a culture of innovation, ensuring that companies are well-equipped to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence.

Developers Seek Autonomy Through Self-Service, with Control and Efficiency as Key Drivers

Developers want to build things fast, but run into hurdles to make this a reality. It's a tale as old as time. Developers will increasingly demand self-service tools for accelerated innovation. Yet, organizations will discover that true autonomy necessitates the perfect synergy of control and efficiency. Without these critical elements, autonomy will remain an elusive goal. Expect a future where striking this balance not only facilitates frictionless deployments but also ensures risk mitigation in the realm of self-service technology.

Platform Teams Will Drive Widespread Automation in 2024

In the current landscape, the cloud modernization journey most enterprises have embarked on has been stymied by complexity. For organizations that prioritize speed, efficiency and reliability, the pivotal role of platform teams is critical in quickly achieving these goals. I predict that these teams will double down on widespread automation across diverse operational domains, resulting in accelerated operational efficiency, minimized errors, and the empowerment of teams to concentrate on strategic initiatives. In fact, when asked about developer and automation-focused initiatives for platform teams, our recent survey of platform engineering teams found that nearly three in four (74%) are directing their efforts toward automating cluster provisioning or automating environment provisioning and management.

By using automation, platform teams free up time and resources from developers and operations teams that can be redirected toward more innovative and strategic initiatives. This enables the organization to stay competitive and adapt to technological advancements.

2024 Will Be the Year Platform Teams Go Back to the Basics

The future of software development is closely tied to platform engineering teams. According to Gartner, by 2026, 80% of software engineering organizations will establish platform teams as internal providers of reusable services, components and tools for application delivery. However, many platform teams have forgotten what their jobs truly entail: to make developers work faster. I predict that in 2024, platform teams will go back to the basics and will recognize they cannot be in the path of every transaction - otherwise, they become a bottleneck for the organization.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Haseeb Budhani is the CEO of Rafay Systems, which he co-founded in October of 2017. Prior to Rafay, Haseeb spent a year at Akamai Technologies as the company's Vice President of Enterprise Strategy. Akamai acquired Haseeb's previous company, Soha Systems, in October 2016. Haseeb co-founded Soha in the second half of 2013 and served as the company's CEO. Prior to Soha, Haseeb served as the Chief Product Officer for Infineta Systems, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's product marketing, marketing communications and partner management activities. Haseeb holds an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California.