Enterprise software is the backbone of any modern organization, enabling them to automate processes, boost efficiency, and improve decision-making. However, enterprise software is not static, but constantly evolving to meet the changing needs and expectations of customers, employees, and stakeholders. In this article, we will explore some of the best enterprise software trends 2024 that will shape the future of business and technology.
What are the best enterprise software trends 2024?
According to Gartner, a leading research and advisory firm, the best enterprise software trends 2024 are those that will drive significant disruption and opportunity for CIOs and other IT leaders within the next 36 months. These trends are:
Democratized Generative AI:
Generative AI (GenAI) is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as images, text, audio, or video, based on existing data or inputs. GenAI is becoming democratized by the confluence of massively pretrained models, cloud computing, and open source, making these models accessible to workers worldwide. By 2026, Gartner predicts that over 80% of enterprises will have used GenAI APIs and models and/or deployed GenAI-enabled applications in production environments, up from less than 5% early 2023. GenAI applications can make vast sources of information — internal and external — accessible and available to business users. This means the rapid adoption of GenAI will significantly democratize knowledge and skills in the enterprise. Large language models enable enterprises to connect their workers with knowledge in a conversational style with rich semantic understanding.
AI Trust, Risk and Security Management:
The democratization of access to AI has made the need for AI Trust, Risk and Security Management (TRiSM) even more urgent and clear. Without guardrails, AI models can rapidly generate compounding negative effects that spin out of control, overshadowing any positive performance and societal gains that AI enables. AI TRiSM provides tooling for ModelOps, proactive data protection, AI-specific security, model monitoring (including monitoring for data drift, model drift, and/or unintended outcomes) and risk controls for inputs and outputs to third-party models and applications. Gartner predicts that by 2026, enterprises that apply AI TRiSM controls will increase the accuracy of their decision making by eliminating up to 80% of faulty and illegitimate information.
Continuous Threat Exposure Management:
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) is a proactive approach to cybersecurity that leverages automation, analytics, and AI to continuously monitor, assess, and remediate the exposure of enterprise assets to cyber threats. CTEM enables enterprises to shift from a reactive, incident-based security posture to a proactive, risk-based one, reducing the likelihood and impact of cyberattacks. CTEM also helps enterprises to comply with the increasing regulatory and ethical demands for data privacy and security. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 60% of enterprises will have adopted CTEM as part of their security operations, up from less than 10% in 2023.
Sustainable Technology:
Sustainable technology is the use of technology to minimize the environmental and social impact of enterprise operations, products, and services. Sustainable technology encompasses green IT, circular economy, social responsibility, and digital ethics. Sustainable technology helps enterprises to reduce their carbon footprint, optimize their resource consumption, enhance their brand reputation, and create value for their stakeholders. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 75% of enterprises will have a formal sustainability strategy that includes technology as a key component, up from 25% in 2023.
Platform Engineering:
Platform engineering is the practice of designing, developing, and operating software platforms that enable the delivery of applications and solutions at scale, speed, and quality. Platform engineering leverages cloud-native technologies, such as microservices, containers, serverless, and DevOps, to create modular, reusable, and resilient platforms that can support multiple use cases and business domains. Platform engineering also fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and self-service among the platform teams and the platform consumers. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 80% of enterprises will have adopted platform engineering as a core competency, up from 20% in 2023.
AI-Augmented Development:
AI-augmented development is the use of AI to enhance the productivity and quality of software development and delivery. AI-augmented development leverages AI models, tools, and frameworks to automate or assist various tasks, such as coding, testing, debugging, deployment, and maintenance. AI-augmented development also enables developers to create more intelligent and adaptive applications that can learn from data and user feedback. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 90% of new enterprise applications will be AI-augmented, up from 10% in 2023.
Industry Cloud Platforms:
Industry cloud platforms are cloud-based platforms that provide industry-specific capabilities, such as data, applications, services, and APIs, to address the needs and challenges of a particular industry vertical, such as healthcare, manufacturing, or retail. Industry cloud platforms enable enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation, improve their operational efficiency, and enhance their customer experience. Industry cloud platforms also foster collaboration and innovation among the industry ecosystem, such as suppliers, partners, and regulators. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 75% of enterprises will have adopted at least one industry cloud platform, up from 25% in 2023.
Intelligent Applications:
Intelligent applications are applications that use AI to provide advanced functionality, such as personalization, recommendation, prediction, optimization, and automation, to users and customers. Intelligent applications can also adapt to changing contexts, preferences, and behaviors, and provide feedback and guidance. Intelligent applications can enhance the user experience, increase customer loyalty, and generate new revenue streams. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 95% of enterprise applications will be intelligent, up from 35% in 20232.
Augmented Connected Workforce:
Augmented connected workforce is the use of technology to augment the capabilities, collaboration, and engagement of the workforce, especially in the context of remote and hybrid work models. Augmented connected workforce leverages technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, digital twins, wearables, and brain-computer interfaces, to create immersive and interactive work environments that can bridge the physical and digital worlds. Augmented connected workforce can also enable new forms of work, such as digital nomads, gig workers, and crowdsourcing. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 50% of the workforce will be augmented by technology, up from 10% in 2023.
Machine Customers:
Machine customers are machines that can act as customers, such as buying, selling, or consuming products and services, on behalf of humans or other machines. Machine customers can leverage AI, blockchain, and IoT to autonomously perform transactions, negotiate contracts, and optimize outcomes. Machine customers can also create new markets, business models, and value propositions. By 2026, Gartner predicts that 25% of customer interactions will be performed by machines, up from 5% in 2023.
Why are these trends important for enterprises?
These trends are important for enterprises because they represent the key drivers of digital transformation, innovation, and competitive advantage in the 21st century. Enterprises that embrace these trends can:
- Enhance their performance and productivity by leveraging the power of AI, automation, and cloud computing.
- Reduce their costs and risks by adopting proactive and sustainable approaches to security, privacy, and compliance.
- Improve their customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering personalized, intelligent, and immersive experiences.
- Increase their agility and scalability by adopting platform-based and cloud-native architectures and practices.
- Expand their market reach and opportunities by collaborating with industry ecosystems and engaging with machine customers.
How can enterprises prepare for these trends?
Enterprises can prepare for these trends by:
- Developing a clear vision and strategy for their digital transformation, aligned with their business goals and customer needs.
- Investing in the skills, tools, and infrastructure required to adopt and implement these trends, such as AI, cloud, and platform engineering.
- Fostering a culture of innovation, experimentation, and learning, and encouraging cross-functional and cross-industry collaboration.
- Monitoring and measuring the impact and value of these trends, and adjusting their plans and actions accordingly.
- Seeking guidance and support from experts and partners, such as Gartner, who can provide insights, best practices, and solutions for these trends.
Conclusion
The best enterprise software trends 2024 are those that will enable enterprises to thrive in the digital era, by harnessing the potential of AI, cloud, and platform technologies. Enterprises that adopt these trends can gain a competitive edge, create value, and achieve their business objectives. However, these trends also pose significant challenges and risks, such as security, ethics, and governance, that enterprises need to address and manage. Therefore, enterprises need to be strategic, proactive, and agile in their approach to these trends, and seek the help of experts and partners who can guide them along the way.
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