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12 Dec Top 5 Technology Trends for 2023
As we are coming to the end of 2022, now is a fantastic time to look forward to the future and speculate how technology will change the way we work in 2023.
2022 has been a year of turbulence, with microeconomic and macroeconomic factors affecting businesses throughout the UK and Ireland. This will continue into 2023 and will play a major role in defining technology innovation over the next year.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the top five technology trends for 2023.
Widespread Adoption of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have been common buzzwords over the past five years. However, at the tail end of 2022, there have been several major developments that paved the way for the widespread use of AI in 2023.
Some of these major developments included the release of OpenAI’s DALL·E 2 and Stability AI’s release of Stable Diffusion and Dream Studio. These applications’ greatest innovations were the creation of ‘generative AI’, where they can generate an output from natural language. The next major development was OpenAI releasing GPT-3, which allows for simple API calls using their AI models. This release created an explosion of applications with AI functionality from companies such as GitHub, Microsoft and Adobe.
GitHub Copilot uses the OpenAI Codex to suggest code and write functions in real-time from natural language prompts, saving hundreds of hours for programmers writing new software. Microsoft has created Microsoft Designer using DALL·E 2, which allows users to input natural language prompts, and the software will turn it into a well-designed graphic.
With more companies moving into the AI space and the API being generally available, in 2023 we are going to see a huge spike in the use of AI in a wide variety of applications. The greatest benefit of this for business is that it will save time for employees and allow faster innovation in all verticals.
More Sustainable Technology
There is no doubt that one of the greatest threats facing the world is climate change, and businesses have a major role to play in cutting down emissions to meet the goals outlined in The Paris Agreement and COP27.
Most medium and large businesses have set themselves Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) goals to ensure they are contributing to the greater good. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it can also help create a competitive advantage as consumers are now factoring sustainability into their purchase decisions.
Many large technology corporations, such as Microsoft and Google, are making huge strides in making their technologies green, and this trend will undoubtedly continue into 2023. Microsoft aims to be 100% powered by renewable energy by 2025 and be zero waste by 2030. This means that businesses that use Microsoft Azure are also reducing their carbon emissions by moving services and applications to the cloud.
In 2022, Microsoft released the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, which records, reports and reduces a company’s environmental impact. In 2023, as this technology becomes more mature it will become a valuable asset for businesses to meet their ESG objectives.
Automation Here, There, and Everywhere
Most businesses and employees waste hundreds of hours every year completing repetitive tasks, which in 2023 may be able to be automated.
In the past, robotic process automation (RPA) was only possible for large enterprises with deep pockets and a large team of developers. However, recent developments in automation platforms, such as Microsoft’s Power Automate, allow businesses to automate processes without lengthy development time, thanks to their low-code functionality.
Although these new technologies do require experience and expertise, the implementation can be completed by a trusted third-party provider for significantly less cost than custom development. Processes that can be automated include everything from simple expense management to tracking and storing data points to ensure regulatory compliance.
The ultimate goal of Microsoft and other RPA platform providers is to save businesses time and money, and in 2023 this will be a reality for many businesses.
Consolidation of SaaS Applications & Optimising Cloud Spend
Throughout the past 3 years, most businesses have undergone a period of rapid digital transformation. This was kick-started with the move to remote working due to COVID. Businesses implemented essential solutions, such as Microsoft Teams, along with a variety of SaaS applications to improve communication, collaboration and productivity.
These solutions were typically implemented reactively, rather than proactively and therefore may not be used to their full potential. With a recession looming, many businesses will look to consolidate their SaaS subscriptions to reduce operating expenses, keeping only the solutions with a clear ROI. Thankfully, Microsoft has spent the past years packing more features and functionality into a Microsoft 365 subscription, and with the right education and training, many businesses can consolidate most of their SaaS applications down to a single Microsoft 365 license.
Similarly, many businesses have migrated workloads and servers to the cloud over the past 5 years. Whilst this move has many benefits for businesses, if these services are not monitored and optimised, it can negate the cost benefits. In 2023, more organisations will invest in optimising their cloud expenditure to ensure greater profitability while futureproofing their operations.
Dynamic Cybersecurity Defences
In 2022, we saw several high-profile cyberattacks that devasted organisations and their customers. Some of these attacks included a ransomware attack on KP Snacks, which caused 3 months of supply chain issues, and an account compromise attack on the blockchain network Ronin, which resulted in $600m of stolen digital assets.
The cybersecurity threat landscape is constantly evolving, and it is difficult for businesses to keep up. For this reason, in 2023 there is going to be a move from static defences to dynamic defence. There are novel security solutions on the market which use behaviour-based detection and response, which can stop zero-day exploits on endpoints, cloud services, IoT devices and networks.
This trend relates closely to the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, as these solutions currently use machine learning, and over time these models will become more effective.
How To Take Advantage of These Technologies
2023 is going to be an exciting year for technology, and your business may see substantial growth due to this. However, it can be difficult for organisations to know which technologies are worth investing in, and ensuring implementation is effective to truly leverage the benefits.
That’s where we come in. We can provide everything from consultancy to implementation, to ongoing support with a variety of cutting-edge technologies. If you want to find out more, contact us today.
