Trending Articles
Trending Topics
Trending
We kick off our series of “Future of IT” interviews with someone right at the heart of things. As Country Manager ANZ at Wasabi Technologies, Craig Stockdale needs to have a clear view of how technology will change because Wasabi is on of those companies driving the change.
For example, we’ve written before about how cloud computing is transforming football (soccer to our American readers) and Wasabi’s “hot storage” is key to this. There’s a huge amount of data sitting ready for AI training, and Wasabi is helping businesses the world over take advantage.
With over four decades of experience in the tech industry, Craig is also well placed in terms of experience. His skills have been instrumental in launching, growing and managing more than 16 technology companies over that time.
In his current role, Craig oversees Wasabi’s growing partner and customer base in Australia and New Zealand. And we mean it when we say “growing”: since joining the company in August 2022, Craig has helped to recruit over 500 channel partners across Australia.
To discover how he sees the future of IT unfolding, keep reading.
Without a doubt, the emergence of AI and its growing market adoption will drive business automation and integrated platforms in the future. Another theme underpinning AI is the consistent growth of data and data orchestration for fast, easy access to define better business outcomes. The reliance on hybrid cloud environments will continue to increase as businesses work to manage costs and consolidate services.
Cybersecurity will remain a major focus, with particular emphasis on protecting data and enhancing API security as these areas become increasingly central to the conversation.
I see the role changing quite drastically. With the move to cloud services, coupled with managing cybersecurity in an evolving threat landscape, we may see a shift in the role of IT professionals to focus more on business continuity, resilience and alignment with business outcomes. IT teams will need to juggle and keep up with advancements in AI, however in the long run, AI will play its role in performing more everyday, ad-hoc tasks so that IT professionals can focus more on what matters most to the business.
AI is the new frontier and will undoubtedly drive business efficiency and productivity in the coming decades.
AI’s impact depends on quick and affordable access to large volumes of quality data for learning and decision-making. AI will also improve data protection in the cloud through real-time threat detection and adaptive security. In saying this, challenges like algorithm bias and privacy concerns will need careful management to maximise its benefits. AI may become more accessible and effective through technologies like blockchain and edge computing, which can improve data handling and privacy, these could also emerge in the next decade as more viable transport mechanisms for B2B transactions and applications that will drive market adoption globally.
The digital age will drive the move from product to services. Cloud usage and services are expected to grow – Gartner research suggests widespread adoption by 2028, suggesting that 70% of global enterprise workloads are expected to operate in cloud environments, compared to about 25% today. This growth could bring an increase in AI and machine learning workloads, potentially causing an increase in regulatory scrutiny. Because of this, more organisations will need to develop digital sovereignty strategies to ensure compliance with data protection regimes.
I have been operating as a remote worker (telecommuting) for nearly three decades. Access and systems combined with faster internet speeds have allowed me to be more productive and provide a balance between my work and private life. To add to this, cloud platforms will continue to enable access to work resources from anywhere, making remote collaboration seamless across all industries. In saying this, with increased remote work, cybersecurity will become crucial, and organisations will need to invest in solid security measures to protect data and privacy.
There is still a skills shortage in the tech industry that needs to be addressed, particularly to combat evolving cybersecurity threats, and to manage infrastructure demands for advanced technologies. However, in the next decade the integration, modernisation and advancements of AI will likely be the biggest challenge. IT professionals will need continuous learning and close collaboration with leadership, keeping a close eye on restrictions and policies around the technology.
