The Top Technology Trends for 2018

The most successful IT professionals understand that staying on top of technology trends is crucial. This allows you to remain relevant in the field and anticipate the needs of your employers going forward. But separating the meaningful trends from passing fads isn’t always easy, so you may be wondering which developments actually deserve your attention. To help you focus in the right areas, here are some of the top technology trends for 2018.

Artificial Intelligence

Advances in AI technologies have grabbed the attention of business leaders in almost every field. In fact, a recent survey suggested that 59 percent of companies are gathering the necessary information to formulate an AI strategy, and many others have already begun piloting or adopting the technology. And by 2020, 30 percent of CIOs will likely include AI somewhere in their top five investment priorities.

Since AI is evolving rapidly, organizations are investing heavily in the processes, tools and personnel they will need to succeed in this area. Professionals with AI knowledge are already in high demand, and it is likely that their skills will only become more desirable in the years to come.

Augmented Analytics

While this also touches on the AI arena, augmented analytics is also largely focused on the prioritization of data within the business world. These technologies use machine learning to facilitate the automation of data preparation, insight discovery and the sharing of critical data. Often, these tasks are considered of strategic importance, so companies are likely to dedicate a significant amount of resources to development in these areas.

Intelligent Things

This is essentially an evolution in the Internet of Things segment and focuses on allowing machines to operate autonomously, or nearly so. The idea is to limit the amount of human intervention that is required for the device to perform properly, increasing its effectiveness and making its implementation an exercise in efficiency.

Edge Computing

Edge computing is a concept that shifts processing actions closer to the user or device by using the “edge” of the network. It allows bandwidth needs to be reduced while also limiting latency between the device and the cloud, speeding up the computing process and providing outputs more quickly. This supports the real-time processing needs of technologies like self-driving vehicles, where a delay in receiving data could be catastrophic. It would be beneficial to the business world at large as well.

Conversational Interfaces

Previously, users had to adapt to the communications platform to use it successfully. Now, conversational interfaces are eliminating the need to learn new software by allowing the user to communicate using natural language. As these technologies become more proficient, they may replace many of the traditional methods for interacting with systems and others online in the next few years. And companies understand its value, from both a business and customer service standpoint, leaving many interested in the technology.

The trends mentioned above are certainly worth watching, especially if you are an IT professional trying to stay ahead of the curve. If you are looking for a new technology position, the team at The Squires Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our recruitment specialists today and see how our services can ease the burden of your job search.


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