06/07/2023 11:00 AM
Yesterday, Unisys published its latest survey, based on the responses of more than 2,200 decision makers in five countries, which gives an idea of the attitude of the corporate sphere towards new digital technologies. One of the key lessons from Unisys Cloud Insights 2023 – from studying hurdles to breakthroughs is that despite the global economic slowdown, companies still believe it is important to invest in digitalization.
The cloud is immune to economic hardship
The research shows that companies continue to attribute an important role to the cloud: 85% of them are either already increasing their investment in technology or plan to do so in the next two years. At the same time, 36% of companies are still in the planning stage or at the beginning of implementation, and only one in five companies has reached a high level of cloud utilization. One lesson is that companies should strive to get the most value out of their existing cloud infrastructure to get a return on their investment.
Decision makers are concerned about the shortage of professionals
While cloud technologies act as a catalyst for business growth, it requires talented and skilled professionals to exploit it properly. 42% of corporate IT leaders surveyed were concerned about whether their employees had sufficient knowledge and skills to migrate to the cloud. For this reason, many organizations plan to introduce training into their work processes. Respondents see particularly large gaps in non-IT competencies, such as communication skills (34%) and IT co-presence and business knowledge (32%).
Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Interests
In order to stay competitive, it is now imperative that companies accelerate the adoption of AI. However, the Unisys study revealed that only 15% have integrated AI into their business to date, so the remaining 85% risk having AI-armed competitors take over their positions. More than half of companies (55%) also admit that they do not know enough about the ethical aspects of AI. Most respondents (43%) say the best way to address ethical concerns is for people to regularly review AI models and results. This approach ensures that people are actively involved in the decision-making process, which promotes social acceptance of the responsible use of AI.
Surviving the electronic storm
According to the majority of companies, cyberattacks are inevitable, and 78% of them believe they should anticipate intrusion attempts. Despite this, only 58% of them take the initiative to manage vulnerabilities and threats, while only 42% react to incidents that occur. The report also highlights that only 43% of companies have adopted the Zero Trust model, which is key to building resilience. (The essence of Zero Trust is that all network elements and users must be continually scanned for identity and access.)
“Focusing on cloud technologies and focusing on digital transformation can make any company more agile and have a clear positive impact on its growth potential,” said Manju Naglapur, Vice President of Cloud Solutions, Applications and Infrastructure at Unisys. “If the attitude of IT decision-makers and senior management towards new technologies, such as the ethical use of artificial intelligence, can be harmonized, this can have a beneficial effect on business outcomes.”
The 2023 edition of the Unisys Cloud Insights study is based on responses from 2,264 CEOs, IT directors, and developers in five countries (US, UK, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand). The full report can be downloaded from here.
