The future role of data, AI and the cloud

The potential for cloud technologies to break down silos and enable more contextualized views of data is having a dramatic impact on enterprise investment priorities for operations.

When asked to identify investment priorities for operations over the next five years, organizations ranked cloud highest, followed by wireless connectivity and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), according to a recent Future of Operations survey from IDC.

At the same time, however, many enterprises have yet to move their operational data from on-premises to the cloud. IDC survey data reveals that fewer than 20% of organizations have put more than 50% of their operational data in the cloud.

Actual investments and the results from current AI/ML projects tell a more complicated story. While many organizations cite AI and ML as an important future technology investment area, most survey respondents indicated that they have no plans to use AI to analyze operational data in the next several years.

“A point of resistance just a few years ago, organizations are now prioritizing investments and building strategies for putting operational data into the cloud,” said Leif Eriksen, research vice president, Future of Operations. “And, while the momentum is irrefutable, organizations will need to develop a specific cloud data management strategy that addresses organizational needs and objectives.”