Show Notes:
The COVID-19 pandemic inspired technology and business leaders to explore how they can use technology to run their businesses more efficiently. In many cases, those changes will be permanent.
In this episode of What It Means, four Forrester analysts discuss how the pandemic impacted technology and what they are predicting for 2021.
In 2020, many businesses turned to artificial intelligence to streamline operations and reduce costs. Principal Analyst Brandon Purcell reviews some of those use cases and details how the increased use of artificial or synthetic data will impact AI in 2021.
Another technology that saw more interest during the pandemic was the internet of things (IoT), as remote monitoring of devices and machinery became more important. Principal Analyst Michele Pelino explains that in 2021, IoT will be used to improve employee experience in the “new normal” and help employees return to work safely.
Supply chain disruptions were a major challenge early in the pandemic, but blockchain technology helped smooth some of the bumps. Vice President and Principal Analyst Martha Bennett says that this year blockchain technology will be focused more on projects that have clear return and less on experimental or long-term uses.
In 2020, firms leveraged cloud applications and services to help them pivot to digital business models needed in the pandemic. In the year ahead, we’ll see public cloud adoption grow even more in both new and traditional areas, says Vice President and Research Director Lauren Nelson.
To learn more about Forrester’s 2021 predictions, sign up for our predictions webinar on January 21 at forr.com/2021Webinar.
