• Survey underscores the importance of understanding business benefits and aligning with strategic goals when implementing IoT technologies
Enterprises’ use of emerging technologies is on the rise around the world, but many are failing to capitalize on its benefits, according to the 2019 Global CIO Survey from Logicalis, a global provider of IT solutions.
The study, which questioned 888 CIOs from around the globe, found that 61% of businesses are now using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, while only 9% believe their organization realizes the benefits in some areas of the business. The results emphasize an underlying opportunity for business to capitalize on these untapped resources by leveraging strategic partnerships to develop digital transformation strategies prioritizing emerging technologies.
The survey revealed that IoT technologies are becoming more mainstream within the enterprise, but there is still opportunity for growth. Usage increased by 33% in the last year as enterprises leverage the technology to improve several different processes crucial to achieving their business goals. The most common uses are for creating new products or services (26%), creating operational efficiencies (23%), and enhancing existing products (22%).
Businesses can also leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive their digital transformation strategies. Logicalis found that 41% of organizations are currently using AI in some way, which has doubled from just 19% last year. However, just under one in 10 (9%) respondents believe that their organization is very successful at comprehending the advantages of AI technology in some areas of business, whereas 44% believe their organization is not very successful at all.
“The data tells us that while enterprises are implementing AI and IoT, they are not capitalizing on the benefits of these technologies,” said Vince DeLuca, CEO of Logicalis US. “Emerging technologies can have a dynamic effect at every level of a business, from product development to sales, yet businesses have more work to do to ensure they’re maximizing their ROI when it comes to AI and IoT.”
The areas in which businesses are having the most success deploying AI technologies are IT (35%), marketing and sales (29%), and information security and compliance (28%).
Mark Rogers, CEO at Logicalis Group, added: “Overall, it’s great to see emerging technologies such as AI and IoT coming to the mainstream. However, it’s clear that despite the growth in the use of IoT and AI, enterprises are still unsure of the business benefits of the technology. These technologies have the potential to shrink the gap between customer data and actionable insight, providing a strong competitive advantage to businesses that choose to invest in them. Businesses that fail to embrace these technologies and digital transformation will struggle to remain competitive in the modern world. One of our primary objectives at Logicalis is to help ensure that our customers fully understand the benefits these emerging technologies offer, and help them navigate the complex landscape of implementing them.”
“The results of our annual CIO survey underscore the importance of leveraging a partner to drive digital transformation strategies,” DeLuca concluded. “Teaming with an expert in emerging technologies like IoT and AI can provide businesses with the expertise they need to generate valuable insights that could lead to significant growth.”
