What CXOs Should Learn from the Gartner Hype Cycle: AI, Clouds, Security and More

Making informed decisions on technology adoptions and ensuring the sustained growth and relevance of the organization in the market has never been more exciting than in the current times we live in. The Gartner hype cycle is a valuable tool in this pursuit with all its insights into the timing, adoption, and potential benefits of various technologies. Being well-informed about the life cycle stages of emerging technologies, CXOs can leverage the hype cycle to manage expectations and strategically plan their technology investments. This proactive approach enables them to adapt and position their organizations for sustained success in the disruptive digital strata.

A Recap on the Gartner Hype Cycle

Before we dive deeper into the learning, let’s brush up on what we know about the Gartner Hype Cycle. Gartner argues that the maturity and adoption of any technology span across five phases - innovation trigger, peak of inflated expectations, tunnel of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment, and plateau of productivity. Building their analysis around these five phases, Gartner attempts to offer a  structured visual and conceptual model, facilitating the comprehension of how specific technologies evolve, gain acceptance, and impact businesses.

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Here’s how each of these phases represents a typical trajectory of technology from its inception to mainstream adoption:

• The Innovation Trigger: Emerging trends and technologies are identified and investigated. The more vital role technology plays in business transformation, the more interest it attracts. The analysis around this phase helps identify gaps in the current offerings and develop roadmaps for implementing the technology.
• The Peak of Inflated Expectations:  This phase characterizes relatively high levels of hype and excitement surrounding the promising capabilities of the technology. For instance, the potential of hyperautomation can be considered in its peak phase, where it promises improved efficiency and reliability in manual workflows.
• The Trough of Disillusionment:  Gartner argues that every technology, at some point, begins to struggle to demonstrate its expected benefits. Such a struggle may be a result of multiple factors like talent gaps, strategy flaws, and inability to integrity with legacy infrastructure, among others. 
• The Slope of Enlightenment: The struggles borne from the disillusionment lead to the maturation and, in turn, wider adoption of technologies. Governance plays a critical role in developing more practical expectations and managing priorities for the tech. 
• The Plateau of Productivity: At this final stage, the technology reaches a point where its benefits are well understood and it becomes widely adopted. It has become an integral part of the technological landscape, and its impact on businesses and society has become significant.

Understanding the Action Plan for CXOs

The latest Hype Cycle by Gartner has a large variety of technologies witnessing their “Innovation Trigger” phase. Therefore, by capturing these technologies early on, businesses can ensure better utilities when they are more mature and adaptable. These technologies are broadly themed under titles - Emergent AI, Developer Experience, Pervasive Clouds, and Human-Centric Security and Privacy.

Emergent AI

Emergent AI can offer technologies that will enable businesses to differentiate and increase productivity. Competitive differentiation through Generative AI, simulated environments thanks to AI simulation, and easy identification of behavioral characteristics through graph data science are some of the benefits that Gartner can see in emergent AI’s innovation trigger phase.

• Understanding Generative AI: Provides CXOs with the knowledge to strategically differentiate their businesses through innovative content and product development. 
• Impact on Workforce Automation: Recognizing the impact of workforce automation informs CXOs about the potential for operational efficiency. 
• Mainstream Adoption Benefits: Acknowledging the profound impacts during mainstream adoption guides CXOs in prioritizing technologies that elevate customer and employee experiences. 
• AI Simulation and Testing: Familiarity with AI Simulation aids CXOs in understanding the tools available for agent training and testing. 
• Causal AI for Autonomy: Understanding Causal AI's autonomy contribution helps CXOs assess its relevance in enhancing overall AI systems. 
• Federated Machine Learning: Federated Machine Learning: Awareness of its role in enhancing privacy and security enables CXOs to prioritize technologies aligned with data protection requirements. 
• Predictive Modeling with Graph Data Science: Recognition of the strategic insights provided by Graph Data Science informs CXOs on predictive modeling advantages.
• Robust AI Models with Neuro-symbolic AI and RL: Understanding the combination of Neuro-symbolic AI and RL contributes to CXOs' ability to make holistic decisions about adopting robust AI models.
• Harnessing AI for Strategic Goals: The collective knowledge of these technologies empowers CXOs to strategically harness AI for improved digital experiences and decision-making aligned with business goals.

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Example:

Imagine a CTO for a company that builds customized digital wallets. The CTO can easily recognize Generative AI’s utility in transforming digital wallet interfaces into distinctive, user-centric experiences. Dynamically generated features like personalized financial dashboards and tailored spending insights can help automate routine tasks within the platform, such as transaction categorization, automated customer support, and more. Rigorous AI simulation testing can also ensure the robustness and security of the digital wallet, while an evaluation of causal AI's relevance can enable more autonomous decision-making. This comprehensive approach will also allow the CTO to strategically harness AI within the digital wallet, delivering a differentiated, secure, and adaptive financial platform aligned with the company's overarching goals.

Developer Experience (DevX)

A huge focus for contemporary businesses is attracting and retaining top engineering talent. Gartner suggests that DevX technologies will facilitate seamless interactions between developers and the tools, platforms, processes, and peers they engage with.  Be it the Value Stream Management Platform (VSMP) or AI-augmented Software Engineering, Dev X can help foster efficiency, collaboration, and innovation in software engineering. Here’s what CXOs can learn:

• Strategic Investment in VSMPs: CXOs should recognize that investing in VSMPs is strategic for optimizing end-to-end product delivery, improving business outcomes, and identifying opportunities for performance enhancement.
• AI-Augmented Software Engineering Impact: The impact of AI and natural language processing in assisting software engineers throughout application development, enhancing efficiency, and driving innovation.
• API-Centric SaaS for Accessible Services: CXOs should acknowledge the importance of cloud application services with APIs as the primary method of access, enabling flexibility, scalability, and seamless integration.
• GitOps for Efficient Cloud-Native Operations: CXOs should be aware that GitOps, as a closed-loop control system, enhances efficiency in cloud-native operations, ensuring streamlined processes and reducing operational complexities.
• Internal Developer Portals for Productivity: CXOs should understand that these portals facilitate self-service discovery and access to resources in complex, cloud-native software development environments, fostering developer productivity.
• OSPO for Open-Source Governance: CXOs should acknowledge that OSPO serves as a center of competency for governing, managing, and efficiently utilizing open-source software and data. This reflects the collaborative nature of modern software development.
• Holistic Approach to DevX: CXOs should adopt a comprehensive view, recognizing that the combined implementation of these DevX technologies fosters efficiency, collaboration, and innovation in software engineering, aligning with strategic business goals.
• Continuous Adaptation and Learning: CXOs should understand the need for continuous adaptation and learning, staying abreast of emerging DevX trends and ensuring that technology investments align with evolving business needs and industry standards.

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Example:

CEO of a healthcare company specializing in remote patient management can embrace Developer Experience (DevX) technologies for transformative outcomes. With strategic investments in Value Stream Management Platforms (VSMPs), they can optimize end-to-end product delivery. Adapting API-centric SaaS will ensure accessible healthcare services, while GitOps will help streamline cloud-native operations for agility. A holistic approach to DevX will help the CEO strategically leverage the collaborative nature of the healthcare industry.

Pervasive Cloud

The priority for CXOs lies in maximizing the value derived from cloud investments, requiring automated operational scaling, access to cloud-native platform tools, and robust governance measures. Therefore, pervasive cloud technologies offer complete product offerings with composable capabilities that integrate SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services. Gartner suggests that these platforms can enable adaptability and agility in response to disruptive forces.  By recognizing the transformative potential of these technologies, CXOs can capture their mainstream adoption early on.

• Strategic Vision for Cloud Evolution: CXOs need a strategic vision to leverage the transformative potential of cloud technologies in driving business innovation and staying ahead in the competitive landscape.
• Embrace Cloud Reimagination at the Edge: CXOs should embrace and understand the implications of cloud solutions being tailored to edge environments, fostering more industry-relevant and efficient solutions.
• Maximize Cloud Investment Value: CXOs must prioritize the development of automated scaling capabilities, ensure access to cloud-native tools, and establish effective governance mechanisms to derive maximum value from their cloud investments.
• Industry Cloud Platforms as Integral Solutions: CXOs should understand the composability of industry cloud platforms, combining SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services into comprehensive offerings. This composability allows adaptability and agility in response to industry-specific disruptions.
• Adopt Pervasive Cloud Incrementally: CXOs need a patient and incremental approach, understanding that pervasive cloud technologies, like industry cloud platforms, will take five to ten years to reach mainstream adoption.
• Explore Augmented FinOps for Financial Efficiency: CXOs should explore the application of DevOps concepts to financial governance, budgeting, and cost optimization, enhancing financial efficiency in cloud-related operations.
• Leverage Cloud Development Environments (CDEs): CXOs should leverage CDEs to streamline development efforts, reducing setup time and enhancing overall development efficiency.
• Integrate Cloud Sustainability Goals: CXOs should integrate sustainability goals into their cloud strategies, aligning with broader organizational commitments to responsible business practices.
• Optimize with Cloud-native Approaches: CXOs should optimize operations by adopting cloud-native approaches, ensuring that solutions are designed to fully exploit the advantages of cloud computing.
• Strategic Implementation of Cloud-out to Edge: CXOs should strategically plan the implementation of cloud services that extend from centralized cloud environments to edge locations, aligning with organizational goals and industry requirements.
• Explore WebAssembly (Wasm) for High-Performance Applications: CXOs should explore the potential of Wasm in supporting secure and high-performance applications on webpages, considering its relevance in enhancing user experiences and application performance.

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Example:

This time, let’s imagine a Director of Technology for an e-commerce company. With a strategic vision and pervasive cloud technologies, the director can drive innovation, responsiveness, and efficiency of their e-commerce platform. Embracing industry cloud platforms will help them combine SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services to tailor solutions for the e-commerce industry. As a forward-thinking leader, the director can ensure an incremental adoption timeline of pervasive cloud technologies, planning for a transformative journey over the next five to ten years. Cloud-native will help approach and strategically implement cloud-out-to-edge solutions to optimize the e-commerce platform for enhanced user experiences and industry relevance. The director can also explore WebAssembly (Wasm) to access avenues for high-performance applications, providing a competitive edge in the online retail space.

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Human-Centric Security and Privacy

Prioritizing human-centric approaches is essential for CXOs to foster a culture of mutual trust and shared risk awareness in decision-making across diverse teams. Keeping this in mind, the final theme of trending technologies acknowledged by Gartner is labeled - Human-centric security and privacy. A prime example is AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRiSM), which helps businesses ensure comprehensive governance over AI models. Additionally, we have Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA), Generative Cybersecurity AI, Postquantum Cryptography (PQC), and more on the list. Let’s help CXOs decide on these technologies:

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• Prioritize Human-Centric Approaches: CXOs should prioritize initiatives that build a culture of mutual trust and awareness of shared risks and place human considerations at the center of security and privacy measures.
• Comprehensive AI Model Governance with AI TRiSM: CXOs need to invest in solutions and techniques provided by AI TRiSM, focusing on model interpretability, explainability, anomaly detection, data protection, and resistance against adversarial attacks for robust AI operations.
• Prepare for Mainstream Adoption Timelines: CXOs should plan and allocate resources strategically, recognizing the timeline for the integration and adoption of AI TRiSM technologies into their security and privacy frameworks.
• Embrace Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA): CXOs should embrace CSMA to improve overall security effectiveness by architecting composable and adaptable security controls across the organization's infrastructure.
• Leverage Generative Cybersecurity AI for Innovation: CXOs can leverage Generative Cybersecurity AI to continuously evolve security strategies and methods, staying ahead of potential threats and ensuring adaptive security measures.
• Explore Homomorphic Encryption (HE) for Secure Data Computations: CXOs should explore adopting HE to facilitate secure computations on sensitive data, allowing for data sharing without compromising privacy.
• Prepare for Quantum-Computing Challenges with PQC: CXOs should proactively prepare for the quantum era by considering the adoption of PQC algorithms, ensuring the long-term security of their data against evolving computational threats.
• Build a Robust Security Culture: CXOs should foster a security culture that goes beyond technological solutions, incorporating human-centric practices and ensuring that security is ingrained in the organization's values and decision-making processes.
• Invest in Employee Training and Awareness: CXOs should invest in programs that raise employee awareness about security risks and provide ongoing training to equip the workforce with the knowledge and skills to contribute to a secure environment.
• Align Security Measures with Organizational Values: CXOs should ensure that security and privacy measures align with the organization's values and business objectives, creating a cohesive and effective approach to safeguarding sensitive information and fostering trust.

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Example:

Imagine a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) leading a tech company specializing in providing tailored SaaS solutions for businesses. With the help of human-centric security and privacy technologies, they can bolster the digital framework for more protected solutions. Strategic adoption of AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRiSM) can ensure comprehensive governance over AI models with a focus on fairness, reliability, and data protection. Embracing the principles of Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA), the CTO can architect distributed and composable security controls that will enhance the overall effectiveness of the security framework. Incorporating Homomorphic Encryption (HE), the CTO and their team will be able to secure computations with encrypted data, facilitating data sharing without compromising privacy.

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CXOs should harness the valuable insights provided by the Gartner Hype Cycle to make informed decisions and strategically plan technology investments. Understanding the different phases, from the Innovation Trigger to the Plateau of Productivity, enables CXOs to manage expectations and position their organizations for sustained success in the digital landscape. CXOs can steer their organizations toward sustained success in the dynamic digital landscape by navigating the Gartner Hype Cycle and embracing these transformative technologies.

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