When it comes to the latest technologies in the organisational landscape, artificial intelligence and cloud-based solutions have emerged as forerunners.
They have immense potential for transforming business processes and taking them a notch higher with productivity, efficiency, and cost savings.
These technologies have been around for many years, and they are all set to get bigger and better in the future. Both have played significant roles in helping businesses survive and sustain themselves amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is a lot more on the horizon, so it makes sense to understand the cloud and AI trends predictions for 2021 and beyond. Let us highlight them for you.
Remote work will grow and thrive with these technologies
The pandemic made remote work a norm, and the trend is here to stay. Both AI and the Cloud helped people as they worked remotely.
Cloud-based solutions assisted teams in remote collaboration as they could access data from their respective locations. AI technologies empowered them to keep track of customer expectations and communicate with them accordingly.
At the same time, managers used these algorithms to address issues such as productivity, data and performance assessments. The trend will proceed in the future as many companies have decided to continue with the same model. As a result, they look up to newer and better AI and cloud tools to help remote workers get better at their jobs.
Better decision-making with actionable data and insights
The new normal will witness a widespread proliferation of AI and cloud technologies into the decision-making process. From legal documentation to billing automation and customer communication, every part of business operations will involve these applications. AI is also geared up to be a part of the recruitment function as most hiring will be handled remotely.
It enables recruiters to parse resumes while reducing their manual screening process. They can now look for relevant candidates and shortlist them with just a few clicks. As decisions become data- and insight-driven, there is hardly a chance of them going wrong.
Learning and development programmes will get more focus
Businesses will have to align and adapt according to the changing circumstances. In 2021, the investments in learning and development programmes are already growing. Besides this, businesses will want these programmes to be more innovative as well.
AI helps with intelligent L&D solutions that address specific challenges and weaknesses of individual employees. Cloud technology helps deliver learning and development content that employees can access from anywhere.
It has become the need of the hour for such programmes to be available remotely. To not just engage employees but also to help them grow and progress. Even if offices were to open their doors again, training programmes will be more hybrid, with cloud solutions boosting them up.
Enhanced user experience
With tech advancements popping up every minute, user expectations are higher than ever. Whether it is customers, employees, or candidates, every user expects organisations to go above and beyond with their interactions.
AI and cloud technologies can step in with solutions that truly enhance user experience. Together, these applications collect, sort, and analyse data to understand the users better. Once they have the vast volumes of data, they can get actionable insights and use them to personalise user experience.
Chatbots are an example of AI being used for conversational experiences while reducing the dependence on human employees. Overall, these technologies are all set to help businesses ramp up their interactions with people and deliver better experiences.
Cost-savings will be more achievable as a goal
Every business wants to go the extra mile with cost savings because it can have a far-reaching impact on the bottom line. Once again, both AI and cloud can help them achieve the goal. AI-driven decisions are bound to be more accurate, so there are minimal chances of errors and wastage.
Cloud-based solutions also go a long way in helping businesses save up with the Software-as-a-Service model.
Since costs will be a big deal for companies in the post-pandemic world, it makes sense to invest in solutions that can make a real impact in the long run. Cloud and AI make it possible, so more and more businesses will invest in solutions based on these technologies.
Security will get stronger with technology
With the pandemic sweeping the world, cybersecurity threats have increased too. Hackers have more sophisticated means to attack business data and networks. And work-from-home systems make organisations more vulnerable to cyber threats. In this situation, security becomes a key concern for businesses, especially when the danger will get only increase in the future.
Thankfully, AI and cloud-based platforms are coming ahead as saviours for businesses. AI-based systems follow specific algorithms to recognise user behaviour. If anything sounds amiss, they can detect it at the earliest and warn the systems about an impending breach. Cloud platforms are secure by default, and there is less chance of hackers bypassing them.
Conclusion
As a business owner, you need to make consistent efforts to stay one step ahead of these technology trends. Embracing them can open new opportunities for your company in the normal. From the basics like enhanced efficiencies and cost savings to high-tech benefits like automation and intelligent decision-making, there is much that these technologies offer.
Missing out on these trends can deprive your business of these opportunities. At the same time, it can push you behind in the competitive race. As the new normal is here, the best time to adopt these technologies is now. The sooner, the better!
Author bio:
Vanita Arora is a marketing enthusiast associated with Servetel, a prominent IVR service provider. Being greatly in love with music & travelling, she has always been fascinated with technology.
