Predictions for the Future of Cloud

The future of the cloud is being formed by data-driven systems that are easy to use, including new efficiency from conversational and natural language AI—whether you want to optimize technology to do more with less, accelerate software development to drive revenue, or protect your business from security threat vectors. 

Amongst these shifts, there are numerous advancements impacting IT applications, and each of these predictions point to technology that teams can take advantage of presently or in the very near future. Recently, CIOs in the Toronto Community came together for a Town Hall discussion to explore how artificial intelligence will impact the application lifecycle from ideation to deployment, the range of AI solutions available that cater to various roles and skill sets within organizations, and how some organizations are turning AI predictions into reality.

Neil Bunn, Director of Customer Engineering Canada for Google Cloud, kicked off the discussion, describing the topic as the intersection of cloud, data and AI. When it comes to AI, he discussed how organizations are focused on protecting their brands and users from misuse and preventing sensitive information and security leaks. 

He also shared five predictions on the future of AI and cloud engagement from Bobby Allen, self-proclaimed "Cloud Therapist" (Group Product Manager) at Google Cloud:

1. AI will impact most of the application lifecycle – meaning at every stage.
2. Prompt engineering and AI UX will become critical roles, particularly since prompt engineering impacts what you get out of AI models.
3. AI will (partially) replace the keyboard with the uptick in the use of AI to write code.
4. AI will get defensive, meaning enterprises will invest heavily in AI-powered security.
5. The New IAAS – or, inference, not infrastructure as a service.

Neil said that executives should consider how all AI tools drive productivity. He recommended thinking about what components you need and how your tech stack supports what you’re trying to achieve. The CIOs then broke into small groups to discuss the AI journey and what they’re learning.  
 

Key Takeaways from the Discussion

Evaluating AI Tool Options & Governance

The implementation and governance of AI tools is falling under the purview of the CIO, according to executives in the discussion. Technology leaders are working through which tools to try and how many people should have access to them. One executive described the current state of AI as a “firehose of initiatives and vendors.” One added that there are so many tools out there that it’s even hard to tell if they’re really offering AI.

Another CIO said they are evaluating “what comes out of the box” with a tool versus what you can tweak and customize. One shared that they would like to move away from proof of concept from vendors and “think about proof of value.”
 

Focusing on the Use Cases

CIOs agreed that they are focusing on ways to use AI to boost productivity or create efficiencies. Several mentioned that AI is helping with coding and documentation tasks. On the topic of coding, some felt AI could be a game changer in speeding up the velocity. Executives also shared that they have found it helpful to their technology ticketing system and with legal and procurement tasks. Another CIO is seeing the value in the “assistive” nature of AI.

One executive noted that they are trying to determine the ROI on AI initiatives, and another shared that they are finding a good path to measuring productivity gains. Experimenting and exploring is fine, but executives noted that when it comes to really investing in AI, they want to make sure there is a return. One noted that it’s important to think about the investment holistically, including the resources, team members and time spent on initiatives.
 

Best Practices in AI Still Evolving

Many CIOs in the discussion indicated that they are still in the early phases of the AI journey. They are actively testing and learning – but one shared that they’re “not ready to commit to an investment.”

One noted that while they have not yet adopted AI in the application lifecycle, they were “embracing the potential.” Another said that technology executives have to be comfortable with the idea that they might not know all of the outcomes, but have to start somewhere with AI. Another CIO shared that the journey could evolve in an organic way and “where you start and where you end up are not very defined.” The executives agreed that there will be challenges and some failures before there are successful outcomes.

Overall, CIOs agreed about the potential for AI tools in improving efficiencies and reducing redundant tasks. They are actively testing the waters and establishing business cases, but being cautious about investing too much too soon. As one put it, they are “looking at the possibilities, but managing expectations.”
 

CIOs can continue the discussion on AI and other topics at an upcoming gathering, which you can find on our calendar, and if you are already an Evanta community member, you can register in MyEvanta. Or, you can apply to join a community of your CIO peers to stay fully up-to-date on key topics for CIOs.
 

by CIOs, for CIOs
 

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