IDC FutureScape Figure

Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Future of Operations 2023 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

Summary of External Drivers

Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

Prediction 1: By 2025, 50% of G2000 Industrial Organizations Will Make Real-Time Decisions Balancing Economic and Sustainability Metrics, Simultaneously Improving Both Sets of Metrics by 5% Across the Enterprise

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 2: By 2026, 40% of Product-Centric Organizations Will Use Digital Tools to Measure Life-Cycle Carbon Footprint, Creating Demand for Better Integration Between PLM and Operational Data

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 3: By 2023, Talent Shortages and Pressure to Improve Operational Performance Will Force Organizations to Reevaluate Their Approach to Digital Transformation, Resulting in Greater Use of Outside Services

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 4: By 2027, the Use of Extended Reality Technology, Including AR/VR/MR Tools, Will Increase by 40%, Creating a New Breed of Digital Worker and Reducing Operator/Field Worker Errors by 30%

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 5: By 2027, the Use of Robots in Nontraditional Sectors, Most Notably Remote Inspection and Maintenance, Will Increase by 35%, Resulting in a 50% Drop in Inspection Errors

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 6: By 2023, Digital-First Operations Enabled by 5G Connectivity Will Improve Worker Safety, Resulting in a 20% Reduction in Lost Time Accidents

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 7: By 2027, 50% of Remote Operations Will Use Satellite-Enabled AI/ML Technology to Collect and Analyze Data at the Edge, Reducing Costs and Improving Yields and Energy Usage in the Natural Resource Sectors

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 8: By 2024, the Cloud Will Surpass On-Premises Infrastructure as the Primary Location Where Operational Data Is Stored, Managed, and Analyzed for 50% of G2000 Organizations

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 9: By 2024, 30% of Industrial Organizations Will Have Become Leaner and More Agile than Their Competitors as a Result of Making Real-Time Operational Insights Available Anytime, Anywhere, to Anyone

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Prediction 10: By 2025, 50% of Organizations Will Increase the Use of IoT and OT Cybersecurity Solutions at the Edge, Cutting OT Cybersecurity Breaches in Half

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Business Impact

Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

Cybersecurity and Risk — Scaling and Evolving Threat Environment

Digital Business — Stepping Stone to the Future Enterprise

Meaningful Intelligence — Differentiated Decision Power

Ecosystem-Based Innovation — Driving Enterprise Value

Embracing the Metaverse — New Levels of Immersion

Mainstream ESG — Sustainability Is Measured and Mandatory

Work Mode Upheaval — New Models and Leadership

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