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Looking Back at 2019, We Can Make the Most Out of the Next Data Decade in 2020

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By Mohammed Amin

It’s hard to believe that we’ve started the year 2020 and that a very interesting decade has come to an end. With every end comes a new beginning and we view 2020 as the start of a more intelligent and connected world enabled by technology.

In the interest of learning from looking back, I revisited our 2019 predictions, some of which I am happy to report have come to fruition faster than others.

The implementation of 5G across the region is one such example. Many telecommunication providers in the region are already offering 5G connectivity to their customers, transforming experiences significantly. And who knows, we could also start hearing about 6G networks!

On the back of this, cities in the region are becoming more connected than ever, paving the way for Smart Cities and digital infrastructure that we predict will be thriving come 2030. And it will be a game-changer for industries such as healthcare and manufacturing, where data and information generated from the field can be quickly processed and analyzed in real-time, and then readily shared with those who need it.

All of this requires skilled talent and as we predicted, 2019 has seen a new generation of digital natives enter the workplace and organizations have begun to step up to modernize infrastructure, inspire employees and integrate the relevant applications will have an advantage over those that struggle with legacy systems, data deluge and workforces that are resistant to change.

Another prediction was about the data gold mine and the ‘Gold Rush’ in tech investment, with data valued as a primary resource. In 2019, we saw the importance placed on data, leading to regulations are now being set to protect this valuable resource. Organizations are now addressing challenges of data management and analytics and leveraging their data to bring AI and machine-learning to life.

At the root of all this innovation and advancement are – you guessed it – massive amounts of data and compute power, and the capacity across edge, cloud and core data center infrastructure to put data through its paces.  With the amount of data coming our way in the next 10 years – we can only imagine what the world around us will look like in 2030, with apps and services helping us do and know things we haven’t even thought of yet!

2020 marks the beginning of what we at Dell Technologies are calling the Next Data Decade, and we are no doubt entering this era with new – and rather high – expectations of what technology can make possible for how we live, work, and play.

So, what new breakthroughs and technology trends will set the tone for what’s to come? Here are our top predictions for the year ahead.

2020 will be the year to simplify IT

This year we will see organizations accelerate their digital transformation by simplifying and automating their IT infrastructure and consolidating systems and services into holistic solutions that enable more control and fuel data automation.  All of this enables better, faster business outcomes that the innovation of the next decade will thrive on.

 Accelerated multi-cloud journeys to store and protect data

As 5G and edge deployments continue to rollout, organizations will expect more of their cloud and service providers, to ensure they have better data management and visibility, while also ensuring that their data remains accessible and secure. IDC has predicted that by 2021, over 90% of enterprises worldwide will rely on a mix of on-premises/dedicated private clouds, several public clouds, and legacy platforms to meet their infrastructure needs.[i]

Choose how you pay

In 2020, flexible consumption model and as-a-service options will accelerate rapidly as organizations seize the opportunity to transform.  As a result, they’ll be able to choose the right economic model for their business to take advantage of end-to-end IT solutions that enable data mobility and visibility and crunch even the most intensive AI and Machine Learning workloads when needed.

‘The Edge’ rapidly expands to the enterprise

2019 has showed us that the edge is everywhere around us and is only going to expand with enterprise organizations leading the way, delivering the IT infrastructure to support it. So, we will see new advancements in software-defined networking. Open networking solutions will also prevail over proprietary, as organizations recognize that the only way to successfully manage and secure data for the long haul is with the flexibility and agility that only open software defined networking can deliver.

Intelligent devices change the way we work and collaborate

A recent study by Gartner revealed that spending on disruptive technologies will increase. Artificial intelligence (AI) was seen as the primary game-changing technology in 2019 by 38 percent of GCC CIOs. Data analytics is second, identified by 22 percent of respondents.

Software applications that use AI and machine learning create systems that now know where and when to optimize power and compute based on your usage patterns. Over the next year, these advancements, will turn our PCs into even smarter companions. They’ll have the ability to optimize power and battery life for our most productive moments – and even become self-sufficient machines that can self-heal and self-advocate for repair – reducing the burden on the user and of course, reducing the number of IT incidents filed.

Innovating with integrity, sourcing sustainably

With a view to achieving zero waste tolerance in Nigeria, the Federal Government through the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has set in motion dynamics for the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Programme(EPR).

The programme is a framework of action for a collaborative and partnership approach between Government, Business and the larger society towards achieving a zero waste society in the near future. The overall objective of the EPR programme is to ensure a decreased in the total environmental impact from a product including its packaging

Such laws prove that sustainable innovation will continue to take center stage, and Dell Technologies wants to ensure the impact we have in the world doesn’t come with a dangerous impact on the planet. Greater investments in reuse and recycling for closed-loop innovation will accelerate – hardware becoming smaller and more efficient and built with recycled and reclaimed goods.

 To conclude:

As we enter 2020, I’m optimistic and excited about what the future holds. The steps our customers will take in the next year to get the most out of their data will enable new breakthroughs in technology that everyone will experience in some way – whether it’s a more powerful device, faster medical treatment, more accessible education, less waste and cleaner air.

And before we know it, we’ll be looking forward to what the following decade will have in store.

Mohammed Amin is Senior Vice President, MERAT, Dell Technologies

 


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E-Business

Schmidt, Ex Google Chief Says AI Risky in Terrorist Hands

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Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO
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Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO has expressed concerns about the extreme risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) falling into the hands of terrorists or rogue states.

Schmidt, Ex Google Chief Says AI Risky in Terrorist Hands

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO

He warned that nations such as North Korea, Iran, and Russia could adopt AI technologies to develop weapons capable of causing significant harm, including biological weapons.

Schmidt urged governments to oversee private tech companies, emphasising, “The real fears I have are not the ones most people discuss about AI, I talk about extreme risk.”

“I’m always worried about an ‘Osama Bin Laden’ scenario, where truly evil individuals take control of some aspect of modern life to harm innocent people,” he added.

With private companies driving AI advancements, he stressed the need for careful government monitoring and regulation. “It’s really important that governments understand what we’re doing and keep their eye on us,” he said.

His remarks followed a two-day AI summit in Paris, where the UK and the U.S. declined to sign a communiqué outlining the future direction of AI. The declaration on “inclusive and sustainable artificial intelligence for people and the planet” was endorsed by 57 countries, including India, China, the Vatican, the EU, and the African Union Commission.

The UK justified its decision, stating that the agreement lacked “practical clarity” on global AI governance and national security concerns.

Schmidt supports U.S. export controls restricting the sale of advanced AI microchips to certain countries, aiming to slow adversaries’ progress in AI research.

He also highlights the importance of international collaboration on AI safety, suggesting that cooperation with nations like China is essential to addressing global AI challenges.

 

 


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OpenAI CEO Rejects $97.4Bn Takeover Bid from Elon Musk

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Sam Altman, chief executive of ChatGPT-owner OpenAI
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Sam Altman, chief executive of ChatGPT-owner OpenAI, has firmly declared the company “not for sale” following a $97.4bn (£78.4bn) takeover bid from a consortium led by Elon Musk.

OpenAI CEO Rejects $97.4Bn Takeover Bid from Elon Musk

Elon Musk

Speaking at the AI Action Summit in Paris, Altman emphasised OpenAI’s mission to develop AGI (artificial general intelligence) for the benefit of humanity.

Marc Toberoff, attorney for Elon Musk, confirmed the bid submission on Monday.

In response, Altman humorously offered to buy Twitter for $9.74 billion on Musk’s platform.

Unlike many tech giants, OpenAI is not publicly traded but operates through a complex partnership between non-profit and for-profit entities.

Musk aims to return OpenAI to its non-profit roots, despite owning a rival firm, xAI.

Christie Pitts, a tech investor, expressed scepticism about Musk’s intentions, noting his competitive interests.

Altman echoed this sentiment, suggesting Musk’s move disregards OpenAI’s mission.

Altman, who holds no stock in OpenAI, advocates transforming the organisation into a fully for-profit company to raise more funds for AI research.

Although the board has the final say, the $97.4bn offer falls short of OpenAI’s previous $157bn valuation and rumoured $300bn in future funding talks.

Toberoff stated the consortium might increase their bid. Meanwhile, OpenAI is collaborating with Oracle, a Japanese investment firm, and an Emirati sovereign wealth fund on “The Stargate Project,” a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative announced by President Donald Trump.

 

 

 

 


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Adobe Launches AI Video Tool to Compete with OpenAI

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Adobe yesterday released the first public version of an artificial intelligence tool that can generate video clips and revealed how much it will charge, but said it will not set pricing for major users such as studios until later this year.

The Firefly Video Model, as Adobe is calling the service, will compete against Sora, a model developed by ChatGPT creator OpenAI, and startup Runway, both of which currently offer video-generation services. Facebook owner Meta Platforms has also developed a video-generation AI model but has not given a timeline for when it will be released.

Adobe’s model differs from its rivals because it is geared toward generating clips that will fit into how film and television studios use Premiere Pro, its flagship video editing software.

To that end, many of the features that Adobe is emphasizing revolve around feeding existing shots into the video model and asking it to generate clips that fix or expand on shots that were taken on a real production set but that did not come out quite right.

Adobe said the service will generate five-second clips at 1080p resolution. While that is shorter than the clips of up to 20 seconds generated by OpenAI’s service, Adobe executives said the majority of individual clips in most productions are only three seconds.

Adobe said a user can generate 20 clips per month for $9.99 and 70 clips for $29.99. That compares with 50 videos for $20 per month with OpenAI’s plan at lower resolution and a $200 OpenAI plan that can handle longer, higher resolution videos.

Adobe is also working on a “Premium” pricing plan for studios and other high-volume video users and will release those pricing details later this year. Alexandru Costin, Adobe’s vice president of generative AI, said the company is working to generate 4K video and will remain focused on quality rather than longer clips.

“We actually think that great motion, great structure, great definition scheme, making the actual clip look like it was film, is more important than making a longer clip that’s unusable,” Costin told Reuters.

 


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