IDC's 9 predictions for the future of a sustainable digital economy

1. Future of Operations

The future of operations is shifting from a focus on efficiency to resilience driven to support demand for customised offerings and experiences.

Short-term prediction: by 2021, 90% of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) will incorporate cybersecurity investments to build a more resilient and reliable supply chain.

Long-term forecast: By 2021, 80% of European operations-intensive organisations will invest in IT-OT, supply chain integration and performance management technologies to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 3%.

2. Future of Work

It is essential to change the concept of work, so that employees' behaviours and skills, as well as organisational culture, are transformed to support a dynamic working environment that is not restricted by barriers of time and space. This transition should enhance diversity at work and collaboration between humans and machines.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, two-thirds of companies will invest in human experience (HX) technologies, transforming HR functions to attract and retain talent.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, 70% of European companies will be using technology that enables a borderless workplace.

3. Future of Intelligence

It will be defined by an organisation's ability to learn and be able to synthesise the information it needs to learn and apply the insights at scale to gain sustained competitive advantage or achieve the organisation's mission.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, 40% of European companies will combine Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning with automation at scale to deliver omni-channel customer experiences, increasing customer satisfaction and retention.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, given the huge volatility of work environments, 20% of companies will invest in adaptive operations to elevate Artificial Intelligence and improve resilience.

4. Future of Connectivity

It will enable organisations and individuals to connect seamlessly, regardless of location, situation or context.

Short-term forecast: By the end of this year, 1 in 5 manufacturers and logistics operators will deploy their private 5G network to better connect operations.

Long-term forecast: By 2021, only 15% of European enterprises will present new sources of revenue from 5G investments.

5. Future of digital infrastructures

Digital infrastructures will underpin the delivery of agile, flexible and reliable IT services on a continuous basis in the cloud, from on-premises to public cloud services.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, around 20% of the deployment of local business infrastructure in Europe will be financed by consumption-based models or leasing, representing $2.6 billion in investments.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, European spending on leading-edge hybrid infrastructure will nearly double to nearly $14 billion to support zero-latency use cases.

6. Future of Consumption and Consumers

The future centres on an empathetic relationship between customers and brands, built around consumers' desires and how they want to be treated, using the lens of technology for the awareness, engagement, learning and measurement phases.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, European companies will invest in improved customer service and engagement technologies to ensure loyalty and revenue growth.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, 2 out of 5 large B2C companies in Europe will invest in technology that enhances emotional engagement and builds lasting customer loyalty.

7. Future of Digital Innovation

Digital innovation will change the rules of the game. Organisations will reassess the role of software and innovation, which will bring implications for technology companies.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, European software-led organisations implementing compressed innovation tactics will produce their ideas 4 times faster than the market average.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, 30% of large European companies will implement cultures as a platform to successfully operate digital innovation value chains.

8. Future of trust

There will be an enhancement of the security conversation to include attributes such as risk, compliance, privacy and even business ethics as digital transformation has broadened the threat vector of the organisation.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, 40% of European CEOs will introduce trust metrics to meet emerging business ethics, diversity and sustainability practices.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, concerns over trust will drive 65% of large European companies to add regional alternatives to cloud infrastructures.

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9. Future industry ecosystem

Industries will have to adopt an outside-in culture by engaging in a deeply interconnected network of suppliers, partners and customers.

Short-term forecast: By 2021, over 40% of global cross-sectoral digital ecosystems based on physical products will be orchestrated outside Europe, adding 125 billion to regional economic output.

Long-term forecast: By 2023, $2 out of every $10 spent in Europe on ecosystem orchestration technologies and platforms will be centred on "trust" to protect the data, contracts, transactions and intellectual property of all participants.