BLOCKCHAIN, MACHINE LEARNING, ROBOTICS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES WILL RESHAPE DIGITAL BUSINESS IN 2018

Singapore, 25
October 2017 – Blockchain, together with artificial intelligence, machine learning,
robotics, and virtual and augmented reality, have the potential to deliver
disruptive outcomes and reshape digital business in 2018. And companies that
have not started the digital investment cycle are at high risk of being
disrupted.

This
is according to the list of top IT predictions for 2018 published today by
Dimension Data. But the top trend for the coming year is the adoption of
Blockchain – the technology behind Bitcoin – and its immense potential to
disrupt and transform the world of money, business, and society using a variety
of applications.

Ettienne
Reinecke, Dimension Data’s Group Chief Technology Officer, says Blockchain has
gone from strength to strength.  “Last
year, when we looked at the top digital business trends for 2017, we predicted
that centralised transaction models would come under attack. We were spot on.
In the financial services sector, we’ve seen the US and European capital
markets moving onto Blockchain platforms, and similar activity in markets such
as Japan. Considering how conservative and compliance-focused this sector is,
that’s quite remarkable.

“It’s
ironic that the cybercriminals who perpetrated the recent WannaCry ransomware
attack could hold a federal government to ransom and demand to be paid in
Bitcoin. Bitcoin might be a crypto-currency, but it’s based on Blockchain, and
if cybercriminals are confident that Bitcoin provides a safe mechanism for the
payment of ransoms, it indicates just how secure the distributed ledger
approach is. I believe that Blockchain has the potential to totally re-engineer
cybersecurity, but the industry has yet to come to terms with it,” says Reinecke.

Reinecke
predicts that Blockchain will also deliver on the promise of Internet of Things
(IoT) in the year ahead.  “In the world
of IoT you’re generating millions of small transactions that are being
collected from a distributed set of sensors. It’s not feasible to operate these
systems using a centralised transactional model: it’s too slow, expensive, and
exclusive. To extract the true value from IoT technology you have to be able to
operate in real time. Once a sensor alert is received from a control system you
must react to it, meter it, and bill for it instantly – all of which negates
the viability of a centralised transactional authority. The cost of the
transaction has to be near-zero or free, and the cost elements of a centralised
model simply don’t support the potential business model in IoT,” he explains.

In
2018, some interesting applications of Blockchain and IoT in the area of
cybersecurity will emerge. Significant attacks have recently been launched from
low-cost IoT endpoints, and there’s very little incentive for manufacturers of
these devices to incur the cost of a security stack, which leaves them
extremely vulnerable. Blockchain can play a fundamental role in securing these
environments.

Another
exciting trend to look forward to is the boom in new wireless technologies that
will enable IoT and bring us a step closer to the dream of pervasive
connectivity. Some of these advancements will include 5G and Gbps Wi-Fi, new
controls, virtual beacon technology, and low power, long distance radio
frequency.

There’s
also a “digital fight-back” coming on the part of certain incumbent players.
Established businesses that have proactively transformed into digital
businesses, modernised their architectures, and embedded high levels of
automation into their operations have a window of opportunity to claw back
market share in the year ahead. That’s because there’s been an increase in the
number of cloud-born start-ups themselves starting to be disrupted in certain
industries.

“I
predict that a number of digitally transformed incumbents will successfully
start reclaiming their markets because they have more credibility, longer
histories, an established customer base, and assets that can stand the test of
time,” says Reinecke.

Andy
Cocks, Chief Technology Officer for Dimension Data Asia Pacific, concurs with
Reinecke and says, “Blockchain has immense potential to disrupt and transform
the world of money, business, and society. But, it is the companies that have
not started the digital investment cycle which are at the highest risk of being
disrupted.”

Read
more about Dimension Data’s 2018 predictions for cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, hybrid cloud, digital workplaces, digital business, and customer experience.

Dimension
Data uses technology to help organisations achieve great things. As a member of
the NTT Group, we accelerate our clients’ ambitions through digital infrastructure,
hybrid cloud, digital workspaces, and cybersecurity. With a turnover of USD 7.5
billion in 2016, offices in 48 countries, and 30,000 employees, we deliver
wherever our clients are, at every stage of their technology journey. We’re
proud to be the Official Technology Partner of Amaury Sport Organisation, which
owns the Tour de France, and the title partner of the cycling team, Team
Dimension Data for Qhubeka. Visit us at http://www.dimensiondata.com