COVID-19 dramatically accelerated digital transformation. In the first two months of the pandemic, we saw 2 years worth of digital transformation largely due to organizations having to allow entire workforces to work remotely overnight. From investments in cloud, security, and collaboration tools, 2020 was a year of massive change.

2021 will prove no different. As organizations adapt to a post-pandemic world and the majority of employees remaining remote, there are several trends and applications that will dominate the new year. Deloitte recently released their 12th annual Tech Trends report that provides insight for the digital journey ahead.

Below, we’ve outlined the 9 technology trends that will influence decision-making, the workplace, and customer experiences in 2021.

  • Strategy, Engineered: Tech strategy and business strategy often go hand in hand; however, with a complex range of possibilities, business leaders are turning to strategic platforms equipped with advanced analytics, automation and AI. The use of these tools will transform strategy development.
  • Core Revival: In 2020, businesses around the globe were modernizing their legacy enterprise systems and migrating them to the cloud. Thanks to lowering cloud costs and new opportunities, migrating to the cloud no longer needs to break the budget.
  • Supply Unchained: Manufacturers, retailers, and distributors are aligning with more future-focused values. They are relying more heavily on data and analytics to share information across their supply networks to provide a better, more customer-focused experience.
  • MLOps – Industrialized AI: Businesses will continue to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning in the new year to provide automated insights. MLOps is the “application of DevOps tools and approaches to model development and delivery to industrialization and scale machine learning.”
  • Machine Data Revolution: Machine learning is poised to overhaul enterprise operations and decision-making, and AI experts are realizing legacy infrastructure may be a roadblock to success. New methods and infrastructure will need to be deployed.
  • Zero Trust: With 2020 leading the way for a record-number of cyber-attacks and data breaches, cybersecurity is going to be top of mind for the new year. There is no longer any room for trust. Instead, with Zero Trust approach, networks and organizations will operate with a “never trust, always verify” mentality towards security.
  • Rebooting the Digital Workplace: 2021 still leaves much to be discovered. Will remote work become the new normal or the exception, and how will productivity, innovation, and collaboration ultimately be affected?
  • Digital Meets Physical: Digital interactions have been inserted into everyone’s daily lives. Whether working from home or online school, most human interaction is done digitally. However, consumers will no longer be satisfied with distinct physical or digital brand experiences – they will expect a blend of the best of both.
  • DEI Tech: 2020 was also a novel year for diversity and inclusion initiatives. As businesses adopt new policies around employee equality, tech will emerge to incorporate better decision making.