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Key Takeaways from Gartner IT Symposium/XPO Barcelona

Carlyn Manly

Unlocking the Real Potential Amidst the AI Hype
The annual Gartner IT Symposium/XPO in Barcelona brought together IT leaders from around the world for an intense week of learning, networking, and exploration. Amidst the lively discussions and innovative sessions, several key takeaways emerged. In this post, we’ll delve into what we learned and how it impacts the IT landscape.

1. Navigating the AI Overload

One undeniable truth surfaced at the event – AI is ubiquitous, but clarity is scarce. The tech world is abuzz with AI, and everyone seems to be touting its benefits. However, there’s a fog of confusion surrounding AI capabilities. Vendors often obfuscate what’s real and what’s theoretical. To cut through the noise, IT leaders must go beyond buzzwords and demand to see a vendor’s current AI capabilities. Understanding the level of customer development and cost required to harness these capabilities is equally crucial.

Many visitors to our booth were impressed to learn 4me has many AI capabilities generally available to all our customers, with many more features to come. Even more impressive perhaps is that accessing these features requires no professional services or additional license purchases.

2. A Global Consensus: Common Challenges

One remarkable revelation was that IT leaders from different corners of the world share strikingly similar challenges. The conversations echoed common themes, highlighting that the global IT community has more in common than it does differences. This shared experience fosters a sense of unity and collaboration, allowing IT professionals to learn from one another’s successes and setbacks.

3. Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage

With each passing day, cybersecurity gains prominence and occupies a larger slice of IT priorities. To stay ahead of evolving threats, it’s essential to choose vendors with a true multi-tenancy model. Multi-tenancy inherently embraces a zero-trust approach and offers pre-built connections that enhance security. As cyber risks continue to evolve, the importance of robust security measures cannot be overstated.

Another hit in conversations at our booth was 4me’s ability to provision unique instances of 4me to each team at a company, which start from a place of zero trust and then allows for custom security and data privacy controls to be set for each one.

4. Legacy Technology Vendors Face Scrutiny

Legacy technology vendors, despite their market share, are facing discontent among IT leaders. Many of these vendors are anchored in yesterday’s technology, offering single-tenant development environments. These environments often result in convoluted processes and code, making systems overly complex and difficult to comprehend, expand, or improve. IT leaders are increasingly seeking modern alternatives that align with their evolving business needs.

5. Adapting to Business Evolution

The evolving nature of businesses necessitates IT solutions that can adapt in kind. Too often, IT leaders encounter limitations within their current vendor’s capabilities, leaving them uncertain about their options. It’s critical to find vendors capable of supporting your business as it transforms and grows. The ability to scale and innovate alongside your organization is paramount.

6. Rethinking Magic Quadrants

Magic Quadrants, while traditionally influential, may no longer be the definitive resource for IT decision-makers. High minimum revenue requirements often exclude innovative vendors with substantial revenue. Instead, IT leaders should complement their research with Gartner Peer Insights reports. These reports showcase vendors that can cater to global enterprises while delivering the innovations IT leaders seek.

Gartner IT Symposium/XPO Barcelona provided invaluable insights into the ever-evolving IT landscape. As technology continues to shape the future, staying informed, adaptable, and discerning is key. IT leaders must navigate the AI landscape with clarity, prioritize cybersecurity, seek modern solutions, and stay open to innovations that can drive their organizations forward.

The world of IT is changing, and it’s essential to embrace change to unlock new possibilities.