Survey shows Irish IT leaders are eager to embrace digital transformation

17 Nov 2017

Viktor Kovacevic, vice-president and general manager, Comtrade Digital Services. Image: ZigaLovsin Photography

Comtrade Digital Services’ latest survey examines how Irish IT leaders view our ever-evolving digital society.

Digital transformation is taking hold around the globe, but what about here in Ireland?

Today (17 November), a survey of 133 Irish IT leaders commissioned by Comtrade Digital Services and carried out by TechPro, was released, and it unveiled some fascinating insights from experts.

IoT and Ireland

According to the survey, leaders are confident in the continued growth of IoT in Ireland.

74pc predict that smart fridges capable of ordering groceries will become available by 2022. 63pc of respondents believe Ireland will have drone delivery systems, while 38pc reckon intelligent domestic robots will become common in five years.

The survey also found that although data analytics and AI are becoming more popular for enterprises, there’s still a clear preference for humans to make business decisions. 76pc of Irish organisations are using AI or data analytics, but only one in 10 think AI is more effective than human intelligence when it comes to making critical business decisions.

Viktor Kovacevic, vice-president and general manager of Comtrade Digital Services, said: “In order to succeed in today’s business environment, Irish enterprises need to embrace transformative technologies and innovate quickly.”

He added: “These predictions come from the people leading Irish businesses’ IT operations and show that there is clearly a lot of change occurring, which can benefit both consumers and the overall business landscape.

He said that intelligent robots and other transformative technologies will soon be at the forefront of innovation and “increasingly, they will be available in the home and in the workplace”.

Forward-thinking businesses will benefit from digital transformation

Kovacevic explained that forward-thinking Irish businesses are in a great position to embrace these changes and “in turn reap the many benefits they afford”.

He said: “The use of data analytics and artificial intelligence by most Irish organisations is great to see. Decisions are factually based and can be made in real time – something that is vital for business success today.

In terms of how AI will develop, he concluded: “Most people still favour human intelligence over artificial intelligence. However, I expect we will see a shift in mindsets as AI becomes more widespread and trusted.”

Ellen Tannam was a journalist with Silicon Republic, covering all manner of business and tech subjects

editorial@siliconrepublic.com