Leading data and analytics company GlobalData has revealed its predictions for 2020 across the technology, media and telecoms (TMT) industry.

The company’s latest thematic research report, ‘TMT Predictions 2020’, identifies the top 20 themes impacting the TMT sector this year and, for each theme, offers a series of predictions and identifies the likely winners and losers. Notable predictions include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Technology marketers will continue to falsely claim their products are AI-powered, while data scientists will create incredible new applications of AI. There will not be an end to the AI hype in 2020, but there will be a continuing flow of new product releases.

5G

5G will move from hype to reality, but use cases still need to be defined. The next two to three years will be crucial for the whole ecosystem to persuade businesses that 5G can transform the way they operate.

Software-defined everything

It is difficult to imagine a traditional business model that is more at threat from disruptive tech than the networking equipment industry. Software-defined everything (SDx) threatens, well, everything, but traditional network vendors are most at risk.

Cloud computing

The cloud giants’ domination will continue in 2020, with capital requirements to build the infrastructure necessary to complete an almost insurmountable barrier for any new entrant. The hyperscalers will continue to grow rapidly and expand their geographical footprint.

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT is here to stay, and the transition to IoT-based business models is inexorable. Google and Amazon may be the companies to drive this market towards maturity, if they can withstand negative publicity around the use of customer data.

Cyrus Mewawalla, Head of Thematic Research at GlobalData, comments: “Companies who invest in the right themes become success stories; those who miss the big themes end up as failures. At GlobalData, we have developed a unique thematic research ecosystem, a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors.”