PREVIEW 2024
CONTINUED
right workflows for data access, especially in the age of AI where information can be filtered and accessed far more quickly than before. If the right data structures with the right levels of authorisation are not put in place, data breaches can quickly occur. Elsewhere in 2024, the proliferation of AI use is staggering and is set to be one of the fastest paces of change within the history of IT. For context, cloud has taken a decade to become established, but AI will achieve the same level of adoption, pervasiveness and impact in 12 months. One thing is clear, the trend for its use within organisations will only grow going forward. On a print device level, we will start to see trends around AI simplifying and personalising the use of technology within a organisations, reducing the number of steps to accomplish a print task as an example. For more complex processes around digitisation we are already seeing AI being used to contribute to document capture and workflows. Processes such as manual classification and information extraction from documents is no longer a laborious task as AI is taking over many of those roles. While AI can bring real benefits to an organisation, it also increases threats from bad actors. Hackers are already exploiting AI technology to their own advantage and organisations need to be prepared. It’s imperative that print vendors and clients stay aware of AI developments from a cloud and print security point of view. This means regularly evaluating processes and technology to make sure that print security strategy is fit for purpose.
on enterprise level volumes of print devices, we do expect the trend to move to small and medium-sized businesses seeking to save money and improve sustainability. Clients typically look to refresh their print solutions every five years on average. However, as print volumes continue to decline the natural life of devices can be extended without any disadvantage to service or efficiency. The remote monitoring and management of print devices in these situations will be key to helping reduce costs, waste and extend lifecycle expectations. There is no getting away from the fact that for the most part ‘print’ is a mature technology. Print speeds can be improved, efficiencies around power usage can be made but the underlying technology remains the same. Therefore, innovation within print tends to be incremental and is often about creating more cost-effective devices, whether that is in the cost of purchase, or in maintenance costs. This is even more true as hybrid working has become the norm. However, A3 devices will not be going away any time soon, as they still play a major role within many organisations. The trend we are seeing is that the number of centralised large workgroup A3 devices are reducing as organisations adjust to the new norms of the modern workplace. As a result, A4 devices with similar feature sets will become more common for smaller teams. Cloud as a technology is nothing new and migration to cloud-based services is no longer seen as a trend. Rather, how organisations make the most of the cloud services they have, and those they use, are seen as the growth areas. It’s important that organisations create the
Stuart Sykes
sharp.co.uk
Mike Faiers , chef technology officer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd
As the workplace continues to evolve and change, we are likely to see further reliance on technology and smarter ways of working that take advantage of automation benefits. With global unrest and continuing economic pressures, along with long-term challenges such as the deepening climate emergency and globally aging population, flexible and sustainable working practices
have never been more important. This is why Konica Minolta is passionately committed to supporting the evolution of the digital workplace through our Intelligent Connected Workplace portfolio, which is designed to address all these needs from a single expert supplier, enabling organisations to concentrate on their core activities with full peace of mind.
Mike Faiers
konicaminolta.co.uk
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