Innovation, Intelligence, Standardization: The Future of Enterprise Cloud Apps
Disruptive Changes
Several transformative factors have reshaped both business and personal lives in the 21st century:
- Exponential Increase in Storage and Compute Capacities: Cloud computing has opened up endless possibilities, with hyperscalers like Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure playing a crucial role.
- Digital Consumerism: Online purchases now account for a significant portion of retail sales, with eCommerce sales expected to double in the next four years.
- Social Media: Over 50% of the world's population uses social media, making it a vital channel for businesses to engage with customers.
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Businesses are increasingly adopting AI and ML to enhance stakeholder experiences, streamline operations, and foster innovation.
- Pandemic-Induced Shifts: Remote working has become prevalent due to the pandemic, with a significant portion of the workforce operating from home.
Business Model Shifts
Examples from various industries illustrate these changes:
- Retail: Transition from physical store visits to online shopping, with eCommerce sales accounting for 16% of total retail sales in the US.
- Healthcare: Gradual shift towards telehealth services, with the global telehealth market projected to reach $559 billion by 2027.
- Manufacturing: Automation has transformed traditional labor-intensive operations, with fully automated factories now possible.
New Business Models
Emerging business models include:
- Ecommerce: Direct-to-consumer sales and segment-of-one strategies.
- Direct-to-Consumer: Elimination of intermediaries and direct shipments from factories to consumers.
Role of Technology
Enterprise cloud apps play a critical role in supporting these transformations:
- Agile Operations: Moving from monolithic on-premise systems to more agile cloud-based solutions.
- Intelligent Technologies: Generating insights, performing real-time data analytics, and hyperautomating business operations.
Key Players and Ecosystem
- Hyperscalers: Leading in defining data and AI frameworks, with companies like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure providing robust cloud infrastructure.
- Enterprise App Vendors: Companies like SAP and Oracle are making progress but lag behind hyperscalers.
- Startups: Developing specialized apps for specific purposes, such as sentiment analysis for consumer behavior.
- System Integrators: Firms like Infosys contribute to defining integrated architectures, embedding AI apps into ERP systems.
Future Architecture
A standardized architecture is expected to emerge over the next three to five years, involving:
- Hyperscalers: Providing cloud infrastructure and facilitating intelligent service operations.
- Enterprise App Vendors: Addressing fundamental organizational processes.
- Startups: Offering intelligent point solutions for new business models.
- Collaboration: Partnerships between enterprise app vendors and system integrators to define analytics frameworks.
Conclusion
The future of enterprise cloud apps lies in innovation, intelligence, and standardization, driven by disruptive changes and emerging business models.