Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to be the most influential technology in 2024, according to a recent global survey of chief technology officers and IT directors conducted by IEEE, the world’s premier technical professional organization.
The study, titled “The Impact of Technology in 2024 and Beyond: An IEEE Global Study,” surveyed 350 technology leaders, including chief information officers and IT directors, across the U.S., China, U.K., India, and Brazil. The focus was on identifying the technologies expected to drive growth in the upcoming year.
AI and its subsets, such as machine learning (ML) and natural language processing, were identified by 65% of respondents as key technology areas for 2024. “Generative AI has rapidly gained traction across various sectors for data aggregation, report creation, trend analysis, and product development,” stated IEEE Fellow Karen Panetta. “The applications are vast, spanning healthcare, marketing, cybersecurity, and manufacturing optimization.”
Experts predict that AI’s integration across industries will facilitate significant advancements in software development, supply chain management, and cybersecurity. The top five technologies highlighted by respondents also included extended reality, cloud computing, 5G networks, and electric vehicles.
Expanding AI Use Cases Across Industries
The IEEE report emphasizes the growing use cases of AI in telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services, transportation, and energy. Advanced AI applications will optimize data handling, automate complex tasks, and enhance decision-making processes similar to human cognition.
Key potential AI applications include real-time cybersecurity monitoring, automation in supply chains and warehouses, support in software development, expedited recruitment, and accelerated drug discovery. “AI will fundamentally transform software development and cybersecurity, yielding substantial gains in efficiency, security, and resilience,” noted IEEE Member Yale Fox, highlighting AI’s capabilities in speeding up coding and enhancing code quality while reinforcing predictive threat detection.
However, as AI capabilities expand, they also introduce new cybersecurity challenges. Key concerns include deepfakes, sophisticated social engineering attacks, and AI-enabled discovery of software vulnerabilities.
“As the threat landscape evolves with these technologies, the ability to easily generate realistic deepfakes poses significant challenges,” Fox explained.
5G: Enabling the Next Phase of AI Growth
The IEEE study indicates that 5G networks will serve as a crucial backbone for AI advancement, offering reduced latency, faster data transfer speeds, and enhanced connectivity for smart devices. “The volume of information being generated is surging,” Panetta stated. “5G will enable us to rapidly gather and transmit cybersecurity data, allowing protocols to detect, isolate, and counteract potential attacks on critical infrastructure.”
Fox added, “5G will drastically shorten data transfer times, allowing AI systems to process and respond to real-time information with unprecedented efficiency, which is vital for data analysis and decision-making applications.”
Quantum Computing: Paving the Way for Next-Gen AI
Ongoing innovations in quantum computing are expected to usher in a new era of AI systems. “In the coming years, the synergy between quantum computing and AI will likely result in transformative technological advancements,” Fox noted.
“Quantum computing will establish new computational infrastructures tailored to AI needs, leading to the development of more robust AI and algorithms that enhance explainability and scalability,” Panetta explained.
While recognizing AI's vast potential, IEEE experts stress the importance of responsible progress and human oversight. The study highlights AI's role as a key economic driver and its position as a technology leader in 2024 and beyond.
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