We’ve passed the halfway mark for 2024, and technology continues to grow in scope and complexity. With the continued push for containers, AI, cloud-native, and agile, CIOs across the globe are finding their jobs more and more challenging. And given there are still a few months left in the year, who knows what kind of new challenges await.
But even with the looming unknown, it’s pretty safe to say some of the challenges facing CIOs are clear, and it’s in the best interest of your company to know what they are before your staff is faced with taking them on unprepared. Because these challenges will continue on into the next year, you can be certain they will not only affect your company but they’ll give your CIOs a run for their money well into 2024.
What are these challenges? Let’s examine what could easily be the top 5 as we finish out 2024 and head into 2024.
1. Modernization of Data Platforms
Data is key to every business, from SMBs to Enterprise. Without data, predicting trends, preventing loss, engaging with and targeting consumers, and competing with other companies would be next to impossible.
The problem is many companies are dealing with outdated models and platforms for data. Are you still working with relational databases? If so, your data won’t scale or be capable of interacting with modern applications (especially cloud and mobile apps).
As your company begins a major expansion to meet the demands of the modern era, your CIOs will have a major challenge on their hands in migrating those relational databases to NoSQL databases, which are far more capable of handling modern workloads and workflows. This will not be an easy task, but it’s one that will be absolutely crucial for your business to keep up with the competition.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the transition from relational to NoSQL database can be a major challenge to undertake. Because of that, make sure your CIO has all of the help they’ll need to make this move, such as having custom enterprise software development solutions on their radar.
2. Cybersecurity
It should come as no surprise that cybersecurity and the need for cybersecurity software development is on the list. Why? Because it is always a threat. However, what’s different now is the rise of AI, quantum computing, and the continued popularity and widespread use of containers. The combination of AI and quantum computing could place a lot of businesses at risk for hacking, which means every CIO will have to put considerable effort into keeping up with the technologies being used by hackers and hacker collectives.
This will not be easy. In fact, it’s fairly safe to say that securing company networks and systems is about to get exponentially more challenging as we make our way to the end of this year and into the next.
Because of this, CIOs everywhere will have to stay on top of every type of new technology and ensure every single aspect of the company infrastructure is up to the task. Given that most hacker groups tend to be one step ahead of even enterprise-level security, this will be no easy feat.
CIOs will have to not only make sure they are hiring the best security experts they can find but also ensure their development teams are thinking “security first” in their workflow and that the entirety of their containerized deployments are secure from the ground up (that means everything from images, volumes, RBAC, cgroups, pods, services, networks, and containers).
3. Hybrid Workspaces
Although a lot of businesses have returned to pre-pandemic operations, not every employee is amenable to returning to the office. On top of that, some staff members simply work more efficiently from home.
This means CIOs will be dealing with a combination of in-office and in-home employees. Not only does that present more security issues, but it can also remain a logistical nightmare. And given how adamant some employees are about remaining at home, this issue isn’t going to go away.
CIOs will have to continue to deal with all of the technology that goes into giving remote users access to internal resources, making sure those at-home staff members are working effectively and that those who choose to remain at home have the technology they need to get the job done.
Just because the pandemic is over, the pandemic mindset isn’t, and there will continue to be users who prefer to work from home.
4. The Dwindling Talent Pool
As more businesses come online, more of the talent pool is being drained. This is especially so as more companies are created that excite the workforce into jumping from one business to the next.
If your business doesn’t appear as exciting as another, you can bet attrition could become a problem. This is also true if your business doesn’t make allowances for hybrid workplaces. Employees now understand that power has shifted, and they are more in control than in previous years.
This will cause problems for your CIOs as they do their best to attract new hires and retain old ones. This will be exacerbated as your company starts to scale up. If your CIOs aren’t on the ball by regularly scouting for new talent, you’ll have trouble meeting the demand as you scale up because you simply won’t have the workforce to cover.
Hire fast and hire furiously to avoid facing a dwindling talent pool.
5. AI Adoption
AI is here to stay. No matter your opinion on this (and the opinions are quite fractured and divisive), AI will be forcing businesses around the globe to make major transformations in their workflows. In fact, of all the challenges CIOs face in 2024 and beyond, Artificial Intelligence might well be the single most challenging.
It’s not just about implementing AI but doing it in such a way that it’s ethical, efficient, and cost-effective. At this point, no one really knows what the cost of AI will come to. It could be relatively inexpensive, or it could be monumental. One way or another, it’s going to become a key piece of the puzzle for every big business in the coming years.
Will it be nothing more than chatbots? Or maybe your business will employ it to write code or marketing material. You might even be tasked to adopt AI for all of your social media needs. Whatever it is you do with AI, this is going to be a major challenge for CIOs everywhere. If the challenge is met with consideration for the landscape as a whole (how it will affect those beyond your company) and with a modicum of grace and thoughtfulness, AI could help to make your business grow beyond expectation. Handled poorly, it could become a nightmare.
Conclusion
Even though your CIO will be facing significant challenges as the second half of 2024 unfurls, they don’t have to face it alone or ill-prepared. And since these issues will continue into 2024, it is incumbent upon you to make sure they have the necessary tools, staff, education, and experience to take these issues on. Should they falter with even one of these issues, it could dramatically hinder your business before the year is over.
Make sure to empower your CIOs with everything they need (including the time required to pull off the miracles you will require of them) so your business doesn’t falter…or worse.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out our other AI articles.
