After a year of artificial intelligence seeming to lurk around every corner, what tech trend are technologists thinking about going into 2024? Will AI reign supreme for another year, or will a new hot topic take over their workplaces?
Technical.ly reached out to CTOs who have been named Technical.ly Awards nominees and winners in the past two years to ask about their predictions, their lessons learned as tech leaders, and their professional goals for 2024. Here are responses from four of these technologists.
What technical trends do you see coming in 2024?
The consensus: Yes, artificial intelligence will continue to grow in use and popularity, and access to it will increase.
Zachary Womack, CTO of global financial services company SEI, expects AI will be used more for production than for proof of concept: “These use cases will be primarily focused on internal consumption,” he said. “Scale and efficiency is where most companies are starting. However, the true innovation and market differentiation will come at the intersection of AI and the client experience.”
Companies will also focus on gathering and organizing data that can be applied to AI, he said, and integration will become even more important.
Mural Health CTO Mike Remaker sees that there will be more access to OpenAI and ChatGPT integration, while Audacy CTO Sarah Foss said her company, specifically, is embracing AI to simplify processes such as applying data and automation.
Amaya Capellán, Pennsylvania’s new chief information officer within the State’s Office of Information Technology, said AI tools could improve public services.
“In 2024 we and so many others will be finding all the powerful use cases that can drive impact for companies and organizations,” Capellán said. “In the Commonwealth, we’re focused on how gen AI can supercharge our workforce, safely and responsibly.”
What’s an essential leadership lesson you’ve learned during your career?
Since technology is constantly evolving, Womack said preparing a company for changes will increase the likelihood of success: “Creating an organization that thrives on that change is paramount for the organization’s success, and a requirement for the growth of the individual,” he said.
He believes, too, it’s important for members of an organization to focus on a common goal for the company to move forward.
Remaker has learned when to step back and let his team figure out a problem instead of jumping in and doing it for them. He added that it’s important to listen to team members’ different perspectives and validate their thought process.
“Validation is key,” Remaker said. “Resentment grows when people are told their opinion is wrong and they don’t feel like their leaders are listening to them.”
Capellán said leaders should know how to work “through” their team and prioritize supporting them.
What professional and community resolutions are you setting for 2024?
Remaker’s professional goal is to be more active on LinkedIn and share positive and engaging content on the platform. He would also like to get more involved in the Philly tech community — and to get more Temple University students involved, too, since he is the school’s College of Science and Technology alumni board president.
Foss’ goal for 2024 is to focus on balance. She said she wants to help her teammates and herself balance priorities and time
“It’s too easy to rush after the next big tech or over-analyze data and roadmaps,” Foss said. “By staying balanced, I believe we will navigate our ever-changing media environment as best as possible.”
Capellán is focused on over-communication with her colleagues in the new year. This includes communication about plans for the future, as well as explanations for decisions and how decisions impact team members. Now that Capellán works for the state government following years in the private sector, she also wants to travel throughout Pennsylvania and meet more constituents next year.
What technical trends do you see coming in 2024? What’s an essential leadership lesson you’ve learned during your career? What professional and community resolutions are you setting for 2024? Email philly@technical.ly to share your own thoughts and predictions.
Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
This editorial article is a part of Leadership Development Month of Technical.ly’s editorial calendar.
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