Tag: cloud computing

A virtual space race to the ‘metaverse’ has begun. What does this immersive online future hold, why is it important, and where do we find value? As investor interest surges, we weigh up the short-term hype and long-term opportunities.

A growing number of companies in South Africa are showing varying levels of adoption of innovative technologies such as cloud, edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT), according to new research from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Microsoft.

A virtual space race to the ‘metaverse’ has begun. What does this immersive online future hold, why is it important, and where do we find value? As investor interest surges, we weigh up the short-term hype and long-term opportunities.

If a business suddenly had no access to its business documents and financial records, the consequences would be severely felt. And if the company suffered a cyberattack, it could be devastating. These are just two reasons why cloud computing has become so important, and why moving to online accounting can genuinely help small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Public cloud has taken centre stage in the global IT space, thanks in large part to the pandemic forcing accelerated adoption of next-generation technology solutions. According to Forrester Research, the global public cloud infrastructure market will grow 35% to 120 billion USD in 2021, as several new trends emerge around cloud technology.

The recent announcement that heavyweight Wall Street bank, JP Morgan Chase has agreed to buy UK Robo-Adviser, Nutmeg, indicates the far-reaching effects of COVID-19 on the financial advice and wealth management industry as big business embraces this new model.

Payroll solutions in South Africa must be modernised to benefit from the likes of cloud computing, robotic process automation (RPA), and artificial intelligence. If companies are to effectively contend with evolving payroll legislation in the country, they need to embrace these technologies and transform into digitally driven organisations.

If businesses have learned one thing during the pandemic it is that resilience, rather than being a tactic to respond to crisis, is a discipline cultivated over time. Today, to not have a digital strategy is to not have a strategy. To build resilience at work, organisations need to start thinking about virtual and remote models, provision of tools that enable collaboration from anywhere, and strategies to look after their peoples’ mental health and wellbeing.

IT teams and leaders could be squandering financial resources by failing to adjust entrenched attitudes. With cloud computing now firmly entrenched on the C-suite agenda as a way to cut costs, create new digital opportunities and drive operational efficiencies, many of Africa’s largest businesses are shifting to a fully cloud-based or hybrid cloud IT environment.

Is South Africa ready for artificial intelligence (AI)? What about the role of humans in AI? Is AI really going to take over our jobs? Where do companies start, when it comes to AI readiness? These were just a few of the questions that were put to three experts at a recent webinar we hosted together with Synthesis Software Technologies.