Much has been said about inheritance and its detrimental effects on ambitions. But a new study shows that may not be true.
A recent global study by Eaton reveals a significant shift in attitudes towards traditional technologies, with only 23% of businesses now seeing them as a barrier to digital transformation. This represents a 10% decline in just 24 months, demonstrating the growing urgency to embrace the transformative power of AI and ML.
“This research shows how urgently businesses want to implement digital technologies that deliver the benefits of AI and ML,” says Marc Rocesvice president of digital offering management at Eaton. “The data center industry will clearly play a key role in this change, as the utility, commercial building and manufacturing sectors will depend on data centers to support their AI journey.
Data centers: the unsung heroes of AI
The study, conducted by S&P Global Market Intelligence, surveyed digital transformation leaders across various industries, including data centers, utilities, buildings and manufacturing.
The study reveals that data centers are at the forefront of this digital revolution, focusing on facility upgrades (42.3%), capacity expansion (38.6%) and optimizing the performance of IT assets (32.8%).
AI: driver of sustainable development
Utilities face the challenge of modernizing outdated infrastructure (55%) while anticipating a significant increase in network capacity needs (40% expect an increase of up to 49%) over the next decade.
Manufacturers see AI as a key part of decarbonization efforts, with 66% believing it can improve their environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) scores. AI is also poised to revolutionize manufacturing processes, with 55% aiming to improve electrical energy monitoring and optimization, 68% focusing on improving digital twin applications, and 64% seeking to advance predictive maintenance.
Sustainability is also a top priority in the construction sector, with 46% focusing on digital transformation to achieve their goals. More than half of large building owners (54%) plan to install building management systems in the next year to optimize energy consumption, and 66% see AI as a future forecasting tool of the use of space.
Conclusion
The findings highlight the urgent need to prioritize digital transformation and AI adoption for businesses in the Asia-Pacific region. By moving away from legacy technologies and adopting innovative solutions like Eaton’s Brightlayer, businesses can unlock the full potential of AI and ML, driving efficiency, sustainability and growth in an evolving digital landscape fast.
However, along the same lines, the study shows that companies are no longer hiding behind legacy systems as a major barrier to AI. They realize that AI is here to stay and can solve more complex problems, and that it is up to them to overcome the challenges they have inherited.
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