Data and data analytics in 2020

Now that the 2010s have officially come to a close, it’s time to look ahead at what the 2020s are going to bring. ZDNet recently published Andrew Brust’s data and analytics predictions for 2020, in an article titled “Data and analytics in 2020: Industry predictions.” Here’s a quick roundup of what he’s expecting this year.

• Hadoop & Big Data: Brust reports that although there’s been a lot of talk about Hadoop being dead, but parts of the Hadoop system will continue on. As far as big data, it’s evolving from just collecting large amounts of data from many sources to collecting and developing analytical models that allow for better understanding of the data lake.
• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: Brust speculates that AI and ML will begin to merge with data analytics. However, there are a few items of note when it comes to the future of these technologies, most notably opinions about AI ethics and fairness. “In the next year, organizations will start using ‘Ethics in AI’ to drive the way new applications of AI are conceptualized and designed from scratch,” Parameswaran Venkataram, chief design officer, Fractal, says in Brust’s article.
• Operations: Processes built around AI and operationalizing AI are also expected to increase in 2020.
• The Cloud: Brust reports that cloud-based operations solutions will proliferate, quoting Eric Raab SVP of product and engineering at Information Builders, and Kabir Choudry, VP of field technical engineering: “… there are now proven solutions that are purpose-built for cloud-based operation. 2020 will see the floodgates open with organizations moving to the cloud to take advantage of usability, scalability and flexibility of cloud-native solutions.”
• Hybrid & Multi-Cloud Approaches: Increasingly sophisticated hybrid and multi-cloud approaches are expected to grow in 2020. This includes greater interoperability between clouds and mastered multi-cloud and on-premise offerings, Brust reports.
• Kubernetes (K8s): This open source container orchestration technology will only get bigger, Brust reports, noting that there is concern around maintaining the skills to manage K8s. Stephen Fabel, director of product at Canonical, is quoted in the article saying: “Kubernetes has become an integral part of modern cloud infrastructure and serves as a gateway to building and experimenting with new technology. … We think this trend will continue at strength in 2020. … We may also see some companies questioning whether K8s is really the correct tool for their purposes.”
• Skills Shortage: As we reported on Workforce Week, the skills shortage will continue and retraining and upskilling current staff will be a key part of overcoming this challenge. Increased recruitment efforts for top analytics talent will also need to be a focus. This challenge will be exacerbated when it comes to experts in AI and ML, Brust reports.
• Data Privacy: Brust expects that data privacy protection and governance will be a top concern in 2020. “It’s all coming to a head,” he says. Efforts like privacy by default will grow in the next year.

Read the full article on ZDNet.com.