CloudTechVibe

Public cloud computing is one of the IT industry’s most dynamic and disruptive forces, offering unprecedented scalability, agility, and innovation. According to Gartner, worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is forecast to grow 20.4% to $678.8 billion in 2024, up from $563.6 billion in 20231. As public cloud adoption matures, new trends are emerging that will shape the future of cloud computing in the next few years. Here are some of the key public cloud trends to look for in 2024:

Cloud and AI, a powerful duo

Artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are two technologies that complement each other perfectly. The cloud provides the infrastructure, data, and computing power that AI needs to operate, while AI enhances cloud services’ capabilities, efficiency, and security. In 2024, we can expect to see more cloud-based AI applications and platforms enabling organizations to leverage the benefits of both technologies. For example, cloud-based AI services can help automate tasks, optimize processes, generate insights, and create new value propositions. Additionally, AI can help improve the performance, reliability, and scalability of cloud infrastructure and platform services.

Pay as you go through serverless computing

Serverless computing is a cloud computing model that abstracts away the underlying infrastructure and allows developers to focus on writing code and delivering value. Serverless computing eliminates the need to provision, manage, and scale servers and charges users only for the resources they consume. In 2024, serverless computing will become more mainstream and accessible as more cloud providers offer serverless options for various use cases and scenarios. Serverless computing can enable faster development, lower costs, and greater flexibility for cloud-native applications.

The rise of the industry-specific cloud

As cloud computing becomes more ubiquitous and pervasive, different industries and sectors will have different needs and requirements for cloud services. In 2024, we will see more industry-specific cloud solutions catering to each vertical’s unique challenges and opportunities. For example, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and retail are some industries that can benefit from cloud solutions tailored to their specific regulations, standards, workflows, and customer expectations. Industry-specific cloud solutions can help organizations achieve higher efficiency, compliance, and innovation levels in their respective domains.

Going multi-cloud is an increasingly popular strategy

Multi-cloud is a cloud computing strategy that involves using multiple cloud providers and services to meet an organization’s diverse and dynamic needs. Multi-cloud can offer several advantages, such as avoiding vendor lock-in, optimizing costs, enhancing performance, and mitigating risks. In 2024, multi-cloud will become a more common and preferred strategy for many organizations as they seek to leverage the best of what each cloud provider offers. However, multi-cloud also comes with challenges like complexity, interoperability, and governance. Therefore, organizations must adopt practical tools and practices to manage and orchestrate their multi-cloud environments.

Containerized cloud applications increase interoperability

Containers are a technology that enables developers to package and run applications in isolated and portable environments. Containers can help simplify and accelerate the development, deployment, and management of cloud applications and improve their interoperability and portability across different cloud platforms. In 2024, containers will become more prevalent and essential for cloud applications as more cloud providers and users adopt and support container technologies. Containers can also enable new paradigms, such as microservices and hybrid cloud, that can enhance cloud applications’ scalability, modularity, and flexibility.

Hybrid and edge computing are blurring traditional distinctions

A hybrid cloud is a computing model combining public and private cloud resources to create a unified and optimized environment. Edge computing is a distributed computing model that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources and users of data, such as devices, sensors, and applications. In 2024, hybrid and edge computing will become more integrated and complementary as they offer solutions to the limitations and challenges of traditional cloud computing, such as latency, bandwidth, security, and sovereignty. Hybrid and edge computing can enable new use cases and scenarios, such as IoT, 5G, and AR/VR, that require high performance, low latency, and real-time data processing.

Cloud drives innovation in blockchain, IoT, and quantum computing

Blockchain, IoT, and quantum computing are three emerging technologies that have the potential to revolutionize various domains and industries. Cloud computing can play a vital role in enabling and accelerating the adoption and innovation of these technologies by providing the necessary infrastructure, platforms, and services. In 2024, we will see more cloud-based solutions that leverage blockchain, IoT, and quantum computing to address complex and novel problems, such as supply chain transparency, smart cities, and quantum cryptography.