Emerging Technologies Enabled by the Cloud

Artificial Intelligence

AI gets smarter (or intelligent) by processing data to learn and adjust, and 70 percent of enterprises are expected to implement AI by the end of 2018. The more data the AI can process, the smarter it can be. In a world that’s generating data in volumes, we couldn’t even imagine 10 years ago, that takes a lot of computing power. Both the data and the need for computing power will only increase as more data is generated by driverless cars and IoT devices and plain old human usage of technology such as video. Cloud computing makes this possible by providing both the storage space and the power to do the computing as needed.

Smart Cities

Because it enables the storage and processing of vast amounts of data, cloud computing also enables smart cities. Smart cities are municipalities using technology to do everything from regulating and monitoring utilities to the timing of traffic lights and the scheduling of the transit system. This wouldn’t be possible without the cloud. Even if cities aren’t deliberately set out to be “smart,” they will have to have some kind of digital infrastructure in the near future—and that will be provided by the cloud.

Driverless Cars and Trucks

In a similar way, cloud computing enables driverless—or autonomous—cars and trucks. Some of the new features we expect to come standard in our cars are already enabled by the cloud, such as our GPS devices and apps that let us know about traffic congestion. But for driverless cars and trucks, a constant feedback loop of data between the vehicle and the cloud must happen for the cars and trucks to safely navigate roads and situations.

The Internet of Things

And then there’s the explosive growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). Gartner predicts the number of IoT devices will reach 50 billion by 2020. Although the IoT is indisputably an emerging technology, one that generates and requires massive amounts of data and fast connectivity, we get into a kind of cycle when we talk about IoT and cloud computing. IoT needs cloud computing but it is also driving yet another new technology: edge computing. The challenge with IoT devices is a need for computing that’s closer to the source, and therefore the need for edge computing. So the cloud helps to make IoT possible which drives the need for edge…and it keeps evolving from there!

The Cloud Also Enables Innovation

In addition to enabling these big-picture technologies that can affect us all, cloud computing can also drive innovation and competitive advantage at the enterprise level by making it possible for organizations to develop and test products in new ways. One pundit says 90 percent of business models might be driven by cloud computing by the year 2020.

Is Your Future in the Cloud?

The above is only a quick rundown of a few of the ways cloud computing enables and even drives emerging technologies. For you as a prospective cloud professional, it’s obviously a fortuitous time to move into cloud computing…or to move up the ladder if you’re already there. The job demand is strong yet the pool of qualified candidates is small: 46 percent of firms see the skills gap growing primarily because 96 percent of workers lack advanced skills. And with these new technologies emerging, new jobs will be created every day: Cloud is the second biggest driver of demand for technology skills, and these cloud computing jobs pay very well: For proof, see this list of 12 cloud computing jobs that pay over $113,000 per year. The salary for a cloud architect averaged $142,000 in October 2018.

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Conclusion

If you’d like to move your future into the cloud, turn to Simplilearn Cloud Computing courses for a head start. We offer certifications and courses in AWS, Azure, blockchain, Google Cloud, Kubernetes and more—much more. Study to be a cloud architect, get to know blockchain or focus on one vendor like Azure. Courses are available for anywhere, anytime learning so you can set the pace and study while keeping up with your current job, while plenty of hands-on projects make the learning stick.

We already have a disturbing lack of qualified cloud computing professionals, and the cloud’s role in enabling and driving emerging technologies will no doubt create even more jobs in the coming years. Make your career move into this field, and watch your career evolve right alongside the cloud.