Connect with us

Technology

Top Five Applications Priorities for Technology Leaders in 2024 Published in New Report by Info-Tech Research Group

Published

on

Info-Tech’s Applications Priorities 2024 report highlights the transformative strategies technology leaders will need to consider for this year, including digital experience enhancement, AI democratization, predictive solution management, multisource ecosystem integration, and intelligent solution delivery. By embracing the global IT research and advisory firm’s recommended priorities, organizations can better align their application strategies with evolving business goals, fostering innovation and competitive advantage in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of the digital era, which has been marked by exponential advancements in AI and technology, the strategic deployment of modern, practical applications has become indispensable for sustaining competitive advantage and realizing business goals. Info-Tech Research Group’s recently published Applications Priorities 2024 report offers a comprehensive guide for applications leaders as it outlines the adoption of emerging technologies and practices to enhance organizational capabilities in 2024 and beyond.

Info-Tech’s annual report identifies five key priorities that range from delivering exceptional digital experiences to democratizing AI access. The recommended priorities are set to redefine the role of applications in driving business success this year. By focusing on these areas, IT and applications leaders can ensure their application portfolios are not just current but are also driving innovation and competitive advantage in their industry.

“Applications are critical components in any business strategic plan. They can directly influence an organization’s ability to be dynamic, flexible, and responsive to changing expectations, business conditions, and technologies,” says Andrew Kum-Seun, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. “Business leaders are continuously looking for innovative ways to better position their application portfolios to satisfy their goals and objectives, which is achieved through applications priorities. Given the scope and costs involved, these priorities must be carefully crafted to clearly state achievable business outcomes that satisfy the different needs of diverse groups of customers, stakeholders, and users.”

The Applications Priorities 2024 report outlines the key disruptors applications teams face that have an impact on how work is conducted, how services are delivered, and how organizations interact with their customers. From the democratization of IT enabling more user-driven development through no-code platforms to the constraints of budgets that limit growth and innovation, the digital landscape is rapidly evolving. Info-Tech’s report emphasizes the importance for applications leaders and their organizations to acknowledge these disruptors and adapt to them, which can help not only mitigate risks but also create new opportunities for growth and innovation.

“Expectations on applications teams are increasing because of business operations’ growing reliance on applications, data, and other technologies,” says Bhavya Vora, research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. “Stakeholders and executives must invest in the alleviation of these application delivery and management challenges to effectively deliver on their organization’s priorities.”

Drawing on a wealth of data and insights, the new report leverages findings from experts in the industry as well as data from Info-Tech’s CEO-CIO Alignment diagnostic and CIO Business Vision diagnostic. Additional data was also gathered and analyzed from Info-Tech’s Tech Trends 2024 report, as well as the HR Trends Report 2024 from the firms’ McLean & Company division.

The Applications Priorities 2024 report provides applications leaders with a comprehensive overview of the applications landscape. The report highlights the following five key initiatives essential for navigating the complexities of today’s digital environment, driving innovation, and aligning application strategies with an organization’s overarching goals for 2024 and the coming years:

Digital Experience – deliver valuable user, customer, employee, and brand experiences. 
At the heart of a modern business strategy, digital experience (DX) refers to the entirety of interactions between a user and an organization through digital products and services. To harness the full potential of DX, the report advises applications leaders to define and build a digital business strategy that prioritizes user, employee, and customer needs. Key recommendations include focusing on DX and quality in product and service delivery, fostering collaborative delivery practices, and continuously monitoring and managing digital products and services. Additionally, the selection and delivery of DX technologies, coupled with strong stakeholder, partner, and vendor relationships, is essential for sustaining a dynamic and responsive digital system.Democratized AI – Extend AI access to everyone in the organization. 
As AI increasingly becomes an executive priority, the push for its widespread adoption throughout organizations is gaining tremendous momentum. According to the report, 40% of organizations have already invested in AI and ML, and 47% anticipate a positive business impact. Democratized AI has emerged as a key step in business process automation and an organization’s AI journey. This initiative aims to make AI tools accessible to a wide range of organizational members, irrespective of their technical expertise, thereby fostering an inclusive environment for innovation. However, scaled AI implementations come with many challenges that must be addressed to fully realize the benefits of this priority. In the report, the firm advises applications leaders to identify potential AI use cases and assess the various AI tooling options. By optimizing AI-supporting capabilities and establishing a scalable AI deployment and governance framework, organizations can gradually integrate AI, unlocking its full potential across various business functions.Predictive Solution Management – Predict, prevent, and mitigate solution issues before they happen. 
Moving beyond traditional application maintenance, predictive solution management proactively addresses potential issues before they impact operations. This advanced approach uses data analytics, statistical models, and forecasting to anticipate and mitigate future system challenges. The report recommends applications leaders reinforce their maintenance strategies by assessing the health and technical debt of their applications. Info-Tech further advises embracing site reliability engineering (SRE) and DevOps methodologies, making IT operations insights widely accessible for broader consumption, and integrating AI within IT operations and applications teams. By adopting these practices, organizations can ensure their applications remain robust, reliable, and aligned with evolving business needs.Multisource Ecosystem – Manage a mutually beneficial ecosystem composed of internally and externally managed solutions and partners.
Info-Tech’s report describes this approach as an integrated network of internally and externally sourced technologies. The essence of a multisource ecosystem lies in its ability to foster mutually beneficial relationships among a diverse array of partners, customers, and technology partners. Multisource ecosystems thrive on the seamless integration of data and workflows across various domains, including departments, tools, systems, customers, suppliers, and external partners. Unlike traditional hierarchical structures, these ecosystems are dynamic, with partnerships that are adaptable and not managed in a manner similar to an integrated organization. They are built on changing and sometimes voluntary partnerships and collaboration among independent entities that can form and break apart suddenly. To take full advantage of a multisource ecosystem, applications leaders should define and articulate clear goals, develop a sourcing partner strategy, strengthen enterprise integration practices, manage their solution architecture and application portfolio, and foster strong relationships with all stakeholders.Intelligent Solution Delivery – Embed AI into your solution delivery practice. 
With mounting demands for high-value solutions amid limited resources and complex environments, embedding AI into solution delivery practices is often viewed as an ideal test pilot. AI’s potential to enhance productivity, generate usable test data, and preemptively identify issues positions it as a transformative force within the solution delivery lifecycle (SDLC). Some of the prominent AI applications that are making strides in the field include synthetic data generation, automated code creation, defect forecasting and debugging, and UI design and prototyping, as well as requirements documentation and elicitation. The firm recommends that applications leaders focus on optimizing their SDLC practice and explore different AI and automated SDLC tools to elevate their solution delivery frameworks this year.

The Applications Priorities 2024 report also includes insights in the form of case studies from organizations and their clients, such as Mastercard, Bloomberg, Carousel, e-Estonia, and GitHub Copilot.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve at an exponential pace, the Applications Priorities 2024 report provides applications leaders with a guide to optimizing their application portfolios and teams. By implementing the outlined priorities, leaders can ensure their application strategies are not only aligned with their organizational objectives but are designed to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge. This approach will enable applications leaders to transform their application portfolios into dynamic assets that respond effectively to the changing demands of the business environment, fostering a culture of agility and sustained growth.

Those interested in exploring the specific 2024 applications priorities recommended by Info-Tech Research Group are invited to register for the firm’s webinar on Wednesday, March 6, at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT.

For exclusive media commentary from Andrew Kum-Seun and Bhavya Vora, experts in applications management and SDLC optimization, or to access the complete Applications Priorities 2024 report, please contact pr@infotech.com.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world’s leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For more than 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to view the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/top-five-applications-priorities-for-technology-leaders-in-2024-published-in-new-report-by-info-tech-research-group-302065081.html

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

Continue Reading

Technology

Axon Announces Body 5: Next-Generation Camera Built for the AI Era

Published

on

By

Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power of earlier-generation cameras, with upgraded connectivity, audio and battery life to support real-time situational awareness in the field

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the global leader in public safety technology, today announced Axon Body 5, its newest body-worn camera designed to bring more powerful intelligence, connectivity and real-time support directly to officers in the field.

For years, Axon body cameras have helped agencies capture critical evidence and create greater transparency. Body 5 is built to help officers during the call, with information, assistance and backup on the spot.

“Officers shouldn’t have to choose between getting information and watching the scene. With Axon Body 5, they don’t,” said Rick Smith, Axon Founder and CEO. “They capture a license or document with the camera, keep their hands free and eyes up, and get information faster than writing it down and calling it in by radio. An officer fully engaged with the person in front of them, not down at a notepad, is a safer officer and a better-served community.”

Axon Body 5: Built for the AI Era

Built from the ground up for the AI era, Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power than earlier generation Axon body cameras, alongside advancements in connectivity, audio, video and battery life. Together, these upgrades give the camera the physical power to run smarter AI features — both today and as new AI tools are developed in the future — while also making it more dependable for officers to use every day. 

For the first time, Axon is also introducing two versions of its latest flagship camera: Axon Body 5 and Axon Body 5 Pro.

Both models feature several key advancements, including:

25x more processing power for AI: A powerful new computing architecture creates the capacity to support current and future AI features directly on the body camera.Enhanced video: Improved video captures clearer evidence across challenging environments, including better low-light performance.Improved connectivity: Seamless connectivity in urban and remote environments – and more precise location capability – helps officers, cameras and remote support teams stay connected when timely information matters most.Longer battery life: 20% more battery life than the previous generation helps keep the camera ready and connected throughout an officer’s shift.

The Axon Body 5 Pro will continue to gain new AI capabilities as they become available, growing along with the AI Era Plan. Additionally, new hardware features include:

A near-focus camera: An additional dedicated camera lens lets officers scan driver’s licenses to check status and search for wants or warrants in seconds, without returning to the patrol vehicle, with relevant information sent to Axon Fusus to support real-time operations.Front-facing speakers: Four additional speakers project even more powerful audio toward the person an officer is speaking with, helping real-time translations from Axon Assistant carry more clearly over heavy traffic or crowd noise. Additional memory: Extra space lets the camera run several AI tools at once, helping officers stay better informed and work faster.

Bringing More of Axon’s AI Era Into the Field

Axon Body 5 helps officers get more out of the Axon AI Era Plan by bringing smart tools right to the scene. Axon’s portfolio already supports public safety professionals across a growing range of tasks. For example, Draft One helps officers turn body-camera audio into high-quality report drafts and Axon Assistant provides voice-based information access and real-time translation.

Increasingly, Axon is also bringing AI into real-time operations.

Axon Guardian is a new category of AI features within the AI Era Plan that was specifically created to work with an officer’s field-based devices – starting with body cameras and in-car cameras – to improve safety. Guardian is designed to flag potential risks as situations unfold and create alerts when additional attention may be needed. Two of the first features include:

Escalation Detection: When an Axon Body 4 or Axon Body 5 camera is activated and recording, Guardian has the ability to detect potential conflicts in real time and create an alert in Axon Fusus. A human reviews the livestream and decides if additional support or action is needed.Approach Alert: When active on Axon Fleet 3, Guardian can detect if the door of a stopped vehicle opens and alert the officer through the in-car display and their body-worn camera.

Combined, Axon Body 5 and the expanding AI Era portfolio demonstrate the importance of AI as a critical resource to assist public safety professionals before, during and after an incident — reducing administrative burden, improving situational awareness and helping protect more lives.

Innovating Responsibly

Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework guides the development of all of its products. Designed with this in mind, Axon Body 5 and Guardian prioritize human oversight and maintain agency control over data. As a key part of the responsible innovation process, Axon’s independent Ethics and Equity Advisory Council was created to help responsibly develop and deploy new technologies with transparency, while aligning with community expectations.

General availability dates for Axon Body 5 and Axon Guardian will be announced soon. Product features and capabilities vary by configuration. For more information on Axon’s current products and services: Axon Product Catalog – Axon.com.

About Axon
Axon (Nasdaq: AXON) is the global leader in public safety technology supporting state, local, federal and international public safety agencies with technology designed to Protect Life. Complementing its mission, Axon’s growing Enterprise market focuses on protecting critical infrastructure and frontline workers across multiple industries including corporate security, hospitality, retail and healthcare. Founder-led since 1993, Axon builds products with transparency and responsibility. From TASER energy devices to today’s connected network of hardware – including cameras, drones, and robotics – cloud software, sensors, and AI-tools, the Axon ecosystem helps seamlessly protect people and places when it matters most. To ensure these technologies align with community expectations, Axon’s independent Ethics & Equity Advisory Council guides the ethical, inclusive, and accountable design of its products and services. Learn more about the EEAC and Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework at Axon Responsibility. 

Non-Axon trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Axon, TASER and the Delta Logo are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

Please visit https://investor.axon.com and https://www.axon.com/newsroom for more information.

Media Contact:
Kate MacKinnon
Vice President, Communications
press@axon.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/axon-announces-body-5-next-generation-camera-built-for-the-ai-era-302918553.html

SOURCE Axon

Continue Reading

Technology

In HelloNation, Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle Explains a Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design

Published

on

By

The article explains why smart geometry, not thicker walls, creates stronger, more efficient aluminum components.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What early design choice causes many custom aluminum projects to become heavier, costlier, or harder to manufacture? That question is addressed in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle of American Custom Metals, Inc. in Rochester, New York, that outlines how misunderstanding aluminum behavior leads designers to rely on thick walls instead of stronger geometry.

The article begins by explaining that many people assume thicker walls automatically make aluminum parts stronger. It notes that aluminum does not respond to wall thickness the way steel does. Instead, its performance is shaped by how the metal flows through the extrusion die. The article states that custom aluminum design is more effective when profiles use ribs, chambers, and flanges to create stiffness without adding unnecessary weight. This guidance helps readers understand why adding material often increases cost without improving strength.

The article also highlights that thicker walls change how aluminum moves during extrusion. When heavy areas fill more slowly, the metal cools unevenly and can develop stress that only appears later. The HelloNation piece explains that well-balanced geometry keeps extrusion smooth and predictable. This consistency makes it easier to maintain dimensional accuracy across long production runs. By focusing on geometry, custom aluminum design avoids the problems that come with slow extrusion speeds and uneven cooling.

Another insight in the article centers on how ribs and internal supports influence stability. It describes how a thin wall supported by a properly placed rib often performs better than a thick wall with no reinforcement. This happens because the rib helps distribute load, improve stiffness, and guide the aluminum as it cools. The article explains that this structural approach makes custom aluminum design more efficient and gives designers more control over how the final part behaves under pressure.

The article also shows why early collaboration between designer and fabricator prevents costly changes. It states that a fabricator familiar with extrusion can catch potential issues before a die is built. Small adjustments to corners or transitions can remove weak points or improve metal flow. The article notes that this teamwork keeps the design aligned with real-world production. By working together early, both sides reduce the risk of redesigning the die after the first test run.

Machining is another area where the article explains how wall thickness affects performance. Features such as deep pockets or sharp internal angles may require slow feed rates or special tooling. When walls are thicker than needed, those areas can become difficult to machine cleanly. The article states that thoughtful custom aluminum design makes machining more predictable. Small changes, such as adding radiused edges or sizing features to match standard tools, help shorten cycle times and prevent tool wear.

Thermal behavior receives detailed attention as well. The article explains that aluminum retains heat differently depending on the mass of each section. Thicker walls hold heat longer, which increases the chance of distortion during extrusion, machining, or finishing. When a design uses geometry to create strength, the material cools more evenly. This reduces warping and helps long profiles stay aligned. The article notes that stable cooling is important for components that require a precise fit and consistent shape throughout an entire production run.

Cost is also a key topic in the article. It states that heavier profiles increase material use, extrusion time, and tooling needs. A custom aluminum design that relies on geometry instead of mass lowers material consumption and keeps the fabrication process efficient. The article explains that lighter parts are easier to handle, ship, and assemble. This saves money across multiple stages of production and supports long-term manufacturing efficiency.

The article also notes that smart custom aluminum design creates profiles that behave predictably during extrusion and machining. Smooth transitions, balanced wall dimensions, and structural features help reduce the chance of distortion or dimensional drift. These elements also lower scrap rates and support reliable performance. By using geometry instead of excess material, designers build parts that maintain strength without compromising manufacturability.

As the article concludes, it emphasizes that avoiding thick walls is one of the best ways to improve performance and lower cost. It states that the most dependable custom aluminum components come from designs that use structural features to strengthen the profile. When designers understand how aluminum behaves at each stage of extrusion and machining, they create parts that are strong, efficient, and consistent from batch to batch. This approach turns custom aluminum design into a predictable process rather than a series of uncertain adjustments.

A Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design features insights from Mark Coyle, Custom Fabrication Expert of Rochester, NY, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-hellonation-custom-fabrication-expert-mark-coyle-explains-a-common-mistake-in-custom-aluminum-design-302918282.html

SOURCE HelloNation

Continue Reading

Technology

World Young Scientist Summit 2026 Opens in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

Published

on

By

WENZHOU, China, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report by China Daily:

On October 24, the World Young Scientist Summit 2026 opened in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. The event is hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and the World Association of Young Scientists. Nearly 800 representatives, including scientists, educators, and entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries and regions, are attending the summit.

He Junke, Vice President of CAST in charge of daily work and First Secretary of its Secretariat; Lian Yimin, Chairman and Party Group Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Marcelo Knobel, Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences; and Zhang Zhenfeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Wenzhou Municipal Committee, attended the summit and delivered remarks. Yao Gaoyuan, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, presided over the first segment of the plenary session.

With the theme “Gathering Talents Worldwide to Create a Better Future,” the summit’s annual agenda is “Global Youth Action in the AI Era: Building a Sustainable Future.” It aims to draw on the insights of young people around the world, deepen international sci-tech cooperation, and jointly address questions about young people, science, the world and the future.

Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chen Yunji, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Processor Chips; Mary Garson, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and Lu Chaoyang, Member of the Standing Committee of CAST, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, and Chairman of the Council of the World Association of Young Scientists, delivered keynote speeches respectively on education reform in the AI era, AI and processor chips, young women scientists’ participation in science, and quantum computing. They explored new opportunities for scientific research, talent cultivation, and international cooperation in the AI era.

This year’s summit placed greater emphasis on the growth needs of young scientists, with young talents under the age of 45 accounting for 88 percent of participants. It aimed to build a cluster of international journals, bring together young scientific talent, facilitate a batch of international collaborative projects and advance the application and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. The summit released the Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Young Scientists in the Field of Embodied Intelligence, launched the World Young Scientist Summit Partner Journal Program and the 2026 World Young Scientist Innovation and Entrepreneurship Growth Support Program. It also published the “Young Scientist Pioneers 2035” list and announced the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award. The awards were presented to four Chinese and foreign scientists.

Chen Tianrun, Founder of Hangzhou Moxin Technology Co., Ltd.; Yuan Yang, Assistant to the Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences at Tsinghua University; and two of the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award winners, César de la Fuente and Nicola Segata, among other Chinese and foreign young scientist representatives, spoke at the flash-talk session to share their research practices and reflections.

In addition, the conference focused on fields such as future manufacturing, quantum information, embodied intelligence, brain-computer intelligence, environmental science, deep-sea resources, and life and health, and held 12 parallel forums. It also included the “Gravitation π” Future Technology and Concept Products Exhibition and Exchange, local thematic side events, and sci-tech and humanities study visits, further building an interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector platform for youth sci-tech exchange and cooperation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-young-scientist-summit-2026-opens-in-wenzhou-zhejiang-302918664.html

SOURCE China Daily

Continue Reading

Trending