High-growth firms predict AI transforming industries – Dell survey
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA and WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — Generative AI (GenAI) and artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to revolutionize industries, according to 81% of Australian and New Zealand respondents in Dell Technologies‘ Innovation Catalyst Research.
This sentiment is even stronger among high-growth firms, with 89% of organizations reporting over 25% revenue growth in 2023, anticipating a transformative impact.
The research, which surveyed 6,600 IT and business decision-makers in 40 countries from September to November 2023, highlights widespread optimism about AI and genAI’s potential.
In the ANZ region, 80% of respondents believe they are well-prepared for these changes and boast robust competitive strategies. However, despite this confidence, over half of those surveyed (52%) remain unsure about the future look of their industries within the next three to five years, and 53% report struggling to keep up.
Challenges in GenAI implementation
While 61% of businesses have begun incorporating genAI into their operations, concerns are growing about new security and privacy risks. Seventy-five percent of respondents fear new security and privacy issues, and 72% are concerned about data and intellectual property exposure to third parties.
“Cybersecurity and genAI are top of the agenda for Australian and New Zealand businesses, and there’s great optimism about how genAI will transform the way organisations operate,” said Dell Technologies ANZ vice president and managing director Angela Fox.
“However, local business leaders, particularly with the recent large scale data breaches still top of mind, need to continue to invest in their security posture, with just 68% pursuing a Zero Trust strategy, compared to 89% globally.”
Conversely, respondents cite GenAI’s potential to deliver value in improving IT security posture (51%), productivity gains (48%), and customer experience (49%).
Cybersecurity remains a top concern
Cybersecurity continues to be challenging, with 81% of ANZ respondents reporting security attacks in the past 12 months. While 88% are pursuing a Zero Trust deployment strategy (compared to 89% globally), and 79% have an Incident Response Plan, employee negligence remains a threat.
Seventy percent believe some employees circumvent IT security guidelines due to perceived productivity delays, and 61% view insider threats as a major concern.
Modern infrastructure fuels innovation
The research highlights the critical role of modern data infrastructure as technologies like GenAI gather pace and data volumes increase. Investing in a modern, scalable infrastructure was cited as the top area for accelerating innovation, with 75% of IT decision-makers preferring on-premises or hybrid models to address GenAI implementation challenges.
With skills shortages, sustainability, and IT-business alignment emerging as key concerns, the research underscores the need for organizations to adapt swiftly to the AI revolution.
