THE ERA OFINTELLIGENCE
OFFICE OF THE CTO

THE ERA OF INTELLIGENCE

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THE ERA OFINTELLIGENCE

3 Introduction

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Paul Bray, CTO UK

CHAPTER 4

Securing Borderless BusinessMark Prior

4 CHAPTER 1

Data Driven Decison Making

12

Darren Franklin

CHAPTER 5

Enabling Developer Velocity
Dean Hogan

6 CHAPTER 2

Personalised Experiences
Ashley Richardson

8 CHAPTER 3

Flexible Hybrid Platforms
Paul Nearn

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Summary
Paul Bray, CTO UK

Introduction
Paul Bray, CTO UK
As we raced through 2023, we were poised to becaptivated by, and respond to, new and exciting
trends and technology innovations – as we sooften are in the technology industry.
We’re used to a topic that dominates the technology
conversation, but 2023 just felt different altogether. The
explosive pace of innovation we saw in AI technologies, themajor investments and announcements made as technology
companies sought to embed Generative AI technologies
into their products and services was unprecedented andsomething that nobody could predict.
It was exciting. It was also a bit scary. The enormity of theunforeseen consequences resulting from the rapid surge
of interest in these technologies was staggering, thelonger-term implications set us asking profound questions
about the impact on society, ethics, and people as a whole.
Yet in the face of all of this, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) was
one of the bigger problems, as boardrooms sought answers
and shareholders wanted to ensure that companies wereconsidering the exciting new future.

Whilst AI was the catalyst for this narrative of 2023, and now
2024, it is not the only dynamic. All the AI excitement rests on
data. Good data, reliable data, and a commitment to ethicaluse. Whilst we’ve normalised the notion of “Hybrid Work”, theintricacies of it have yet to be resolved at all – we still deal
with ineffective and inequitable experiences that hold backour productivity and innovation.
As we explore later in this document, defining the rightplatforms as the foundations for innovative and BAU businesssystems is a key challenge both in the pursuit of operational
efficiency and achieving business agility, and connecting,securing, and delivering apps, data, and experiences at scale,in a rapid fashion is the key challenge for IT supporting
the business.
Combining these factors and recognising the opportunity
we coined a phrase - The Era of Intelligence. We see huge
opportunity ahead, huge innovation in technology, hugechange in process and culture – all of which needs to cometogether to deliver on the promises that the title holds.

2023 wasdistinctive, as
Generative AI
made it special.

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CHAPTER 1

Data-Driven
Decision Making
Darren Franklin

The role of data is shaping business strategies,
igniting innovation, and securing a competitiveedge. This affirms that data has a critical role inmodern business.
We are seeing our customers rely less on intuition and pastexperiences for making key business decisions, and more on
the examination of data via sophisticated analysis and AI thattransforms the strategic planning and operational processes.
By leveraging data, it allows businesses to make informed
and better decisions, predict market trends, and understandconsumer behaviour accurately, whilst having the ability tocreate innovative content to open new revenue streams aswell as reduce costs, driving AI to the fore.
We are also seeing a shift in how organisations operate
as they adopt a more customer-centric data strategy thatempowers them to to tailor unique offerings to better
satisfy the demands of their customers, as well as enhanceboth satisfaction and loyalty. Data and AI can ingeniously
reveal untapped innovation opportunities, by analysing
data patterns and gaps in the market that may have beenpreviously obscured.

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Despite this, for many organisations we’re witnessing thatdata, privacy and security are of paramount concern, withmany facing the challenge of exploiting data for growthwhilst at the same time safeguarding sensitive information.
In addition, ethical considerations concerning the use of data
highlight the need for a balanced approach between businessinterests and respecting rights and privacy.

“The indispensable role of data in
the narrative of business successis undeniable.”

We believe that the goal for many organisations is to adopt
a more data-aware strategy. It is paramount that they
understand the critical role that data and AI plays in business,but that sole reliance on these will have their pros and cons.
You can leverage the data that you uncover to gain innovative
insights that may have been previously unknown.

However, they are also able to draw upon other factors,
such as experience and human judgement which cannot be
overlooked. Numerous organisations that we’re working withrecognise that to achieve a truly data-driven business will be
exceptionally challenging – and perhaps the current shift istechnology focussed, as a lot still sits within the culture andleadership of business.

“We are seeing a shift in howorganisations operate as they
adopt a more customer-centric
data strategy.”

The indispensable role of data in business success isundeniable, it is the cornerstone of strategic decisionmaking, a catalyst for innovation, and a means to achieve
a competitive advantage. Data has become the mostprecious resource, but as you navigate through the datadriven landscape, addressing the challenges and ethicalconsiderations associated with data usage is crucial for
unlocking its full potential responsibly.

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CHAPTER 2

Personalised
Experiences
Ashley Richardson
The workplace is in a state of rapidtransformation. Gone are rigid structuresand one-size-fits-all approaches. Today’s
workforce thrives in dynamic environmentsthat cater to a variety of needs andpreferences. This is where personalised
experiences come in – a powerful approachfor unlocking potential in a transformed
workplace, built on people-centric design.

6 6 THETHEERAERAOFOFINTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCEThe Rise of the Personalised Workplace
Remote and hybrid working models have fundamentally
redefined the office experience. Employees now crave
flexibility and autonomy, seeking a working style thatcomplements their lives and working preferences. Optimising
workflows is no longer just about efficiency; it’s about
empowering individuals to perform at their best.
Personalisation takes centre stage here. Imagine an
office that adjusts lighting and temperature based onyour preferences, or a project management system thatrecommends tasks aligned with your strengths. Whenemployees feel valued and supported by a work experience
tailored to their needs, they’re more likely to be productive,
engaged, and loyal.

People-Centric Design: The Heart of Personalisation
The cornerstone of successful personalisation is peoplecentric design. This philosophy places the employee at theheart of every decision, ensuring the workplace caters to theirunique needs and fosters a sense of ownership. Here’s how:
Understanding employee needs: Surveys, one-on-one
meetings, and anonymous feedback mechanisms provide
invaluable insights into employee preferences, learning styles,
and wellbeing needs.

“We believe businesses thrive
when people are offered apersonalised experience.”

Data-driven decisions: Employee behaviour and performancedata allows you to tailor workflows, project assignments,
and training opportunities. Some individuals excel in focusedenvironments, while others thrive in collaborative spaces.
Flexible working arrangements: Empower employeeswith control over their schedules, communication styles,
and workspace set-up. This autonomy fosters ownershipand allows them to work in a way that optimises theirperformance.

Personalisation in Action: Transforming Workflows
Personalisation can revolutionise various aspects of themodern workplace.
L earning and development: Ditch generic training modules.
Personalised learning platforms curate bespoke learning
paths based on employee skills, knowledge gaps, andpreferred learning styles. Interactive courses, gamified
experiences, and microlearning modules cater to different
learning paces and preferences.
Performance management: Move beyond annual reviews.
Regular check-ins, focused goal setting aligned withstrengths, and personalised feedback create a more
continuous and supportive approach.

Workforce analytics: Data analysis optimises workflows
and services. Tasks can be assigned based on individual
strengths and preferences, leading to a more efficient andstreamlined workflow.

Challenges and Considerations
While the benefits are real, there are challenges to consider.
Privacy concerns: Data collection and usage policies need
to be transparent and ensure employee privacy.
Scalability: Implementing personalisation strategies acrossa large workforce can be resource intensive.
Manager training: Managers need training on understanding
diverse work styles and implementing personalised
approaches.

The Personalised Future
We believe businesses thrive when their people are offereda personalised experience. Utilise valuable data within yourorganisation to shape your personalisation strategies. This
includes tools like analytics, surveys, machine learning, and AI,
ensuring the workspace remains user-centric and effective.

“Optimising workflows is nolonger just about efficiency; it’s
about empowering individuals toperform at their best.”
Undertaking data security and governance projects are
essential for a trustworthy, data-driven experience.
Connecting business systems, processes, and a cultureof continuous improvement are key to successful
implementation. The rewards are significant; the ability
to attract and retain top talent, and a thriving, engaged
workforce. In our experience you will need to bring together
various business areas to foster a deeper understandingof the broader employee context required to deliver thistransformation. We can help you understand what matters
to your employees and implement systems that support
workplace modernisation, boost productivity, and drive
personalised experiences.

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CHAPTER 3

Flexible Hybrid
Platforms
Paul Nearn

Dynamic business platforms are imperative to
be competitive in today’s fast-paced businesslandscape.
We design Modern Cloud solutions that are agile andsecure across public cloud, private cloud, multi-cloud,the data center, and the edge – this is what we callthe Flexible Hybrid Platform. Our goal is to enable
workloads and applications to operate seamlessly
across environments enabling flexibility, scalability, andresilience. This approach allows full advantage of different
deployment models and optimises IT infrastructure forunique business needs and goals.
Flexibility and options in platform choice is now critical.
In recent years we have seen a shift from ‘cloud first’ toa more ‘cloud smart’ approach, driven by an application
first mentality. This is not about blindly moving workloads
into public cloud; from our experience we have seen
those initiatives fail because the needs of the application
haven’t been properly considered despite significant
investment in the cloud infrastructure (i.e. the Landing
Zones). When applications are properly assessed, it
becomes clear that they are not all destined for the cloud.

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THE ERA OF INTELLIGENCE

Questions around security, data, regulation, and latency
inform these decisions, and so enterprises should optimise
their on-premise infrastructures as well as leveraging the
public clouds appropriately. Across our customers we see atrend of hybrid platforms because of the flexibility it offers;
allowing the use of existing architectures and investmentsin their data centers while still taking advantage of thecloud’s benefits.

“We believe that the goal should
always be to put the rightworkload with the right data
into the right place.”

We believe that the goal should always be to put the rightworkload with the right data into the right place. Acrosslarge scale organisations this is a complicated process,so we have developed a comprehensive set of solutions
to address the needs of our customers. This starts withdetailed application migration assessments. We have astrong heritage and capability in the traditional data center
where our Data Center-as-a-Service (DCaaS) offering enables
effective technology procurement, infrastructure design,configuration, deployment, repairs, maintenance, and endof use services. And increasingly all these need to align to
ESG and sustainability objectives, in addition to traditional
technology and commercial parameters.

We work with many large enterprises building and supporting
their next generation private clouds, across multiple solution
providers and with the three main hyperscalers, realising ourmulti-cloud architecture blueprint. We believe it is criticalto surround the technology with effective management andgovernance solutions to enable you to operate platforms
holistically and at optimum cost establishing the right
operational people, processes, and tools. There needs to be abetter balance between what lives on premise and what lives
in the public cloud. Taking an application-driven approach
will help you ensure that you optimise performance andreliability, whilst managing cost, in turn enabling you to focus
on delivering better long-term business outcomes.

THE ERA OF INTELLIGENCE

9CHAPTER 4

Securing
BorderlessBusiness
Mark Prior

Every organisation must safeguard two critical
digital assets: its applications and its data. Whilst
this has never been an easy task, it was easier
when the ‘borders’ of the business were welldefined – i.e. when applications and data were
hosted only in private data centers.
Back in the “good old days” a well-guarded perimeter wasusually enough to prevent a bad actor from achieving theirnefarious goals. Those bad actors launched their attacks
from two directions: external cyber criminals attacked theperimeter directly, or internal users, compromised in some
way by external actors or with their own malicious intent,
attacked from within the office or the data center.
These sources of threats haven’t changed, but the newnormal of hybrid working and multi-cloud have made aclassic perimeter-only approach to security ineffective. The
vulnerability of users, applications, and data to cyber attack
for the borderless business are now much greater and are
growing all the time through human innovation powered by AI,
incentivised by the profit motive for organised crime, and how
important cyber-warfare is to Nation States.

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“Solutions and platforms havebeen developed to allow us to‘shift left’ and ensure security isdelivered effectively at source
throughout the application
development and delivery
lifecycle.”
Of course, technology vendors are continually addressing
this expanding threat landscape with innovative solutions.
We have seen major advances in endpoint security to better
protect the user, tied into powerful Software-as-a-Service
platforms that consolidate, unify, and enhance perimetersecurity services to vastly simplify operations and deliver
new protections at pace, including advanced visibility
and observability capabilities. The business can be better
protected from the existential threat of ransomware attacks

through enhanced data protection and restoration solutions.
In addition, many vendors are incorporating and maturing theuse of AI to underpin their solutions, better dealing with ‘Zero
Day’ exploits, enhancing context and correlation of events,and enabling effective and rapid response. The imperative
to further enhance rapid response through automation,orchestration and integration is simplified through theconsolidation offered by unified platforms.
We believe that the availability of modern solutions totackle modern security challenges represents an essential
opportunity for organisations to significantly strengthen
their security posture, but this presents challenges. First,
busy leaders must assess the vast landscape of solutions
to select the relevant and right solutions for their business.
The selected solutions will typically deliver a change froma disparate and diverse landscape of technology to an
enhanced and consolidated model, operating on newprinciples that will deliver stronger and more agile security.

Our services are aligned to help our customers throughout
this unprecedented transformation. Advisory and assessment
services can accelerate and validate solution selection,
and we can support the subsequent technology, people
and process change through our expertise, experience, andmature frameworks for adoption.

“We believe that the availabilityof modern solutions to tackle
modern security challenges
represents an essential
opportunity for organisations.”

To maximise these benefits true transformation will be
required that must address not only the technology, but theoperating model as well.

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CHAPTER 5

Enabling
Developer
Velocity
Dean Hogan

2023 was the year that Generative AI took
centre stage in captivating the imagination ofbusinesses and individuals. Industry keynotes
spun narratives of opportunity and caution,
while boardrooms made plans on leveraging it
to bolster their C-Level imperatives.

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As we move into 2024, Generative AI seamlessly integrates withexisting AI adoption plans, which previously encompassed
Machine Learning for IT operations and Deep Learning toenhance business operations and services. The softwaredevelopment community have felt the impact of Enterprise
AI acutely and is something Gartner highlight in their ‘2024
10 Top Strategic Technology Trends’. They suggest thatsoftware delivery teams will expect to increase their use of
AI-augmented development this year, and that “by 2028, 75%of enterprise software engineers will use AI coding assistants,
up from less than 10% in early 20231.”
They also expect business to invest heavily in building
Intelligent Applications, expanding adoption of business use
cases, and further state that “by 2026, 30% of new apps will
use AI to drive personalised adaptive user interfaces, up fromunder 5% today1.”
Although it is not specifically called out, it could be inferredthat AI-augmented development would be a primarycontributor in increasing developer productivity and therefore
accelerate the delivery of traditional, cloud native andintelligent applications. However, our customer experiencehas shown there are other, far bigger factors to consider that,
if not addressed, may inhibit the benefits AI can offer.

Increasing the pace of code to production is not a simple
matter of a bigger development engine and pushing an
AI-assisted foot to the floor. The challenges of scalingdeveloper teams, handling complex system architectures,and increasing developer productivity demand a much
more considered approach to technology investment, IT
organisation, and transforming of established softwaredelivery processes.
We see AI-Augmented development supporting 3 main areasof the path to production. These are Code Creation, CodeExplanation, and Software Testing. In pursuit of improving
developer performance, it may be tempting to start with CodeCreation, something that Microsoft, GitHub and MiT examinedin control group study early in 2023, prior to the release of
GitHub Co-Pilot. The study identified that developers could
complete code related tasks 55% quicker when assisted byGenerative AI features2. This sounds truly impactful, however
the study also highlighted that these gains were realised
when used by junior developers across the group, and with
Senior developers benefiting far less.

By 2026, 30% of new apps will
use AI to drive personalised
adaptive user interfaces, up
from under 5% today.”
Gartner, 2024
This suggests that while AI Code Creation can potentiallyreduce the meant time-to-productivity for a newly onboarded,
lower skilled developer, as they mature, there will be adiminishing return from AI in code creation. An additional
factor worth considering is that AI-augmented code creation
would likely be implemented to enable AI-pair programming,
where developers work in pairs to ensure quality in code andtest creation. While there are some pair-programming styles
that could benefit, examples such as Driver-Navigator may
demand teams adapt their pair-programming techniques.

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Undoubtedly, business benefits can be realised from AIaugmented development, and the enterprise imperatives
for building Intelligent Applications in its digital business will
support the business case. But what of the other technicalactivities developers are tasked with, those that often resultin increased context switching, and demand time away fromcode creation? It is now widely recognised that improving
productivity for developers demands businesses empower
developers, create an environment for them to innovate,
and remove points of friction. Introducing capabilities that
address these is referred to as Developer Velocity.
Our experience has shown that supporting developers witha flexible, feature-rich and integrated developer platform
can enhance collaboration and sharing of curated code, andprovide re-usable CI/CD pipelines that automatically include
security controls. Accompany this with container platforms
for automating the deployment and scaling of applications
across multiple infrastructure environment and embedded

14 THE ERA OF INTELLIGENCE“Undoubtedly, businessbenefits can be realised from
AI-augmented development”.
observability for improving situational awareness acrosssystems, and a developer’s experience is greatly enhanced.
These capabilities not only directly contribute to developer
productivity but are critical in freeing the senior and higher
cost developer community to innovate with AI, enable
Developer Velocity and drive new digital business outcomes.
Success in achieving this will unlikely be dependent on abusiness’s ability to implement developer platforms, it will
be dependent on IT leaders’ ability to implement build in an
approach to drive adoption.

Summary
Paul Bray
The Era of Intelligence. As you speak the words
and reflect on the hype and noise of the market, it
may make you think that we’re there.

businesses face in understanding these technologies;
breaking through the hype, identifying use cases, ROI, andimplementing the core foundations upon which their future
success wholly depends.

The perspectives in this document explain some, but certainly
not all, of the considerations for embracing this opportunity
throughout the IT landscape. We are dealing with a nascentconcept, but one that has significant mileage as we “buy-in”
to the opportunities and promise of AI, quantum computing,ubiquitous connectivity, data processing at the edge andmany other trends.

Some organisations will be early to adopt, some will follow
behind and benefit from the learnings of others. There is somuch to learn and understand, and the window to do that
seems to get shorter year after year.

We remain excited by the opportunity. We see huge change
in all industries servicing their customers, improving
internal delivery, and managing their business goals. Yet
we are resolutely pragmatic as to the core challenges that

Whatever way you choose to go about it...

...now is the time toembrace The Era ofIntelligence.

Sources:
1. 2024 10 Top Strategic Technology Trends, Gartner
2. The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot
THE ERA OF INTELLIGENCE 15

The Office of the CTO
Computacenter’s Office of the CTO (OCTO) team leads in the
exploration and application of technology products anddelivery methodology to aid the digital transformation of
our customers. As a team of cross-functional technologists
with extensive industry and IT experience we deliver
thought leadership, advice, and real-world implementation
experience to help our customers achieve their goals.

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