IT Trends: Tech, Strategy, Hiring, and More in 2024

Information Technology (IT) is a fast-paced, ever-changing domain. Staying current with the latest trends is essential for both established and aspiring professionals. In the following article, you’ll find general and industry-specific IT trends related to emerging technologies, infrastructure, and jobs. First, let’s look at 2023 to identify persistent trends that may continue to shape the industry. 

2023 IT trends: Where are they now?

Technological research and consulting firm Gartner reported the following three movements among the "top 10 strategic technology trends of 2023” [1]: 

1. AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRISM). According to IBM data, 30 percent of global IT professionals say employees are saving time using AI tools and automation in their organization [2]. AI TRISM is a framework designed to increase transparency, protect data, and enforce AI ethics. It includes both technology and methodology. AI TRISM continues to emerge alongside AI advancements, topping the list of Gartner’s top 10 strategic technology trends of 2024 [3]. 

2. Sustainable technology. Sustainable technology is defined as solutions that increase the efficiency of IT services, conserve resources, and help both organizations and consumers reach their sustainability goals. Although technology is the primary focus, methodologies, and strategies also contribute to sustainable technology in IT. Sustainable technology moved up from 10th place in Gartner’s 2023 list to third place in 2024 [3].

3. Metaverse. In 2022, Gartner predicted that 25 percent of people would spend at least an hour per day in the metaverse by 2026 [4]. It’s important to note that the metaverse is not limited to Mark Zuckerburg’s metaverse. The metaverse is an amalgamation of vendors creating a virtual reality environment with immersive experiences and an economy. Around 400 million people use the metaverse today, but over half of them are under 13 years old, and 83.5 percent are under 18 [5]. Most popular digital platforms include Roblox and Minecraft, centering entertainment over other predicted usages such as work, shopping, and education.

Read more: AI Ethics: What It Is and Why It Matters

IT industry trends in 2024

In recent years, hype has cycled rapidly for technologies ranging from NFT art to ChatGPT. These changes in perceived popularity don’t discredit the merit of these technologies, but they may help us view them more objectively. For example, generative AI remains at the top of many minds so far in 2024. CompTIA expects this excitement will wane over the next year, not because the tech was overhyped but because companies will turn their attention to building the infrastructure needed to employ it responsibly [6]. In the following sections, we’ll explore more trend forecasts for 2024, ranging from cutting-edge technology to organizational strategy.

According to Statista, IT automation technology is the top IT trend among organizations in North America and Europe for 2024 [7]. 

IT security trends

The demand for governance is growing in the cybersecurity and data science spaces. CompTIA reports that only 5 percent of individuals cite governance as a key priority for cybersecurity initiatives and suggests this view is due to the belief that governance is synonymous with regulatory compliance [6]. In truth, governance practices serve many more purposes than just compliance. Organizations are beginning to realize that structured business processes surrounding vast amounts of data can provide more advanced analytics, informing critical business decisions and strengthening valuable insights. Human intelligence will also be a key factor in IT security for 2024 as generative AI increases the scale and believability of social engineering cyber threats. 

Read more: 7 Cybersecurity Trends in 2024

You can learn more about the state of cybersecurity today, completely free, by enrolling in Cybersecurity for Everyone, a flexible online course offered by the University of Maryland, College Park. 

IT automation trends

Generative AI advancements are driving modern IT automation. Gartner predicted in 2023 that hyper-automation would trend upward to meet accuracy and productivity requirements. In 2024, automation has also helped improve cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. In addition to traditional robotic process automation (RPA) use cases like data entry, AI has propelled the automation of more complex workflows such as fielding customer service inquiries, scheduling jobs, and screening candidates for hiring. 

Read more: Automation vs. AI: Meaning, Differences, and Real-World Use Cases

IT infrastructure trends

While the adoption of cloud infrastructure is not a new trend, it’s one that is surpassing expectations. Worldwide spending on cloud computing by businesses is projected to reach $1 trillion in 2024 [8]. Hybrid cloud computing has become especially integral to digital transformations, helping companies transition fully or partially from legacy IT systems without compromising integrity or performance. 

IT hiring trends

In 2022 and 2023, layoffs dominated headlines. The outlook for 2024 paints a much brighter picture, with Google research showing that 39 percent of hiring leaders plan to increase their financial commitment toward hiring [9]. The same research reveals the following:

• Forty-three percent of job seekers cited upfront access to salary ranges as the top feature on job search platforms.

• Fifty-eight percent of hiring leaders and 52 percent of job seekers agree that it’s important for large recruitment sites to use AI in the search process. Top use cases for AI in hiring include applicant matching, screening, and ranking, and identifying or removing old, unavailable positions. 

• Emerging use cases for generative AI in hiring include auto-generating job descriptions, responding to candidates via email, and advertising open positions. 

Are you thinking about starting a career in information technology? By enrolling in the Microsoft IT Support Specialist Professional Certificate program, you can gain job-ready, in-demand IT skills from a tech industry leader. In just two months, you'll learn to apply concepts like data management, troubleshooting, customer support, and networking while earning an employer-recognized certificate from Microsoft.

IT outsourcing trends

The IT outsourcing industry accounted for over $460 billion in revenue last year [10]. A central component of IT outsourcing today is managed services. The term managed services refers to outsourcing IT functions like cybersecurity or cloud services to managed service providers (MSPs). Digital transformations like the cloud migration mentioned above are advancing IT outsourcing, especially given the rise of segments like software as a service (SaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS). 

IT recruitment trends

In 2024, large recruitment websites are the most commonly used mode of contact between employers and job seekers [9]. Fifty-eight percent of hiring decision-makers reported large recruitment sites as their top sources for discovering qualified candidates, placing them above their own company’s career web pages and even employee referrals. Job seekers also identify these large job search engines as their number one source, with a colossal 92 percent claiming to use them monthly.

Key takeaways

• Generative AI continues to trend in the IT space, with companies shifting toward AI TRISM and strategic implementation.

• Cloud infrastructure is here to stay and a key driver of IT outsourcing.

• In the wake of layoffs, hiring decision-makers are beginning to allocate more resources to hiring qualified candidates.

• AI will continue to be used in the recruitment process to parse candidates and identify and deprioritize out-of-date job postings.

• Governance will be key to cybersecurity and data management initiatives.

• Upfront salary ranges are critical for job seekers in the tech space.

Be the first to know about tech trends with Coursera

You can stay ahead of the curve by subscribing to Career Chat, our LinkedIn newsletter, or browsing our IT articles hub. If you’re ready to sharpen your skills, consider starting with a topical, free online course like Artificial Intelligence: Ethics & Societal Changes offered by Lund University. Or, start familiarizing yourself with industry-shaping tech today by enrolling in IBM’s Generative AI: Prompt Engineering Basics.