It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and no, we are not talking about the upcoming Christmas holidays.

In today’s article, you can discover the most exciting software development predictions of 2024 trends with a special overview of the trends that shaped the software development industry in 2023. Together we’ll unwrap the most exciting technological advancements we can expect from AI, machine learning, edge computing, and so much more.

Wrapping Up 2023: A Tech Retrospective

Before we jump into the future, let’s quickly recap the tech scene and the most prominent software development trends of 2023.

1. AI-Powered Development continued its dominance!

Artificial Intelligence made waves in education, finance, agriculture, entertainment, and IT. Generative AI helped to transform content, image and video generation, data augmentation, predictive analytics, customer support and so much more industry-specific use-cases emerged. Some of the major players that dominated the AI scene were ChatGPT (LLM model chatbot), Otter.ai (assistive AI app), Wysa (conversational AI for mental health care), Midjourney, etc. On top of this, Exploding Topics has released the latest available data, showcasing that there are now around 57,933 artificial intelligence companies in 2023.

2. Low-Code and No-Code Development

Low-Code and No-Code Development made programming accessible to “almost” all. Low code development helped to build complex enterprise solutions that are easier to integrate and upgrade. No-code app builders became the new commonality among users who need basic applications with limited or without any coding knowledge. Some of the key-players were Mendix, Softr and Creatio.

3. Ethical AI and Software Development

A more proactive approach to managing ethical issues in AI and software development was observed in 2023. Some major concerns still persist, including addressing AI-related bias against vulnerable groups, prejudiced treatments of individuals, and reinforcing stereotypes. For instance, the European Union (EU) proposed the “EU AI Act” in 2023, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and protection of individual rights. UNESCO also released recommendations for the “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” focusing on human rights, cultural diversity, and fairness. Many more regulations were proposed and put into practice by companies like Google, Microsoft, and others.”

4. Cybersecurity-First Development

Secure coding and safe software development practices were crucial topics in 2023. Poor Data Management, Cloud, and Mobile Device Vulnerabilities were among the top threats in 2023. Incident preparedness, employee training on top security practices, and response playbooks became more commonplace among IT companies to ensure data security and safe software development processes.

5. Blockchain Development

In 2023, more than ever, blockchain technology reshaped the future of finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and supply-chain management, thanks to its decentralized system. According to findstack, the Blockchain market in manufacturing grew to $85.64 billion in 2023. Additionally, more app developers created blockchain-based metaverse and Web3 apps, setting a new trend for the upcoming years.

What is the next big thing in software development in 2024 ?

1. AI Development and ML

As expected, AI development use-cases are predicted to become even more sophisticated. Foundational models (FMs) which are the new paradigm of AI system development and building blocks of Generative AI applications are expected to become a lot more complex. Many of the developments keep pushing businesses toward custom enterprise FMs which will be the new trend. As of December 2023,, some of the most widely known foundation models are Gemini AI, GPT-4 and Dall-E 2.

In the meantime, Generative AI will mostly be used by enterprises to cut down their go-to-market time, that is, the period it takes for their products or services to be developed, prepared, and launched in the market. This will allow more responsiveness and agile management practices and capabilities to stay ahead of the competition. According to Radixweb, The Global AI Market Size will Grow 37% Every Year From 2023 to 2030.

2. NLP and Multimodal AI

Some of the most common use-cases of NLP- chatbots and digital assistants are expected to become more natural, accessible, and intuitive. We can also expect more advancements in machine translation and more accuracy in sentiment analysis results. Thanks to Multimodal AI, more natural and intuitive user interactions are expected, integrating diverse formats such as text, images, video, audio, and more.

Despite recent advancements, we still expect Natural Language Processing (NLP) models to better understand more complex contexts, clearly identify irony, humor, sarcasm, colloquialisms and slang, culture-specific linguistic nuances, and detect complex emotions in text more accurately.

Moreover, NLP applications have been traditionally largely built for the most common, widely used languages, leaving out lesser “exposed” languages. Those languages that are lacking enough data have yet to catch up and be analyzed thoroughly in 2024 and the upcoming years and trained on NLP models.

3. The Dominance of Edge and Quantum Computing

Expect more Edge and Quantum Computing developments in 2024 to have a significant impact on software development. Quantum computers will primarily impact medical, logistics, and cryptography industries by solving complex problems at unprecedented speeds. Meanwhile, edge computing will focus on implementing robust security measures in 2024, including communication protocols, encryption techniques, and AI-driven threat detection systems. Increased adoption of 5G networks for low-latency connectivity is also expected.

4. Use of Multi-Cloud Technologies

Why settle for one cloud? Multi-cloud technologies are on the rise using services and resources from multiple cloud providers to optimize flexibility and avoid dependency on a single provider. According to the recent Forbes data, major organizations that implement a multi-cloud strategy will rise from 76% to 85% in 2024. Since cloud providers mostly deal with specialized services and architectures to meet real-time processing demands, we can mostly express progress in real-time capabilities, specifically streaming analytics, interactive applications and IoT.

5. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Automation is no longer a choice; it’s a must-have. Companies will increasingly embrace automating repetitive tasks through RPA coupled with natural language processing and machine learning. This will enhance efficiency in industries such as Banking and Financial Services, Insurance Services, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing and Logistics, IT, and Retail. If you wish to learn more about RPA or other use-cases of AI applications in Software Development, we highly recommend checking this article by SCD Company.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the coming year promises a dynamic evolution in software development. From the enhanced sophistication of AI applications to the nuanced understanding of human language, and the transformative impact of quantum and edge computing, 2024 beckons with innovation. If you’re into software development, this article is your front-row seat to the future. Cheers to the exciting tech-filled year ahead!