In both PR and technology
In 2019, a wide range of buzzwords came and went: artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, quantum computing, cybersecurity and ransomware, the Internet of Things, voice, hyperpersonalised customer experience, sustainability and the energy transition, blockchain, gender quotas and, of course, Brexit and 5G.
The foundations of many of these technologies and trends had been laid earlier, but they attracted growing media attention and would continue to develop in 2020.
What were the most important developments, particularly in technology? There are too many to name them all, so I will briefly highlight a few that we encountered over the past year at Progress Communications.
Developments over the past year
1. Cybersecurity and ransomware
Cybersecurity and malware received increasing attention in 2019, particularly beyond the specialist IT press. In November, for example, NOS reported on Dutch companies affected by sophisticated ransomware. At least 1,800 businesses worldwide were affected. The annual ransomware report from our client Datto also found that 85 per cent of the managed service providers surveyed had reported ransomware attacks on clients over the previous two years.
Although businesses increasingly understood the importance of cybersecurity, chief information security officers often did not receive larger budgets to improve their company’s security.
Cybersecurity would continue to play an important role in business in 2020. Technological developments keep moving forward, and cybercriminals develop alongside them. One expectation was that hackers would increasingly operate in small, close-knit groups, continually adapting to get more out of each attack.
2. Gender quotas
To encourage diversity and increase the number of women in senior business positions, the Dutch Social and Economic Council recommended a binding quota for the supervisory boards of listed companies earlier in the year. At least 30 per cent of their members would have to be women. Where this threshold was not met, new appointments of male supervisory board members would be declared invalid until the company reached the quota.
The Dutch House of Representatives voted in favour of the proposal in December. Other large companies not covered by a quota were advised to set ambitious targets of their own, both for senior positions and for management levels below them. A step towards greater equality and diversity at the top of business in 2020.
3. Quantum computing
In February, Microsoft opened the Microsoft Quantum Lab Delft together with King Willem-Alexander. This form of computing uses quantum bits, or qubits, whose quantum states differ from the fixed zeros and ones of conventional bits. Measurement produces a result of zero or one. Harnessing the properties of multiple qubits could provide significant new computing capabilities.
What could quantum computing make possible? In healthcare, for example, it could eventually help researchers develop medicines tailored to individual patients, enabling highly personalised treatments down to the level of DNA. There are many other potential applications too.
Further development of the underlying qubit technology was still needed. Quantum computing was receiving considerable attention in the Netherlands, and I expected to hear more about it in 2020.
4. Artificial intelligence
Another technology that was impossible to ignore in 2019 was artificial intelligence. AI was appearing in an increasing range of fields, including logistics, e-commerce, customer service, financial services, IT, government and healthcare. It can help organisations improve processes and reduce costs.
AI was expected to develop further in 2020. Quantum computing, for example, was seen as a potential source of future advances in computing and AI. Other anticipated uses included facial recognition, predictive text, deepfakes and fully autonomous production lines. As the technology became more sophisticated, greater attention would also be needed for AI ethics. Curious about how AI changes PR work? Read this blog.
Technology is not the only field developing rapidly. PR is moving forward too. Data will play an increasingly important role in developing PR campaigns, and PR will more often work alongside or become part of marketing campaigns. It is also becoming increasingly important for PR agencies to understand their clients’ businesses in depth. That is why agencies increasingly choose a particular niche, such as technology, ICT and consumer electronics.
Do you work with interesting technologies and want to stand out more in the Benelux media landscape? Please get in touch. We would be happy to explore the possibilities together.
More news ›