Thematic Take

At GlobalData, we define a theme as any issue that keeps a business leader awake at night. Companies are impacted by multiple themes that frequently conflict with one another. What is needed is an effective methodology that reflects, understands, and reconciles these conflicts. 

Our thematic research ecosystem is a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors. Viewing the world’s data by themes makes it easier to make critical decisions. Companies that invest in the right themes become success stories. Those that miss the essential themes in their industry end up as failures. 

The Internet of Things, or IoT, describes the use of connected sensors and actuators to control and monitor the environment, the things that move within it, and the people that act within it. Use cases include the automated home, the connected car, wearable technology, the automated home, smart cities, and predictive maintenance for industrial machinery. 

GlobalData forecasts that the global IoT market will reach $1.7tn in revenue by 2027. Enterprise IoT will account for 73% of market revenue by 2027, up from 70% in 2022, while the consumer segment will make up 27% in 2027, down from 30% in 2022. In a post-Covid-19 world, the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and further connectivity improvements will drive solid growth across all IoT markets. 

IoT is a relatively mature market, yet significant innovation is emerging as AI is embedded into the operations and services provided by IoT deployments. Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) involves embedding AI into IoT devices, software, and services. Combining data collected by connected sensors and actuators with AI supports automated operations and predictive maintenance. 

Furthermore, improvements in the physical layer and edge computing support many use cases of AI at the edge, such as smart cameras, smart traffic lights, and smart drones.