Tech Recap 2023: Evolution and Challenges
A Year Defined by AI Innovation, Cybersecurity Battles, and Industry Shifts
In 2023, technology surged forward with monumental AI progress, persistent cybersecurity battles, and dynamic industry shifts. This pivotal year showcased AI’s prowess, highlighted cybersecurity imperatives, and reshaped work paradigms. Reflecting on these milestones provides valuable insights as we step into a new year.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Takes Center Stage
1. Rise of Generative AI
Tools like Dall-E 3 and Midjourney etched new horizons, crafting stunningly realistic images and art, and igniting ethical debates concerning ownership and potential misuse.
By 2026, Gartner predicts that more than 80% of businesses will have integrated GenAI APIs or models into their operations, a significant surge from the less than 5% adoption rate recorded in 2023.
LLaMA by Meta
In Feb 2023, Meta AI introduced LLaMA, a suite of high-performance language models ranging from 7 to 65 billion parameters, surpassing GPT-3 in benchmarks. Jul 2023 marked the launch of Llama 2, developed with Microsoft, featuring models of 7, 13, and 70 billion parameters. LLaMA-2 expanded datasets and introduced specialized dialogue models.
Series D funding by Hugging Face
Hugging Face, an open-source AI hub, raised $235 million in Series D funding from Google, Amazon, Nvidia, and Salesforce, hitting a $4.5 billion valuation.
Bing Chat by Microsoft
Announced on Feb. 7 alongside the revamped Bing, Bing Chat integrated with ChatGPT, offering users a dynamic conversational experience, which initially met with a lukewarm reception. But continuous updates added GPT-4, image creation via DALL-E, and a surprising new ability: generating songs.
GPT-4 by OpenAI
The highly anticipated successor to GPT-3.5, GPT-4, powered ChatGPT to human-level proficiency in professional and academic tasks. OpenAI introduced GPT-4 Turbo later, boasting an expanded context window capable of holding over 300 pages of text.
Bard AI by Google
Google hurriedly released Bard on Mar 21, its chatbot, in response to the surge in generative AI tech. Throughout the year, it evolved with features like the Gemini language model and plans for an even more robust version, Bard AI with Gemini Ultra.
DALL-E 3 by OpenAI
Enhancing their text-to-image tool, DALL-E 3 is now integrated with ChatGPT, enabling users to craft vivid ideas. Initially gated behind ChatGPT Plus, it later became accessible through Bing Chat for free.
Grok AI by xAI
Elon Musk entered the AI space with xAI, debuting Grok, a chatbot with a touch of humour and wit inspired by “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Grok stands out for its real-time knowledge powered by data from the X platform, setting it apart from other chatbots.
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot for enterprise users on November 1, broadening access to their generative AI tools. Copilot, an AI assistant across various Microsoft apps, aids in tasks like drafting proposals and summarizing emails to enhance productivity.
2. AI Regulation Debate
The surge in AI technology has sparked urgent worries, from potential job displacement to the crucial necessity of regulatory structures and enhanced user safety. The mounting concerns over bias and misuse have spurred louder demands for global AI regulations, reshaping conversations about responsible AI implementation.
Impact on jobs
The advent of generative AI tools, able to create text, images, music, and code, raised concerns about job displacement. SAG-AFTRA, representing actors, and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), advocating for film and television screenwriters in the USA, protested for improved working conditions and safeguards against AI’s encroachment, garnering significant media coverage.
Deepfakes and user safety
Governments are closely monitoring AI’s use, especially concerning data scraping and the surge of deepfakes. The proliferation of deepfakes presents a crucial challenge, fueling misinformation, notably evident in struggles to discern authentic and manipulated war footage, such as in Gaza. Domestically, worries over deepfakes surged after incidents involving prominent figures, prompting the government to engage online platforms in discussions to combat this issue effectively.
Persistent Cybersecurity Threats
1. Log4j Vulnerability Exploited
The exploitation of the critical Log4j vulnerability exposed millions of systems to potential cyber-attacks, highlighting the imperative need for heightened security measures.
2. MOVEit Cyberattack
In May 2023, a ransomware gang exploited a zero-day vulnerability, impacting 2,000+ global organizations, including New York City’s public schools, British Airways, and the BBC. This breach targeted Progress Software’s MOVEit transfer, compromising data from government, public, and business sectors. Despite issuing a patch post-attack, IBM faced a lawsuit due to breached servers. The fallout prompted the SEC to mandate cybersecurity disclosures within four days of an incident’s discovery by public companies.
3. Aadhaar Data Breach
In October, Resecurity reported a dark web sale of personally identifiable information, including Aadhaar numbers and passport details, belonging to 815 million Indian citizens. The leak’s origin remains unclear, although the cybercriminals claimed access to 1.8 terabytes of data from an unnamed Indian law enforcement agency.
4. 17,000 WordPress Sites Hacked
Exploiting known vulnerabilities in premium theme plugins, over 17,000 WordPress websites fell victim to an attack injecting Linux backdoors. This campaign lasted since 2017, impacting nearly a million sites, and redirecting visitors to scams. The targeted themes included Newspaper and Newsmag, posing a significant risk to numerous websites.
5. Boeing Ransomware Attack
Cybercriminals extorted Boeing, leaking internal data online after the aerospace giant declined to pay ransom by November 2. While Boeing assured no immediate threat to aircraft or flight safety, it refrained from commenting on the potential compromise of defence or sensitive data.
6. Genetics Testing Company Data Breach
In October, genetics testing firm 23andMe notified customers of a breach in its “DNA Relatives” feature, allowing ancestry comparisons. Hackers advertised and sold stolen customer data obtained via a credential-stuffing attack on the company’s forum.
7. Ransomware Attacks on Rise
Sectors like healthcare and critical infrastructure remained primary targets for cybercriminals, emphasizing the urgency for fortified cybersecurity frameworks.
8. Zero Trust security
With a heightened focus on Zero Trust security, organizations shifted to robust models, reducing vulnerability and thwarting breaches. Zero Trust emphasizes verifying all entities before network access, guided by key principles:
- Default untrust: No inherent trust, internal or external.
- Least privilege: Users and devices access only necessary resources.
- Continuous monitoring: Ongoing, vigilant security oversight.
- Microsegmentation: Networks segmented for controlled data and app access.
A year of Layoffs
In 2023, as reported by Layoffs.fyi, 1,179 tech companies downsized, resulting in the loss of 261,847 jobs. The reasons behind these layoffs encompassed various factors such as increased interest rates, economic strains, geopolitical uncertainties, and a decline in funding, compelling tech enterprises to reassess and recalibrate their operational strategies.
Cautious Startups Funding
In 2023, India’s tech startup ecosystem saw a significant decline in total funding, plummeting by 72% compared to the previous year, marking the lowest in five years, as reported by Forbes India. The venture capital landscape pivoted toward sustainability, witnessing total investments between $7–10 billion. This shift underscores a move towards prudent, value-centric investments, signalling a more cautious investment approach within the industry.
Other Noteworthy Events
Chip Shortage Eases
Amidst global disruptions, signs of relief emerged as the prolonged chip shortage showed signs of abating. Nevertheless, concerns regarding long-term supply chain resilience linger.
Remote Work Norms Solidify
The pervasive shift to remote work persisted, with many enterprises embracing hybrid or fully remote work models, redefining the traditional work landscape.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to 2024, the industry is in the transformative phase. Going forward, the integration of edge computing with enhanced connectivity and security will bring transformational changes across various industry segments like automotive, communication infrastructure, industrial, mobile, smart city and smart home.
