Manufacturers Will Generate Nearly the Same Amount of Data as All Mobile Subscribers in 2030

According to a new report by global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, by 2030, the manufacturing industry will generate 4.4 zettabytes of data worldwide. In a broader context, the research suggests that enterprises will generate almost as much Operational Technology (OT) data as will be generated in telco networks – mainly by consumers – by 2030.

“In the wake of Industry 4.0, data is becoming the lifeblood of industrial enterprises, driving innovation and efficiency, and the comparison to telco (consumer data) is compelling,” says Leo Gergs, Principal Analyst for Hybrid Cloud & 5G Markets at ABI Research. “The vast volume of data enterprises generate only reveals part of the picture. OT data in enterprises often involves conditions in extremely hazardous environments, where any data malfunction could lead to severe consequences. On the other hand, a significant portion of data in telecommunications networks consists of cat videos and other entertaining memes. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying internet memes, OT data in enterprises is crucial for ensuring safety and maintaining business operations.”

As ABI Research identifies, targeting the enterprise OT opportunity requires distinctive capabilities across three main domains:

1. Infrastructure and Storage Needs: Enterprises will need to invest heavily in data storage solutions to handle the large volumes of OT & upgraded network infrastructure will be necessary to support the high bandwidth required for transmitting massive amounts of data.
   
2. Data Management and Processing Capabilities: There will be a greater demand for sophisticated data management systems to efficiently organize, store, and retrieve OT data. “At present, only a shocking 5% of enterprise OT data is properly utilized due to high friction between data siloes,” says Gergs. “To maximize the benefit of all their data for advanced use cases, like Generative AI and others, enterprises will demand integration solutions that help tear down the walls of individual data siloes.” High-performance and edge computing solutions will be essential to process and analyze the data in real-time.
   
3. Cybersecurity Concerns: The large volume of OT data, often generated by critical infrastructure, presents a tempting target for cyberattacks, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures. “The massive IT outage following a malfunction CrowdStrike software update laid bare in a shocking way the importance of a thorough security strategy and robust data storage and accessibility strategy,” Gergs says. “Enterprises are overwhelmed by the complexity this entails. Therefore, they will turn to digitization partners to provide these strategies as part of a comprehensive data & cloud offering.”

“The opportunity around enterprise data is immense, but integration vendors, cloud service, and connectivity providers must rise to the challenge by investing in scalable solutions, enhancing data security, leveraging advanced analytics, and ensuring interoperability,” Gergs concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Industrial Data Generation Forecast market data report. This report is part of the company’s Hybrid Cloud & 5G Markets and Industrial & Manufacturing Markets research services, which include research, data, and ABI Insights. Market Data spreadsheets comprise deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight into where opportunities lie.