Glossary

A

Additive manufacturing (3D printing)

Production using 3D printing for prototyping, custom parts and distributed manufacturing.

Advanced materials (Metamaterials)

Engineered materials with properties not found in nature, enabling new applications.

Agentic conversational AI

Advanced chatbots executing multi-step tasks autonomously. 

AI agents for data and analytics

Autonomous AI systems performing data analysis, generating insights and executing data tasks.

AI code assistants

AI-powered tools like GitHub Copilot that suggest code completions, generate functions and assist developers in real-time.

AI for full SDLC

AI assistance across the entire software development lifecycle: requirements, design, coding, testing and deployment.

AI governance and responsible AI

Frameworks and policies for ethical AI use, including bias detection, explainability and compliance with regulations like the EU AI Act.

AI security and governance

Securing AI systems and governing their use, including prompt injection prevention and model security.

AI video generation

AI systems creating synthetic video content from text prompts, enabling automated video production at scale.

AI-assisted coding

AI tools providing code suggestions, completions and generation. 

AI-augmented engineering teams

Development teams systematically using AI tools throughout the engineering workflow.

AI-driven capacity planning

Using AI to predict infrastructure needs and optimize resource allocation.

AI-embedded enterprise applications

Enterprise software with built-in AI capabilities; 40% of apps will have AI agents by 2026.

AI-generated UI

User interfaces automatically generated and adapted by AI based on context and user needs.

AI-powered accessibility

AI tools improving accessibility through automatic captioning, screen readers and adaptive interfaces.

AI-powered cloud management

Using AI/ML to automate cloud resource optimization, cost management and performance tuning.

AI-powered drug discovery

AI accelerating pharmaceutical development, potentially halving timelines. 

AI-powered predictive maintenance

Using IoT sensors and AI to predict equipment failures. 95% report positive ROI.

AI-powered threat detection

Using ML/AI to identify threats, detect anomalies and automate security operations.

AI-ready data infrastructure

Data architecture optimized for AI workloads, including data quality, lineage and accessibility for model training.

AIOps for IT operations

AI-powered IT operations using ML for anomaly detection, alert correlation and the automated remediation of IT issues.

Ambient computing

Technology embedded in environments that responds contextually without explicit interaction.

API marketplaces and ecosystems

Platforms for discovering, consuming and monetizing APIs both internally and externally.

Artificial general intelligence (AGI)

AI systems matching human-level intelligence across all cognitive tasks, capable of reasoning, learning and adapting without task-specific programming.

Augmented analytics/AI-powered BI

Analytics tools using AI/ML to automate insight generation, pattern detection and natural language queries.

Autonomous AI scientific discovery

AI systems capable of independently conducting scientific research, generating hypotheses, designing experiments and making Nobel-worthy discoveries.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)

Self-navigating robots for material handling and logistics without fixed paths.

Autonomous vehicles (Level 2+)

Vehicles with advanced driver assistance, progressing toward higher automation levels.

B

Brain-computer interfaces

Direct communication between brain and external devices. Primarily medical applications currently.

C

Cloud development environments

Browser-based or cloud-hosted IDEs providing consistent, pre-configured development environments.

Cloud security posture management

Tools that continuously monitor cloud configurations for security risks and compliance violations.

Cloud-native application protection

Integrated security platform protecting cloud-native applications across development and runtime environments.

Commercial nuclear fusion power

Fusion reactors generating electricity for the grid, providing nearly limitless clean energy. First commercial plants targeted for mid-2030s.

Composable enterprise

Building applications from packaged business capabilities (PBCs) that can be assembled and reassembled.

Computer vision in the enterprise

AI systems that analyze images and video for purposes including quality inspection, security and document processing.

Configuration management/policy-as-code

Defining and enforcing infrastructure policies through code for automated compliance.

Connected worker technologies

Wearables and mobile tools enhancing worker safety, productivity and communication.

Continuous threat exposure management

An ongoing assessment and prioritization of vulnerabilities based on real exploitability and business impact.

D

Data and AI governance convergence

Unified governance addressing both traditional data management and AI-specific requirements.

Data democratization

Making data accessible to non-technical users through self-service tools and data literacy programs.

Data governance and quality

Frameworks that ensure data accuracy, consistency, security and compliance. Critical for AI success.

Data mesh architecture

Decentralized data ownership treating data as products owned by domain teams.

Data observability

Monitoring data pipelines for quality, freshness and reliability like infrastructure observability.

Data products/data as a service

Treating datasets as products with defined SLAs, documentation and consumer focus.

DataOps and data engineering

Agile practices for data pipeline development, testing and deployment with continuous integration.

Developer experience (DevEx)

Optimizing developer productivity and satisfaction through tooling, processes and culture. More than eight hours are lost every week.

Digital thread in manufacturing

Connected data flow from design through production and service for traceability.

Digital twins for enterprise

Virtual replicas of physical assets with real-time data integration. 

Distributed cloud infrastructure

Cloud services distributed to different physical locations while centrally managed, meeting data sovereignty needs.

Domain-specific AI models

AI models fine-tuned for specific industries or functions, delivering higher accuracy than general-purpose models.

E

eBPF kernel-level observability

Programmable Linux kernel instrumentation for deep observability without code changes.

Emotion AI/affective computing

AI detecting and responding to human emotions through facial, voice and behavioral analysis.

Enterprise AR/VR training

Immersive training using augmented and virtual reality. 

Enterprise smart glasses

Wearable displays for hands-free information access. 

Event-driven architecture

Systems where components communicate through events, enabling loose coupling and real-time responsiveness.

Event-driven integration

Integration patterns using events for loose coupling between enterprise applications.

Extended detection and response (XDR)

A type of unified security platform that correlates data across endpoints, networks, cloud and email for threat detection.

F

FinOps and cloud financial management

Practices for optimizing cloud spend through visibility, accountability and continuous optimization. 

Full autonomous vehicles (Level 5)

Vehicles capable of self-driving in any conditions without human oversight, enabling true driverless transportation.

G

GenAI virtual assistants

AI assistants powered by generative models for natural conversation and task completion.

General-purpose humanoid robots

Human-shaped robots capable of diverse physical tasks in unstructured environments, working alongside humans in homes and workplaces.

Generative AI for enterprise

AI systems that create new content (text, code, images) using large language models, enabling automation of knowledge work and content creation.

Gesture/motion control

Interfaces controlled through hand gestures and body movements without physical contact.

GPU cloud and AI infrastructure

Cloud-based GPU resources for AI/ML workloads. 

Grid-scale energy storage

Large battery systems enabling renewable energy integration and grid stability.

H

Haptic technology

Touch feedback systems providing tactile sensations in digital interactions.

Headless commerce/composable DXP

Decoupled commerce architecture separating frontend presentation from backend functionality.

I

IAM evolution/ITDR

Advanced identity management with identity threat detection and response for real-time identity-based attacks.

Incident management automation

Automated detection, routing and initial response to IT incidents.

Industrial metaverse

Persistent, photorealistic digital twins of factories, cities and infrastructure enabling real-time simulation, optimization and remote collaboration.

Industry cloud platforms

Cloud solutions tailored for specific industries with pre-built compliance, workflows and integrations.

Intent-based networking

Networks configured through business intent rather than device-level commands.

IoT security/zero trust for operational technology

Securing IoT and operational technology with zero trust principles. 

iPaaS with AI capabilities

Integration platform as a service with AI-powered mapping, transformation and anomaly detection.

J

K

L

LEO satellite connectivity

Low Earth Orbit satellite internet providing broadband with 20-60ms latency globally.

Low-code workflow automation

Visual tools for building automated workflows without extensive coding, accelerating process automation.

LPWAN/Satellite IoT connectivity

Low-power wide-area networks and satellite for remote IoT device connectivity.

M

Machine customers/autonomous commerce

AI agents acting as autonomous economic actors, purchasing goods and services on behalf of humans or organizations without human intervention.

MLOps and model operationalization

Practices for deploying, monitoring and managing ML models in production which ensure reliability and effective governance.

Multimodal AI

AI systems processing multiple data types (text, images, audio and video) simultaneously for richer understanding.

N

Network automation/AIOps

Automating network configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting using AI/ML.

Network observability

Deep visibility into network behavior beyond traditional monitoring for troubleshooting.

Neuromorphic computing

Brain-inspired computing architectures for energy-efficient AI processing.

NLP for enterprise search

Natural language processing that enables semantic search across enterprise content, improving information discovery.

P

Passwordless authentication/passkeys

Authentication without passwords using biometrics, hardware keys or cryptographic credentials.

Platform engineering for infrastructure and operations

Applying platform engineering principles to infrastructure and operations teams.

Post-quantum cryptography

Cryptographic algorithms resistant to quantum computer attacks; NIST finalized standards in August 2024.

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs)

Technologies enabling data use while protecting privacy: differential privacy, homomorphic encryption, etc.

Private 5G networks

Enterprise-operated 5G networks for industrial IoT, campus coverage and specialized applications.

Programmable money/CBDCs

Digital currencies with embedded rules enabling automated compliance, conditional payments and machine-to-machine transactions.

Programmable networks/software-defined networking

Networks controlled through software APIs enabling automation and dynamic configuration.

Q

Quantum internet/quantum networking

Networks using quantum entanglement for unhackable communication and distributed quantum computing, enabling new security paradigms.

R

RAG for development context

Using retrieval-augmented generation to provide AI coding assistants with codebase-specific context.

Real-time/streaming analytics

Processing and analyzing data as it's generated for immediate insights and actions.

Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)

Combines LLMs with information retrieval to ground AI responses in verified data sources, reducing hallucinations by 70-90%.

RTLS/asset tracking

Real-time location systems for tracking assets, inventory and personnel.

S

Security behavior and culture programs

Human-centric security initiatives changing employee behaviors beyond traditional awareness training.

Semantic layer/metrics stores

An abstraction layer that consistently defines business metrics. Particularly critical for AI accuracy per Gartner.

Site reliability engineering (SRE)

An engineering approach to operations focusing on reliability through automation and error budgets.

Small language models (SLMs)

Compact AI models under 10B parameters optimized for edge deployment, offering 60-80% cost reduction vs. large models.

Software engineering intelligence

Platforms analyzing development data to measure productivity, identify bottlenecks and optimize processes.

Software supply chain security/SBOM

Securing software dependencies and generating a Software Bill of Materials. 

Solid-state batteries at scale

Next-generation batteries using solid electrolytes, offering 50-80% higher energy density, faster charging and improved safety for EVs and devices.

Space-based solar power (SBSP)

Satellites collecting solar energy in orbit and transmitting it wirelessly to Earth, providing 24/7 baseload clean power.

Spatial computing/extended reality

Technologies merging physical and digital worlds including AR, VR and mixed reality.

Spatial computing/natural UI

Computing that blends digital content with physical space for natural interaction.

Sustainable technology/green IT

IT practices reducing environmental impact through efficiency, renewable energy and carbon management.

Sustainable/Green Cloud Computing

Cloud practices minimizing environmental impact through efficient resource use, renewable energy and carbon tracking.

Synthetic biology for manufacturing

Engineering biological systems to produce materials, chemicals and medicines at industrial scale, potentially replacing 60% of physical production by 2040.

T

Third-party risk management

Managing security risks from vendors and partners. 35.5% of breaches originate from third parties.

Total experience (TX) platforms

Unified platforms that address customer, employee and user experience holistically.

U

Unified observability platforms

Integrated monitoring across metrics, logs and traces. 

V

Voice user interfaces

Voice-controlled systems with 95%+ accuracy for major languages. 

W

X

Y

Z

Zero-trust architecture

A security model where verification is required for every access request, regardless of location.