Computing models have transformed beyond imagination since Bletchley Park and Adam Turing. As we move forward towards more advanced solutions, the integration of cloud computing is highlighting the paradigm shift in how computing models are perceived. However, while the vast majority of the world feels that sustaining cloud computing models with industrial, centralized and regulated data centres with numerous physical servers is the next step in humankind’s computing journey, it defeats the purpose of distributed cloud infrastructure.

This school of thought has led the world towards Edge Computing which is capable of providing almost instantaneous data and network decentralization. Furthermore, Edge Computing models help users with fast and secure accessibility of appropriate data at the right time and place. This low-latency computational model not only enhances user experience but also helps them gain a strategic advantage with location optimization and speed. The emergence of new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and others closely aligns with the need for Edge Computing, since these digital technologies require a significant amount of instantaneous data with significantly reduced latency. This indicates a comprehensive growth and transformation of cloud computing to the next step, pushing the general cloud capacity to the edge.

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G spectrum further strengthens the need to benchmark Edge Computing, as the technology delivers computing capabilities to specific points of localized networks. With new connectivity technologies like 5G, superior bandwidth is achieved to set new frameworks in Edge Computing — an aspect that closely supplements the development of AI-optimized processors. The integration of Edge Computing to develop other digital technologies has further supplemented its global market capitalization recently, registering an annualised growth of 36.9% from $16.45 billion in 2023 to 2030. In India, this growth is expected to be 47% between 20204-2030, owing to the enhanced internet penetration with 5G spectrum — offering a brand new avenue for the country’s large population of IT aspirants.

Opportunity for India’s IT aspirants

As Edge Computing gradually becomes the talk of the town, it also provides a unique opportunity for India’s large IT aspirant population. To begin with, the comprehensive transformation of the global tech ecosystem with the emergence of new-age technologies like AI, ML, and Cloud Computing has already translated to new avenues of employment opportunities for Indian talents. However, while Edge Computing also indicates a similar aspect, it’s specialised and comparatively newer outlook means skilled professionals will not only have a brand new career avenue, but also an opportunity to spearhead developmental efforts from a nascent stage. Furthermore, India’s skilled IT talents are also sufficiently expertise in algorithms — an aspect that will essentially help them in implementing new frameworks that will be imperative to enabling real-time data processing and mitigating the reliance on conventional cloud services. The Indian IT community boasts of some of the world’s best talents when it comes to processing data, and this will provide them with a unique positioning to drive the world’s transition towards Edge Computing. Additionally, Indian developers are akin to using contemporary frameworks like AWS Greengrass and Azure IoT Edge, meaning the implementation of Edge Computing frameworks will take place within the skillset of Indian developers and talents, providing them a unique chance to grow their professional aspirations.

Coupled with this, this may offer an unprecedented career break for Indian talents working within the AI, ML and IoT spaces, as their skill sets are especially valued in this domain. Professionals and talents who have sufficient knowledge in diverse protocols such as MQTT, CoAP, NB-IoT si Cat-M1, along with connectivity technologies like Wi-Fi and 5G will enjoy an added advantage in the space. IT aspirants and professionals who are interested in Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, encryption and related fields are also set to receive a boost in their professional careers, enabling them to spearhead the global data revolution.

A critical enabler for developing new AI models

Developing and benchmarking Edge Computing is not only important because of its computational advancements, but also to sustain the global push to acquire new-age AI models. This technology is considered to be the catalyst in fields such as AI model development and training. This is because Edge Computing offers real-time processing, required to develop AI models, but is often considered a challenging aspect owing to latency issues. This aspect positions Edge Computing as a critical enabler for manufacturing autonomous vehicles or in fields like robotics and real-time customisation.

This technology is also highly relevant to transfer considerable amounts of data since only a small portion of data is transferred through the network. This also integrates additional privacy and security aspects, mitigating the chance of data interception. For Indian professionals who are looking to associate them with developing new AI models, this offers a unique chance, as upskilling in Edge Computing has the potential to open up new horizons for them. Furthermore, the decentraliaed nature of Edge Computing, coupled with its data processing abilities helps Indian IT aspirants to use the technological advancement and expertise in developing and training AI models — assisting them with an added advantage over their peers.

Future outlook

As global technological advancements transform the nature of processing and storing data, the paradigm shift is prioritising reducing latency, bandwidth usage, convenience and security. With India emerging as one of the global technological hubs of late, this offers a unique chance to India’s significant population of talents and the country’s booming tech industry. Strategic upskilling by talents and professionals alike will drive the growth and advancements of Edge Computing in the future, and Indian aspirants are poised to play a critical role in this shift, enabling real-time data processing and holistic transformation of cloud technologies.

(The author is Founder and CEO of GUVI Geek Networks)