Revisiting our 2016 Predictions and the Past Decade of IT Consulting
Looking back from 2026, many of the predictions we made in 2016 about the future of IT consulting in Australia have proven to be remarkably accurate (insert picture of us buffing our fingernails on our lapels and looking quietly smug).
At the time, cyber security risk, data accessibility, automation, and board level IT influence were forecast as emerging trends. A decade later, these themes have not only materialised but have become foundational to how IT consulting and managed services are delivered in Australia today.
What was once speculative has become operational reality. Importantly, the way these shifts have unfolded has elevated the role of a managed service provider (MSP) from technical support vendor to long-term strategic partner.
Prediction 1: Cyber Security Will Become a Primary Focus for Organisations
Verdict: True… and significantly exceeding expectations
Today, organisations treat cyber security as a core business risk. Rather than limiting it to IT departments, cyber security has become closely aligned it with financial, legal, and reputational outcomes.
Many organisations now embed dedicated security expertise internally or engage managed security service providers to strengthen their security posture. Although originally predicted that CIOs would face less pressure, responsibility has instead expanded across executive leadership teams and boards of directors.
The prediction that organisations would widely adopt blockchain for security has only been partially realised. While blockchain has delivered value in niche applications, organisations have achieved mainstream security resilience by combining multiple defensive measures, including zero-trust architectures, identity-based controls, and AI-driven threat detection.
Where are we now?
Organisations now build cyber resilience through continuous monitoring, managed detection and response (MDR), incident response planning, and strong governance oversight.
MSPs commonly deliver these capabilities as ongoing services, enabling organisations to maintain continuous protection rather than relying on point-in-time projects.
Prediction 2: Data Will Become More Accessible Across Business Hierarchies
Verdict: True
Data access has become increasingly democratised across Australian organisations through self-service business intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Looker, and native SaaS analytics platforms. Senior leaders, HR, marketing and finance teams, and operations managers now routinely interrogate data, often without direct dependency on IT.
Real time dashboards largely replace static reports. While access has increased, accessibility has outpaced literacy in many organisations. As a result, new challenges have emerged, such as:
- Data silos
- Lack of governance and/or data classification (sensitive, public, confidential)
- Missing context and misinterpretation
- Cultural resistance or low buy-in leading to data inaccuracies
As organisations adopt agentic AI, they must establish clear boundaries around the data that AI systems can access, act upon, and share. This shift has elevated the importance of data classification, making it a critical foundation for effective governance and risk management.
Where are we now?
This shift has reinforced the value of managed oversight as data volumes and complexity continue to grow. IT Consultants now play a critical role in ensuring data is accessible, accurate, secure, and aligned with business decision making.
Computer One helps organisations identify sensitive data, optimise analytics platforms, and implement appropriate role-based access controls and data governance frameworks through data loss prevention (DLP) services. These measures enable teams to leverage data-driven insights while maintaining security and minimising risk.
Prediction 3: Fears Related to Automation Will Grow, but Should They?
Verdict: Mostly accurate, and rapidly accelerating
In 2016, we predicted that fears related to automation would grow and this prediction has undeniably come true. What was less anticipated was the speed at which automation and AI would extend into white collar knowledge work, not just operational or industrial roles.
The belief that automation would create new opportunities, rather than simply remove jobs, is still to be fully realised but is tracking as true. In Australia, 74% of 2,050 qualified adopters of generative and agentic AI reported to Snowflake that AI is driving job creation, compared to 50% reporting AI-driven role reductions. However, reskilling has proven harder and slower than initially anticipated, making workforce transition a leadership and policy challenge rather than a purely technical one.
Where are we now?
In today’s MSP landscape, automation has been embedded into service delivery to remove repetitive tasks and improve responsiveness. Security tooling, such as CrowdStrike Falcon AI Detection and Response (AIDR), is now heavily AI‑driven, with autonomous detection, correlation, and response far exceeding human speed and scale.
However, strategy, prioritisation, and risk decisions remain firmly human‑led. Managed service models now combine technical expertise with strategic transformation.
Prediction 4: Heads of IT Will Be Represented at Board Level
Verdict: Largely true
CIOs, CISOs, and trusted IT consulting partners now play a regular role in board discussions, risk committees, and regulatory briefings. With IT leaders routinely:
- Briefing boards
- Attending risk and audit committees
- Engaging regulators and insurers
- Influencing enterprise strategy
More broadly, directors now seek a deeper understanding of the opportunities and risks associated with their organisation’s ICT environment. The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) continues to emphasise that governing technology and cyber risk forms a fundamental part of a director’s responsibilities, with potential consequences for organisations that fail to address these obligations appropriately.
Cyber incidents, data breaches, disaster recovery planning, and regulatory obligations (APRA CPS 234, Privacy Act, cyber insurance conditions) have made technology risk inseparable from business governance. As a result, organisations now prioritise security-led change initiatives as a core component of business strategy and operational resilience.
Where are we now?
This increased visibility has also brought increased expectation. Managed service providers are increasingly acting as extensions of executive teams, supporting reporting, governance frameworks, and board level communication.
Through regular risk assessments, security reporting, and strategic planning, MSPs help translate complex technical realities into clear, actionable insight for leadership.
What This Means for the Future of IT Consulting in Australia
IT consulting in Australia is no longer defined solely by technology delivery, just as we anticipated. Organisations now define successful IT consulting through long-term partnerships, strong governance, and effective human enablement.
Managed service providers now sit at the intersection of:
- Cyber security and risk management
- Data governance and insight enablement
- AI‑driven efficiency with human oversight
- Executive and board level technology strategy
The industry has largely realised the predictions made in 2016. However, organisations have experienced change at a greater scale and pace than expected, while governance requirements have become significantly more complex. As a result, businesses now rely on trusted technology partners not only to deliver solutions, but also to guide strategy, manage risk, strengthen resilience, and support ongoing transformation.
Organisations that continue to ask their partners simply to manage reactive, break‑fix models are increasingly being left behind. By contrast, those engaging managed service providers as strategic partners are better positioned to navigate risk, accelerate innovation, and sustain growth.
Let’s chat about how Computer One’s strategic consulting can future proof your business today. Call 1300 667 871 or submit an enquiry.
