What Deloitte calls “the intelligent edge” will see compound annual growth of 35%, according to the Deloitte researchers’ intelligent edge forecast. The researchers define the intelligent edge to include advanced wireless connectivity, compact processing power and artificial intelligence located near devices that use and generate data – capabilities driven in large part by 5G.

The intelligent edge was already making significant inroads at the beginning of 2020, even though 5G was just getting started. The research firm predicts that in 2021, the global market for the intelligent edge will reach $12 billion as telecommunications companies and expand networks and the largest cloud companies continue to grow.

Cloud services grew faster in 2020 than in 2019, according to Deloitte’s “2021 Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions.” The research firm predicts that cloud revenue growth will exceed 30% for 2021 through 2025 as companies continue to migrate to the cloud to save on capital costs, while also having more versatility to scale up and down with business.

“Many of our technology predictions emphasize a reliance on virtual innovation driven largely by the pandemic – remote working, digital transformation and cloud migration have all accelerated faster than we expected,” said Paul Silverglate, vice chairman and U.S. technology sector leader, Deloitte LLP, in a prepared statement. “But one prediction we’ll be keeping a very close eye on, driven primarily by the expansion of 5G networks and the rise of artificial intelligence, is growth of the intelligent edge. By bringing powerful computing capabilities closer to where data originates, the intelligent edge unlocks the potential for faster, less expensive and more secure operations in everything from autonomous vehicles to augmented reality to the Internet of Things—helping to realize the promise of Industry 4.0.”