If you’ve followed me for some time, you know that I like to reflect at this time of year and look ahead to what I think we can expect in the coming year. 2011 has certainly been an eventful year for AMD, and in terms of our industry I agree with those who argue we are at an important inflection point. I also believe AMD’s next few years will be both its most exciting and most rewarding, with AMD riding that inflection point’s wave to emerge as a true market leader.

So what is driving the sea-change, and how will it impact what we can expect in 2012? Here are my predictions:

• Consumers Will Take Off Into The Cloud

More people will be going to the cloud. While cloud-based applications are clearly not new, consumers don’t see them as part of the cloud – just applications from their browser. Apple will make the cloud seem like a real solution to consumers in 2012.

As our mobile devices are getting bigger and are becoming more and more important to our day-to-day lives, having copies of that data will become both inconvenient and take too long through a USB cord. Consumers will want to know in real-time that their data is safe.

• Consumers Will Demand More Natural Interfaces

The naysayers are trying to gather the small-minded around their campfire to joke about Siri. But regardless of how well Siri does, it will have two key effects.

First, it will prove to consumers that there are better ways to input than just keyboards and remotes. And second, it will usher in a new realm of artificial intelligence applications – of AI systems. I first tried to sell an AI application 20 plus years ago and we joked that if you asked two AI systems the same question, you would get two different answers. That’s not good in medical or insurance claims but its fine for directions to the local McDonalds. Or a train timetable or a weather forecast.

• Finally, Micro-Segmentation, Maybe

Both of these trends together get you to a world where true micro-segmentation may be more possible. Self-selecting consumers ask for what they want and businesses get to position themselves against those needs. But to do that successfully, businesses will need to be in the data stream, and be able to clearly communicate their message.

What’s Next For Me?

I too find myself at an inflection point. While I am truly excited by the prospects for AMD, there are projects in my life outside of AMD that offer me compelling opportunities. As some of you know, one of those projects is the website The 3 Minute Mentor; I have been planning a book based on the website for some time.

One of the site’s lessons is that life is a series of choices. While making choices can be hard, it’s something we all need to do. The time has come for me to choose to pursue the next phase of my career. It has been a great four years for me at AMD, and I am leaving happy with what the team has achieved.

I will remain at AMD to assist with marketing organization transitions and the 2012 planning cycle. After that, I will put on my shades and head off into the Texas sun.

I hope you continue to follow me via The 3 Minute Mentor site. In the meantime, I wish each and every one of you Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year.

Thank you.

Nigel Dessau is Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for AMD. His postings and comments made on The Three Minute Mentor website are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.