AI & cybersecurity reshape business landscape by 2025

The technology landscape is poised for transformative developments in 2025 as organisations across the globe increasingly integrate artificial intelligence and cybersecurity measures into their operations.

According to experts at iManage, the focus for AI in the coming year will shift from early experimentation to practical implementation that delivers tangible business results.

Alex Smith, iManage's Global Search & AI Product Lead, emphasises that the frivolous days of AI are concluding. The pressure is mounting for Chief Technology Officers and innovation leaders to leverage AI to enhance operational efficiencies, boost productivity, and generate new revenue streams. Simply put, AI initiatives that do not contribute to the bottom line risk being sidelined as cost-prohibitive luxuries.

The year 2025 will also mark the resurgence of 'search' technologies.

Many organisations have previously conflated AI with search technology, but as understanding evolves, businesses will start to see them as complementary rather than competing. Sophisticated search tools, such as semantic search and retrieval augmented generation, will be increasingly incorporated to help workers efficiently access needed resources, thus boosting productivity and delivering better outcomes.

On the generative AI front, Paul Walker, iManage's Global Solutions Director, forecasts a "prompt revolution".

The crafting of precise, impactful queries—or prompts—will determine how effectively enterprises utilise generative AI tools. The art of prompt management will emerge as a critical best practice, transforming interactions between employees and AI systems. Pre-engineered prompts will facilitate quick access to curated insights, optimizing decision-making processes.

Generative AI will also enable groundbreaking AI-powered information self-service capabilities. Business departments often spend untold hours responding to repetitive information requests. By deploying AI-driven self-service solutions, companies can significantly reduce these hours, cut support costs, and elevate employee satisfaction. Nonetheless, successful implementation hinges on data integrity, underscoring the importance of prioritising data quality and architecture.

Jack Shepherd, a Senior Principal Business Consultant at iManage, highlights the dual nature of agentic AI as both potentially transformative and risky.

For best results, agentic AI should be introduced within a well-thought-out process design, examining procedures holistically for suitable input points. Reckless deployment, however, will lead to inconsistencies and process failures.

In the cybersecurity domain, Skybox Security predicts an intensified focus on cloud security and automation in 2025.

Adi Dubin, the firm's VP of Product Management, notes that increased reliance on cloud infrastructure has heightened the need for robust defence mechanisms against sophisticated threats. Automation will help streamline operations, freeing network professionals from labour-intensive tasks and requiring upskilling to keep pace with advanced cybersecurity measures.

Alastair Williams, VP of Worldwide Systems Engineering at Skybox Security, foresees the fading of specialised cybersecurity roles in favour of professionals with multi-disciplinary expertise. As automated tools increasingly manage routine security functions, the demand for experts capable of addressing a broad spectrum of cybersecurity challenges will rise.

The threat landscape will also evolve dramatically with the rise of AI-powered attacks, as observed by Mo Rosen at Skybox Security.

The sophistication of such threats will necessitate breaking down the silos between network and security teams to foster more integrated, collaborative approaches. This convergence is essential to improve visibility and response times, ultimately reducing the risk of damaging breaches.

These trends underscore the need for organisations to evolve alongside technological advancements. Both AI and cybersecurity require strategic implementations and a keen focus on delivering real-world outcomes.

As companies face challenges from both technology and sophisticated threats, collaboration, innovation, and efficiency will be key to navigating the landscape of 2025.