Looking back, IT forecasts from 2022–2024 have generally landed within striking distance of early 2025 realities, even though there have been some optimistic overshoots. Given this, IT decision makers should prioritize investments in AI augmentation, zero-trust cybersecurity, and start working on their quantum readiness game, but avoid betting the farm on full automation or agentic AI at this point.
Why You Should Care
- AI’s not-so-artificial impact. From generative text-to-video to emerging “agentic” models, AI is progressing rapidly. This does not mean that they are autonomously taking over. Large enterprises and early AI adopters are appointing Chief AI Officers. This is a signal that AI isn’t just a tech play, but that it’s also a strategic lever.
- Cybersecurity is still playing defense. Ransomware is still public enemy #1. AI is now used by both attackers (for faster phishing and malware) and defenders (for anomaly detection), but only 37% of orgs have controls to vet AI tools, leaving many enterprises with blind spots.
- Quantum is no longer just a thought experiment. Microsoft unveiled the Majorana 1 quantum chip, based on exotic topological qubits. While Q-Day isn’t here yet, the clock is ticking. Post-quantum cryptography migration has started and IT leads must address this issue with more urgency.
- The cloud has gotten cloudier. Hybrid and multi-cloud are now the norm. Add in AI workloads, edge computing, and regulatory scrutiny of cloud concentration, and CIOs must recalibrate cloud strategies for cost, control, and continuity.
What You Should Do Next
- Create an AI governance framework to manage AI adoption and mitigate risk.
- Accelerate post-quantum cryptography planning, especially for regulated or data-sensitive sectors.
- Conduct a cloud strategy health check to optimize resiliency and not just to reduce cost or avoid vendor lock-in.
Get Started
- Appoint or empower an AI strategy lead (think: Chief AI Officer) to ensure AI isn’t siloed or unmanaged.
- Run an internal audit of your cryptographic assets to assess readiness for quantum-safe transitions.
- Update your cloud architecture playbook to embrace hybrid setups, especially in light of increasing cloud concentration risks.
Learn More @ Tactive
- Essential Guidance for Enterprises as the First Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards are Released
- Small Enterprises, Big AI: How to Use LLMs to Stop Financial Fraud
- Optimize Cloud Efficiency and User Experience with Cloud Performance Engineering