2025 Predictions
especially for organisations requiring specific data residency or regulatory control. “We’re even seeing an uptick in interest for environments requiring a completely disconnected setup,” he adds. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is
stabilising, which may encourage broader adoption. “Organisations will need to weigh the flexibility and maturity of AVD against the growing adoption of Windows 365,” says Dalvi. Observability will become critical for optimising performance and user experience in virtual desktop solutions. “Customers are looking for tools to identify performance bottlenecks proactively,” he explains.
AI isn’t going away “Te channel in 2025 is set to undergo a significant transformation, driven by the rapid evolution of AI and the growing adoption of flexible and multi-cloud environments,” says David Keogh of Dropbox. “AI will act as an enabler, helping partners anticipate customer needs, streamline operations, and deliver personalised, intelligent solutions at scale. At the same time, businesses will demand seamless integrations across increasingly complex ecosystems, pushing the channel to prioritise both interoperability and agility and robust security measures.” Andy Wilson, senior director of new product solutions at
Dropbox, foresees significant advancements, with AI becoming an integral part of daily life and work. “AI will evolve from being a helpful tool to becoming an integral part of daily life and work,” Wilson says. Tis will include advancements in mobile devices and wearables, providing seamless AI-powered experiences and raising new questions for businesses about balancing personal AI tools with workplace policies. Personalised AI agents will be a game changer, evolving from
simple tools like ChatGPT to highly tailored assistants that transform how people manage their daily lives and work. “Tese personalised agents will empower users to bring their data to the table, offering insights and capabilities that were once reserved for big companies with deep pockets,” Wilson explains. As AI adoption accelerates, businesses either integrate AI
effectively or struggle to catch up. Digital-native companies and startups will benefit, while larger, older businesses may face challenges. “A lack of AI expertise or the reluctance to change could result in lost opportunities and a talent drain,” Wilson says. Time will become a critical commodity in 2025, and AI will help
optimise it, especially in the workplace. AI-powered scheduling and universal search tools will make more intelligent use of every hour and reduce time spent searching for work content. “Tis focus on time and efficiency optimisation will drive the shiſt towards smarter, more effective ways of working,” he says. Additionally, specialised niche language models (LLMs) will offer
highly tailored solutions to specific industries and roles, providing high-precision results. Te rise of these niche AI models will allow smaller players to provide exceptional value to niche markets.
34 | January/February 2025
“Advanced automation tools will enable businesses to switch between different LLMs depending on the task, further enhancing efficiency,” Wilson says. Dave Mosley, CEO of Seagate,
believes that the AI boom will require greater trust in data, not just scale. “AI can only be trusted if the data behind it is trustworthy,” he says. According to McKinsey’s Global Survey on AI, 72% of organisations worldwide have integrated AI into at least one business function, and in
Europe, 90% of professionals report using generative AI tools. Mosley stresses the importance of retaining data throughout
the AI process to validate its trustworthiness. “Tat data needs to be available long term, not just to comply with evolving legal requirements but also to ensure that inference is explainable,” he explains. Recent Deloitte research suggests users remain reluctant to
trust AI in high-stakes, complex decisions. Companies must apply trustworthy AI principles to address this, focusing on governance, regulatory compliance, and education. Linda Yao, vice president of Hybrid Cloud and AI Solutions,
foresees hyper-personalisation reaching unprecedented levels with AI, increasing demand for IT and cybersecurity services. “If you think AI knows you now, just wait!” Yao remarks, predicting AI agents will deliver intricately tailored experiences anticipating needs and influencing decisions. However, this requires heightened caution. “Organisations will need to invest in robust infrastructure and cybersecurity services,” she says, to ensure personal and critical data remains safe. Hyper-personalisation will test the balance between convenience and privacy, with ethical implications needing collective definition by authorities and business leaders. Yao adds that navigating hybrid AI will be crucial for enterprise success. CIOs must balance public, enterprise, and personal AI infrastructure to achieve maximum ROI. “By making informed decisions and adhering to responsible AI principles, CIOs can unlock the full potential of AI while mitigating risks,” she says. Ralf Jordan of Lenovo says that while channel partners are eager
to leverage AI, success in 2025 will hinge on turning ambition into fruition. “IT vendors need to access state-of-the-art AI solutions, allowing customers to deploy AI faster, safely, and more efficiently,” he says. “Providing access to a partner ecosystem, including AI Independent Soſtware Vendors (ISVs), across various applications and services, will be crucial. Partnerships are essential to overcoming one of the major roadblocks to wider AI adoption: harnessing the technology and ensuring employees have the right skills.” Helen Hawthorn, head of solutions engineering EMEA at Zoom,
envisions the next wave of innovation as AI-first user interfaces (AIU). Tese interfaces will blend conversational AI with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to create intuitive systems. “Tese interfaces will streamline workflows by prioritising personalised, action- oriented interactions that adapt to user behaviours and needs,” Hawthorn explains.
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