AI-driven transformation compels a reevaluation of IT infrastructures
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape of 2025, IT leaders are focusing their spending on a few key areas to drive their organisations' growth and adaptability. According to the Q1 2025 IT Trends Report by JumpCloud, cloud infrastructure, AI tools, and cybersecurity are the top spending priorities, second only to cybersecurity.
Firstly, cloud and data center investments are a significant focus. With the ongoing migration to cloud-based systems, companies are investing in cloud infrastructure and services to facilitate AI and data processing. Data centers, particularly those designed for AI-related infrastructure, are also a priority, as organisations seek to enhance their data processing capabilities.
Secondly, cybersecurity remains a critical priority. With the increasing integration of AI into core business operations, IT leaders are investing in security measures to protect against emerging threats related to AI applications.
Thirdly, AI and digitization initiatives continue to drive spending, despite global uncertainty. IT leaders are investing in AI-related infrastructure to support these efforts.
Fourthly, modernizing legacy systems is another key goal. This ensures digital transformation and compatibility with modern cloud and AI technologies.
Lastly, optimising cloud costs is essential to ensure that spending is efficient and aligned with business goals, given the increased reliance on cloud services.
The transition towards AI and high-performance workloads requires infrastructure that can support distributed, AI-powered operations. Organisations are moving towards cloud-native and hybrid approaches due to the demands of model training and inference. Modernising the IT stack for AI doesn't mean ripping everything out; it's about identifying what's no longer serving, reinforcing what works, and building for a future where intelligence at scale is the norm.
Centralized identity, access, and device management are critical to this transition. Siloed systems slow response times and limit visibility in an AI-driven environment, making centralized management crucial. Cloud-based solutions are being adopted for identity and directory platforms to better support distributed, AI-powered operations.
Nearly half of IT teams are increasing cybersecurity investments in response to AI-specific vulnerabilities. AI-specific security challenges, including adversarial AI attacks, data poisoning, and bias in automated decision-making, are prompting modernization.
The goal is to enable seamless integration across platforms prioritizing adaptability and performance, rather than eliminating on-premises infrastructure. Unified systems reduce complexity and provide the data foundation AI needs for automation and anomaly detection. Legacy systems with rigid data structures or siloed security frameworks struggle to keep up with AI demands.
In conclusion, the 2025 IT landscape is shaped by a focus on cloud-integrated infrastructure and AI-driven technology. IT leaders are investing in cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI and digitization initiatives, legacy system modernization, and optimizing cloud costs to drive their organisations' growth and adaptability in the age of AI.
- The IT industry is busy investing in cloud infrastructure and services to facilitate artificial intelligence and data processing in the data centers, as part of the ongoing migration to cloud-based systems in 2025.
- To protect against emerging threats related to AI applications, IT leaders are increasing investments in AI-specific cybersecurity measures, in response to AI-related vulnerabilities.
- As part of AI and digitization initiatives, companies are also spending on artificial intelligence-related infrastructure to support their efforts towards AI-powered operations and automation.
