Running through 2025 tech trends, Russell Crowley, CEO, Principle Networks advises tech providers take stock
Another year of the digital revolution is upon us, with technology bringing opportunity in abundance. Organisations that embrace the latest emerging tech can expect to benefit from improved efficiencies, stronger customer experience and better employee engagement as artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and the democratisation of data find their place in the business world.
But will the tech live up to the hype, or are organisations taking misguided jumps onto buzzword bandwagons resulting in financial losses and developmental setbacks? What can be done to combat the increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks that are evolving at pace, and – the word on everyone’s lips; sustainability.
As the world becomes progressively tech-centric, how can firms manage their environmental footprint? All of this, coupled with juggling the pros and cons of remote work vs the ‘back to the office’ debate and continuing to battle the challenges of escaping from legacy technology and technical debt, means that tech leaders and business owners have more than a little food for thought as we move through 2025.
The advance of AI
2025 has already seen some huge advancements in tech. AI is expected to make significant strides with progress in generative AI (GenAI), machine learning, automation, and natural language processing. According to IDC, global enterprises will invest $307 billion in AI solutions in 2025 with this figure expected to more than double to $632 billion by 2028.
When used well, in line with business need, these technologies can enhance operational efficiencies. By automating routine tasks and using predictive analytics, organisations can identify and remove bottlenecks and improve speed of production or service, ultimately reducing costs. But it’s crucial that any such project is designed in line with necessity and strategy.
Technology should be used to address specific pain points, not for vanity. If you assess your business objectives and analysis reveals that the implementation of AI brings no real benefit, then don’t do it. Or at least, not yet. Unnecessary or poorly planned digital transformation projects can result in wasted resources, stalled progress and failure to hit strategic targets, costing businesses significant amounts of time and money. Quantify the potential benefits that new tech can bring, in line with your long-term strategy and with all risks considered, before you embark upon the introduction of AI for your business.
Supercharged security; thwarting the threats
Of course, as quickly as technology advances, cyber threats advance with it. This never-ending game of cat and mouse means that organisations will need to work smarter as we move forward in 2025. According to Crowdstrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report, threats matured faster than ever in 2024 with GenAI playing a pivotal role in sophisticated cyber attack campaigns. Threat actors are now moving away from phishing attacks and harnessing more innovative techniques such as social engineering and vishing, as well as by leveraging remote monitoring systems. 52% of vulnerabilities noted by Crowdstrike in 2024 were related to access, so it’s critical that organisations adopt new security technologies to protect their assets.
Acting fast is the key to success, being one step ahead of the game to stop cyber criminals in their tracks. Combating incoming threats with proactive security processes such as Zero Trust, access control, endpoint security and device management along with continuous monitoring and network scanning can help security teams identify and patch vulnerabilities before threat actors can exploit them. The ‘never trust, always verify’ ethos that Zero Trust is built on reinforces network security through a three-tiered verification process, making life more difficult for those with malicious intent. It’s all about pre-empting their next move and being agile and proactive enough to stay at least one step ahead.
Global cyber crime costs are projected to rise this year, with estimates suggesting a potential increase from $9.5 trillion in 2024 to $10.5 trillion annually in 2025, with millions upon millions of attacks predicted, daily – proving that as much as tech can be harnessed for good, businesses need to be at the very top of their game this year to stay ahead of those who are using tech for malicious purposes.
Supporting sustainability; harnessing tech for good
It can feel like a bit of a catch 22 situation. The tech industry contributes significantly to global carbon output with estimates between 2% and 4% of total emissions, but technology is also a great enabler for sustainability. 2025 is set to bring advancements in renewable energy adoption with tech initiatives driving greater efficiencies in solar and wind power, along with energy storage technologies. AI-driven business management tools harness the Internet of Things (IoT) to help organisations optimise resource consumption across their production lines, office spaces, digital infrastructure and logistical operations. When used well, this type of technology will enable businesses to monitor and reduce carbon output.
Data centres are now being designed with sustainability best practices front of mind with advancements in cooling technologies, heat recycling, renewable and carbon offsetting contracts as well as AI-driven energy management systems designed to help monitor and reduce energy usage.
When we come together collectively as an industry and make these small changes, we can make a big difference.
It’s crucial that as tech providers, we do our bit to help combat climate change, whether that be through practical changes to process and infrastructure, or through initiatives such as reforestation and other subscription-based carbon offsetting activities. This should become part of an organisation’s culture, and 2025 will bring more and more opportunities for sustainability programmes which don’t just help organisations to hit ESG targets but also contribute to the greater good.
Whichever way you look at it, tech in 2025 is bringing opportunities for innovation. The likes of AI, machine learning, robotics and quantum are advancing exponentially, and this has the potential to bring improvements across the board, from healthcare, retail and manufacturing, to the way we communicate, travel, do business and live our daily lives. Like everything, it’s about balance. Assess the business need, analyse how the tech can help, build a strategy and proceed with optimistic caution. At the end of 2025, look back at how far your business has come, how emerging technologies have helped drive innovation and growth, and start looking forwards to what the next year of the digital revolution has in store.
Russell Crowley is the Co-Founder and CEO of Principle Networks, where he is responsible for driving sustainable growth and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives. With 20 years of experience in IT solution sales and consultancy, particularly in the managed network and security infrastructure space, Russell has been a key player in serving the UK’s mid-enterprise commercial market across all major sectors.
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