This year, AI is set to automate data preparation and interpretation, unlocking faster and deeper business insights. In fact, recent data shows that around half of organizations are investing in AI and analytics, with data management and analytics being the top cloud investment area over the next 18 months (54%).
This surge in Artificial Intelligence investment is driven by the need for better data management and visibility, with 60% of companies prioritizing these goals over traditional objectives like cost savings (58%) and workflow automation (57%). However, the path to AI adoption isn’t without its challenges. Concerns over data privacy and security (42%) and a lack of AI expertise (35%) remain significant roadblocks. These challenges highlight the importance of establishing a solid data infrastructure to support AI initiatives to ensure security and compliance.
In 2025, workload optimization, securing identities, and compliance and governance are three areas where AI is set to have a transformative impact in the cloud.
Workload Optimization
Artificial Intelligence is making a real difference in how companies optimize their workloads, especially as data continues to grow. By partnering with an analytics platform, businesses can right-size their cloud resources in real-time, ensuring that servers, storage, and processing power are used efficiently. AI tools can also help track and reduce energy consumption, giving companies an extra boost in their sustainability efforts. By measuring efficiency in both cost savings and carbon usage, they’re helping organizations meet their ESG goals while enhancing operational performance simultaneously.
Securing Identities
With the rise of cloud platforms and remote work, securing digital identities has become a major challenge. Companies are dealing with increasingly complex IT environments, and one big issue is cleaning up outdated or inconsistent tags in Active Directory (AD) and Azure. Artificial Intelligence is stepping in to help, automating this process and adding business relevance so that tagging is both accurate and meaningful.
Surveil, for instance, uses AI tools to streamline tag cleanup and optimize license allocation. It also monitors resource leaks and manages user access – handling joiners, leavers, and movers – to ensure permissions are correctly assigned and revoked, keeping the organization’s digital infrastructure secure and well-maintained.
Compliance and Governance
AI is transforming how companies manage policies that adhere to both organizational and industry standards. Surveil offers a specialized module for Cloud Governance and Security, which helps companies keep tabs on their cloud environments and automatically enforces compliance rules.
AI is rapidly changing how businesses manage data and generate insights, offering previously unseen potential to cut costs and boost efficiency. While fully adopting AI has its challenges, organisations should be utilising insights engines and tools such as Azure Guardian to help manage cloud environments, reduce risks, drive better decision-making and ensure compliance.
While the transformational benefits of AI continue to grow, there is no longer an excuse to hold back investment in AI and analytics. Those that do in 2025 risk being left behind.