2025 Trends: The Year CIOs Lead the Charge on AI, Data, and Business Innovation

We are observing CIOs collaborating closely with department heads to unlock the potential of data, using it as a springboard for innovative product trials. In media, for example, AI is being deployed to directly target consumers with highly relevant content. One shopping channel is exploiting stock and trend data to automate advertising, while leading beauty brands are applying AI for everything from robotic colour mixing to creating hyper-personalised product lines based on detailed customer profiles. 

While some of these innovations may sound familiar, the evolution of AI tools and software is making them smarter and more impactful. Businesses now have an unprecedented ability to be precise, targeted, and efficient, giving them a significant competitive edge. 

This ties into a major theme emerging in CIO circles. At Gartner’s recent Symposium in Barcelona, it was clear that IT must pivot from being “the doers” to becoming strategic enablers. IT teams should focus on providing platforms, data, and tools for business departments to lead innovation and create new go-to-market products. For instance, Marketing and Sales can harness increasingly granular data to better target customers, while Customer Services should adopt AI tools to elevate service quality—a much-needed improvement for many industries. 

Similarly, inward-facing teams can harness IT to innovate, automate, and streamline operations. The shift is about empowering every department to lead in their domain while IT guides as a trusted advisor and architectural enabler. 

The proliferation of AI-branded products demands scrutiny. Some are simply repackaged machine learning or process automation tools, but others are genuinely groundbreaking. A key area of transformation is the role of the Chief Data Officer (CDO). For years, the focus was on building perfect data warehouses or lakes with fully structured data. Today, AI tools can integrate structured and unstructured data to deliver meaningful insights. This breakthrough saves businesses time and money, fundamentally altering how data is utilised. 

Flexibility in IT remains crucial to businesses and could be the difference between those that have a competitive edge and those that do not. But why do we need to be flexible in our approach to businesses as the world seemingly tilts to the right? For UK CIOs, flexibility is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have to navigate growing uncertainties. From economic volatility and policy shifts at home to geopolitical changes in the US and Europe, the pressure to adapt is intensifying. Creating balance within IT operations, through right-sourcing, adaptive partnerships, and scalable contracts, enables businesses to respond swiftly and effectively to these challenges. In a world where change is the only constant, agility isn’t just about operational efficiency, it’s the backbone of business resilience. 

Cybersecurity remains another critical area. The scale of attacks is staggering—2,200 attacks occur every day, equivalent to one every 39 seconds. The global cost to businesses is projected to exceed £6 trillion in the coming year. Businesses must prioritise pre-emptive cyber defences, guided by independent, agnostic advisors who offer a holistic view of threats and solutions. A robust security operations center (SOC) is now vital for resilience. 

Lastly, but no less important, is Sustainable IT. CIOs must balance the operational demands of their function with contributing to the business’s sustainability goals. This requires embedding sustainability metrics into projects and procurement processes. At the enterprise level, architects are increasingly integrating ESG principles into their designs and decision-making. This proactive approach ensures sustainability isn’t just a buzzword but a tangible part of everyday business operations. 

In conclusion, 2025 brings both challenges and opportunities. Whether through AI, data innovation, cybersecurity, or sustainability, the role of IT as a strategic enabler has never been clearer. Businesses that embrace this shift will position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly complex landscape. 

At Leading Resolutions, we bring hands-on expertise across all these areas—whether it’s shaping strategy, planning, advising, guiding, or rolling up our sleeves to implement. Our approach to technology is refreshingly personal, delivering practical solutions that drive real results