Only 41 percent of global organizations are developing AI strategies, according to the AI Trends 2025 report.
Many companies have just started developing strategies, and they are doing so with limited skills and infrastructure, according to report publisher Info-Tech Research Group. Twenty-six percent of respondents to the study reported their plans to simply incorporate AI into broader IT and business strategies.
Info-Tech said these findings reflected the need for frameworks that tackle issues of governance, data management, and alignment with business goals to maximize AI's potential.
“With AI's role expanding in every aspect of business, developing an AI strategy that is aligned with the organization's strategy and goals is more important than ever,” said Bill Wong, Info-Tech Research Group fellow and the report’s lead author.
He pointed out that organizations need to construct frameworks that “drive improved business outcomes while aligning to Responsible AI principles and regulatory compliance.
“The structured approach will help organizations drive sustainable value from AI while managing its associated risks and organizational impact responsibly,” Wong said.
The report also identified gaps in governance and skill shortages, which continue to be major obstacles to effective and responsible AI scaling. Info-Tech attributed these to insufficient expertise in AI and data management, which restricts the progress of AI initiatives. Moreover, strong governance frameworks are lacking, complicating the process of managing AI’s operational complexities and disruptive impact.
The report outlined four key trends that are expected to inform the adoption of AI in the coming year: AI strategy, AI ecosystem, AI regulations, and deepfake threats.
According to Info-Tech, effective AI strategies must align with corporate goals and objectives. AI strategic principles must inform investments, and business drivers determined by key stakeholders should be applied to identify which proposed AI initiatives should be chosen and prioritized.
Moreover, in the face of a rapidly scaling AI ecosystem, organizations should determine whether tools fit with the objectives of an organization based on factors such as integration complexity, stakeholder support, and value for AI-driven results. The fastest-growing category in this ecosystem is the development of AI tools, and generative AI, in particular, is seeing high demand. Many organizations have preferred to access generative AI via embedded SaaS applications or APIs.
On the legal side, the regulatory landscape is changing in response to the increasing adoption of AI, with the EU AI Act set to establish the global standard, especially with respect to privacy, security, and responsible use of AI. According to Info-Tech, regulatory frameworks like the Act will mould international AI policies, and companies should prepare for this eventuality. Organizations could also be pushed to engage vendors and consultants for external guidance on best practices for governance concerns like data management, model accuracy, and integration.
In addition, deepfakes and AI-powered cyber threats are growing concerns that reflect the necessity for effective verification and cybersecurity measures. Deepfake technology compromises public trust, enables fraud, and risks data integrity; thus, Info-Tech calls for organizations to introduce training, authentication protocols, and ongoing oversight.
The AI Trends 2025 report is based on data from Info-Tech’s Future of IT 2025 survey, which gathered insights from about 1,000 IT decision-makers worldwide. Respondents hailed from the US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and Europe and covered 17 industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, and manufacturing.