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NetApp’s 2024 Data Complexity Report has revealed that 2025 will be the year where more businesses will transition from experimenting to scaling their AI capabilities.
The annual report, now in its second year, examines how global organisations are navigating and managing their data for AI. It shows that 40% of global technology executives believe that unprecedented investment in AI and data management will be required for their companies in 2025. This follows two-thirds of companies worldwide reporting that their data is fully or mostly well-documented, accurate and accessible for AI-use cases.
“This year’s Data Complexity Report shows that businesses are making significant investments to drive innovation and efficiency, but these efforts will succeed only if global tech executives can address the mounting challenges of data complexity, security and sustainability,” said NetApp Chief Marketing Officer Gabie Boko. “Intelligent data infrastructure, with unified data storage at its core, will be key to unlocking AI’s potential.”
At the same time, 41% of global tech executives are predicting there will be a sharp increase in security threats in 2025 alongside the growing adoption of AI. In fact, 59% identified these growing security threats as the leading global stressors.
Despite the growing security concern that AI brings, only 38% of executives at the board and C-suite levels ranked prioritising cybersecurity and ransomware as a top priority – a 17% decrease since 2023.
However, the report noted the decline is a “promising sign” that progress is being made to combat these threats.
The Data Complexity Report also highlighted that 34% of global tech executives anticipate that next year will see major shifts in corporate sustainability processes, while another third expect to see new government energy policies and investments. Considering this, carbon footprint reduction remains extremely or very important in regions with high AI adoption, the report said. However, on a year-on-year basis, this focus has declined from 84% of companies in 2023 to 72% in 2024.
NetApp Senior Vice President and General Manager Krish Vitaldevara believes businesses that continue to invest in data infrastructure, prioritise security and factor in sustainability are not only future-proofing their operations but also gaining a significant competitive advantage in the AI-driven landscape.
“AI’s transformative potential hinges on secure, scalable, and sustainable data strategies,” he said.
“The organisations leading in advanced analytics and AI are those that have unified and well-catalogued data, robust security and compliance for sensitive information, and a clear understanding of how data evolves. By tackling these challenges, they can drive innovation while ensuring resilience, responsibility and timely insights in the new AI era.”
