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Scaling AI in 2025
A new Reply survey reveals how AI is reshaping business operations, highlighting trends in budgets, challenges, and its transformative impact on ICT Departments.
Insights from industry leaders
This survey, conducted with 194 executives from Reply customers across diverse industries and regions, offers a comprehensive view of AI adoption's evolving landscape. Designed to gather insights from senior leaders, including a significant number of Chief Information Officers (CIOs), it reflects the perspectives of large national and multinational companies across all vertical sectors.
The findings highlight key trends in AI adoption, exploring budget allocations, return on investment (ROI), critical challenges, and AI's transformative impact on IT architecture and sourcing strategies. By focusing on real-world implementations and scalable applications, the survey emphasizes AI's growing maturity. However, scaling AI across organizations emerges as the key challenge for 2025, requiring budget adjustments, talent realignment, organizational shifts, and the integration of AI into enterprise strategies and leadership metrics.
Some key insights from the survey
Increasing AI
budgets in 2025
62% of respondents plan to increase their AI budgets to integrate AI into core systems and improve digital and operational processes
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Return On
Investment (ROI)
47% reports a tangible ROI from PoCs in terms of enhanced efficiency, product quality improvements, and increased engagement from stakeholders
Efficiency in
Software Development
Most organisations (59%) anticipate that Generative AI will enhance productivity throughout the software development life cycle
Deep impacts on
ICT departments
Companies plan changes to their technology stacks, like adjustments to architecture (32%), adding AI-focused vendors, and creating modular software systems
Challenges:
talent & data
Talent and skills (31%), data quality and availability (26%), and budget constraints (21%) are the three most significant challenges for organisations
Fighting
the AI risks
The three top risks for organizations are financial and cost (23%), data security and privacy (19%), and ethical and social risks (17%)
AI budget distribution reflects strategic priorities
Organisations are strategically allocating their AI budgets to address a variety of goals, from enhancing operational efficiency and automating processes to driving customer engagement and product innovation. A significant focus lies on core AI projects and cross-functional applications, reflecting a commitment to integrating AI into overall business strategy. Investments are also directed toward operational and customer-centric initiatives, including personalised solutions and industry-specific applications. Additionally, sectors with strict regulatory requirements prioritise AI-driven compliance, risk management, and safety measures, underscoring the diverse and strategic utilisation of AI across industries.
Discover more insights from the survey
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