UK technology in 2025: AI integration & sustainability

The trajectory of technology in the UK for 2025 is predicted to be heavily influenced by artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability initiatives according to industry leaders.

Darren Cran, Chief Executive Officer of AccountsIQ, highlighted the transition from AI discovery to implementation in 2025. "2024 was the year of discovery when it comes to AI, but 2025 will be the year of implementation," Cran stated. He emphasised the integration of AI into finance sector roles and products. He observed a "widening" gap between those utilizing AI practically and those who are not, suggesting that adopting AI will become "a necessity for staying competitive." He added that, "Businesses now demand seamlessly integrated tools that connect data, not fragment it, and leadership must play an active role in embedding AI across the business to meet this need."

Supporting this, Tom Summerfield, Director at Peak, noted the surface-level engagement with AI across many businesses. "There's been an increase in people saying they're now 'doing some AI'," Summerfield remarked, "but they're not really – it's something else." He forecasted 2025 as the year "the best retailers begin to educate themselves on what AI actually is and move forward," suggesting companies are navigating the "Trough Of Disillusionment" and some are progressing towards the "Slope of Enlightenment."

Regulatory changes, particularly in sustainability, are also expected to play a prominent role. Mat Clothier, Chief Executive Officer of Cloudhouse, predicted the influence of regulatory shifts on legacy IT systems. Clothier suggested that "With aging systems more inefficient – and therefore using more energy – any incoming environmental regulations could force an IT rethink for organisations to ensure compliance." He anticipated a "pace of change conundrum" with the acceleration of regulatory pressures into 2025.

Jonathan Dixon, Head of Trade Surveillance at eflow Global, commented on the regulatory landscape, especially concerning financial regulations. "Different jurisdictions have conflicting rules, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution," he explained, underlining the difficulties global firms face with frameworks like DORA and MiCA, which aren't built for cross-border variances.

Craig Wentwork, a principal analyst at TechMarketView, spoke about the growing importance of sustainability reporting and regulation. "More and more organisations are being swept up by advancing regulatory eligibility criteria." He differentiated between those who view ESG reporting as a "tick-box exercise" and those who use the data for "a deeper sustainability transformation."

Tom Summerfield and Darren Cran reiterated the importance of prioritising ESG efforts. "The 'E' of ESG is on the rise," emphasised Summerfield, noting the twin drivers of consumer interest and fund allocation through an "ESG filter." Cran pointed out, "ESG reporting is becoming a major challenge for many businesses, requiring financial data integration to track costs and carbon credits."

The insights from these leaders illustrate significant areas of focus for UK businesses as they navigate AI advancements, sustainability imperatives, and regulatory evolutions in 2025.