I recently had the opportunity to visit Malaysia. Given the 35-degree heat and high humidity, I found myself spending a lot of time in shopping malls! As a European living in New Zealand, the malls in Malaysia are on another level. You can get everything—luxury brands, entertainment, even dance performances. It’s a massive sensory overload.

Cloud in 2025 feels a lot like that. Everything is possible, anything is available, and it can be overwhelming. AI-powered automation, world-class observability, serverless infrastructure—and, of course, security embedded in everything. The challenge? Scaling a business efficiently while balancing innovation and cost. No wonder cost optimisation remains a top priority for many companies, and it’s only going to become more critical.

Key Trends Shaping the Cloud in 2025:

1. The Pace of Change Has Accelerated and Many Are Struggling to Keep Up

AI tools are evolving at an unprecedented speed. By the time you build a business case and stand up a project, the technology may have shifted enough to make your tooling feel obsolete. Does that mean you shouldn’t move forward? Absolutely not. The key is to remain adaptable—pivot your tooling or tech approach if needed, but stay focused on achieving your business outcomes.

2. Enterprises Are Borrowing Thinking from SaaS Companies

In 2025, the best place to build a startup might be within an enterprise. AI-led products and LLMs require vast amounts of data, and enterprises often have both the data and customer base to validate these models quickly. With easier access to funding and multiple use cases to explore, enterprises are becoming hotbeds for innovation.

Here is an example: I recently interviewed a marketer who built a software solution within her company. With no prior SaaS experience, she managed to generate $100K MRR within a few months. This shift is fueling the rise of enterprise innovation teams—small, hierarchy-free groups moving fast and building software within larger organisations.

3. Developer Productivity is at the Forefront

Automation, AI, and serverless infrastructure are driving massive gains in developer productivity. The ability to accelerate time-to-market while reducing operational overhead is a key competitive advantage. Companies that harness these efficiencies will be able to scale faster than ever.

What Does This Mean for Businesses?

1. Clarity of Intent is Critical

The use case is everything. The VP’s role is to determine what to build and where to allocate resources. But how much does your executive team actually know about AI? Have they built anything with it? Diversity in leadership is more critical than ever—especially in technical decision-making. Elevating technical leadership into strategic discussions ensures business and technology goals are aligned.

2. Great Enterprise and Cloud Architects Are Worth Their Weight in Gold

Many businesses chase AI-powered tools for productivity gains but overlook the AI capabilities already embedded in their existing platforms, systems and tools. SharePoint, HubSpot, and Salesforce all have AI features that are often underutilised. Enterprise architects who can navigate these options and help companies derive maximum ROI from the tools they are already licensed for, will be indispensable.

Also, every new feature comes with a cost. For example, turning logging for improved observability isn’t free—it impacts your cloud spend. Companies need to approach AI and automation with a mindset of rigorous prioritisation.

3. Cost Optimisation is More Critical Than Ever

Auto-scaling and serverless architectures allow businesses to dynamically adjust resources in real-time, ensuring performance without unnecessary costs. But licensing costs are just as important—many companies are overspending due to poor license optimisation.

I recently worked with a public sector customer whose IT costs were growing by approx. 12% year over year (for the last 6 years!). In a fast-growing private company, that might be acceptable. But in the public sector, where revenue doesn’t skyrocket to match, cost control is paramount. Managing cloud spend remains a core challenge, and balancing innovation with cost efficiency is the key to success.

The Bottom Line: The Best Business Case Wins

Cloud in 2025 is no longer about chasing the latest technology—it’s about clarity of intent and strategic decision-making. Every investment must tie back to a clear business goal:

• Are you modernising to innovate faster, win more customers or optimise your cost?
• What % growth (top line, user numbers, profitability etc.) are you planning for?
• What are you prioritising your IT investment for?

At the end of the day, cloud is a business game, not just a technology game. The tools are there—you just need to be clear on what you’re using them for. Companies that master the art of prioritisation will thrive in this new era of cloud computing.

Final Thought: Growth mindset is the #1 asset in 2025. Whether you’re a hiring manager, a seller, or a CEO, the ability to navigate uncertainty and continuously adapt will define success in the cloud-driven economy.