Pure Storage on AI, sustainability & cybersecurity trends in ANZ

Pure Storage has shared its insights into upcoming trends influencing business and IT environments in 2025 for Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on artificial intelligence, sustainability, and cybersecurity strategies.

The company anticipates the emergence of Industrial AI as enterprises aim to internalise AI capabilities, thus addressing governance challenges like data confidentiality between departments. With estimated underutilisation of most GPUs and their concentration among a few major companies, this shift is expected to bring AI closer to private enterprises to leverage proprietary data. Agentic AI and Large Quantitative Models are expected to play significant roles in this development.

Enterprises are anticipated to enhance their decision-making processes with the increasing utilisation of Machine Learning and Agentic AI. While Agentic AI is not expected to become mainstream until 2026, organisations are poised to benefit from its potential in analysing large datasets, identifying patterns, and automating complex tasks. Interest in such technologies is particularly noted in sectors with complex IT infrastructures, such as banking and telecommunications.

A notable increase in enterprise investment in AI is projected for 2025, despite a decrease in generic AI proof of concepts and pilots. The anticipated shift arises as companies reorient towards grounded AI approaches, influenced by past failures and economic concerns. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is expected to gain traction, especially in industries requiring real-time, contextually accurate information, such as healthcare and finance.

The importance of data will be magnified as organisations pursue better outcomes from AI and analytics. The understanding that larger datasets can outperform sophisticated algorithms has prompted initiatives aimed at unifying and unlocking siloed data, fostering more informed decision-making and improved customer experiences.

Sustainability is expected to regain priority among corporate agendas as companies approach significant 2030 sustainability benchmarks. In response to intensified governmental and regulatory mandates, businesses are predicted to focus on adopting energy-efficient technology solutions to fulfil such obligations.

In cybersecurity, strategies are anticipated to evolve towards prioritising data protection. The likelihood of cyber-attacks has shifted attention from the inevitability of an attack to preparedness when one occurs. Enhanced capabilities of cybercriminals, driven by AI advancements, are prompting businesses to invest proactively in advanced cybersecurity measures to mitigate substantial financial, reputational, and operational risks. Data protection strategies are being highlighted as essential for business continuity in the face of potential cyber threats.

Amy Rushall, Area Vice President, Australia & New Zealand at Pure Storage, stated, "The next 12 months will be interesting as enterprises look for tangible returns from their AI investments. However, they will also need to ensure that their underlying IT infrastructure is ready. Pure Storage can help these companies maximise their AI investments with a highly performant, reliable and agile data platform that grows with their business."

Mark Jobbins, CTO & VP, Asia Pacific & Japan at Pure Storage, added, "While the AI gold rush is far from over, the focus is shifting towards Agentic and Industrial AI as we move past the experimentation and research phase. Scalability, reliability, and ethical considerations will guide investment decisions, as we expect AI to become more deeply embedded in the fabric of business operations."