The anticipated priorities for public cloud in 2025 reflect a mix of technological advancements, sustainability goals, and evolving business needs. Based on insights from various sources, here are the key focus areas:

1. Sustainability and Green Cloud Initiatives

• Environmental Impact: Sustainability will be a top priority, with cloud providers focusing on reducing their environmental footprint. This includes energy-efficient data centers, renewable energy integration, and carbon emission mitigation (Source: Eviden, AveryBit).

• Green Cloud Practices: Organizations will increasingly choose cloud providers based on their sustainability commitments, aligning with global environmental goals (Source: AveryBit).

2. AI and Machine Learning Integration

• AI-Driven Services: Public cloud providers will continue to expand AI and machine learning offerings, enabling automation, predictive analytics, and enhanced decision-making (Source: Eviden, Forbes).

• Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Cloud providers are expected to focus on RAG services to improve the accuracy of generative AI models, addressing issues like hallucinations in AI outputs (Source: Forbes).

3. Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Strategies

• Flexibility and Resilience: Businesses will increasingly adopt multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments to avoid vendor lock-in, enhance resilience, and optimize costs (Source: CloudKeeper, AveryBit).

• Data Sovereignty: Managing data across jurisdictions will drive the adoption of sovereign clouds and compliance-focused solutions (Source: Eviden).

4. Cloud Cost Optimization

• FinOps and Long-Term Efficiency: Cloud cost management will remain a critical focus, with organizations adopting FinOps practices to achieve sustained cost optimization and align cloud spending with business value (Source: CloudKeeper).

• AI-Driven Cost Management: AI tools will play a significant role in optimizing cloud expenses through real-time data analysis and automation (Source: CloudKeeper).

5. Enhanced Cloud Security

• Zero Trust Security: With increasing cyber threats, businesses will prioritize robust security measures, including Zero Trust frameworks and advanced threat detection (Source: Eviden, Forbes).

• Specialized Security Solutions: Standalone security vendors like Cisco and Palo Alto Networks will challenge native cloud security offerings, providing more comprehensive solutions (Source: Forbes).

6. Edge Computing and IoT Integration

• Localized Data Processing: The rise of edge computing will enable real-time data processing closer to the source, improving latency and supporting IoT applications (Source: Eviden, AveryBit).

• Edge AI: Advanced edge AI capabilities will further enhance localized processing and automation (Source: Eviden).

7. Generative AI and Business Applications

• Generative AI Innovation: Cloud providers will invest in generative AI tools and platforms, enabling businesses to deploy AI-driven applications more effectively (Source: Business Insider, Forbes).

• Business Applications on Cloud: Providers will focus on migrating enterprise applications like ERP and CRM to the cloud, targeting large-scale business users (Source: Business Insider).

8. Sovereign Cloud and Compliance

• Regulatory Alignment: As data privacy regulations tighten globally, sovereign cloud solutions tailored to specific regions will gain traction (Source: Eviden).

• Governance Frameworks: Businesses will emphasize compliance and governance to meet regulatory requirements and build consumer trust (Source: Eviden).

9. Serverless and Cloud-Native Technologies

• Serverless Computing: Adoption of serverless architectures will grow, enabling cost savings and faster deployment (Source: AveryBit).

• Cloud-Native Development: Organizations will focus on cloud-native practices like microservices and containerization to avoid technical debt and enhance agility (Source: CloudKeeper, AveryBit).

10. SaaS and Platform Growth

• SaaS Dominance: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) will continue to dominate cloud spending, with investments nearing $300 billion in 2025 (Source: CloudKeeper).

• Platform Services: Infrastructure and platform services will see significant growth, driven by demand for scalable and flexible solutions (Source: CloudKeeper).

Summary

In 2025, public cloud priorities will revolve around sustainability, AI integration, cost optimization, security, and hybrid/multi-cloud strategies. Providers will focus on delivering innovative, secure, and environmentally friendly solutions to meet the evolving needs of businesses and regulatory landscapes.