By Kelly Ahuja, CEO  Versa Networks

As we reflect on 2024, it's evident that innovation has continued to drive much of the transformation we've seen. From breakthroughs in AI to acceleration of SASE adoption and a stronger focus on data sovereignty, our world has evolved rapidly. Here are some of our top insights for the new year:

Data Sovereignty Drives AI Architecture

Data is everywhere. It is the crown jewel of every business, and businesses want to keep it locked up in their own vaults. In the upcoming year, enterprises will shape their future AI initiatives with the goal of maintaining data sovereignty and keeping precious data within their infrastructure and control. Just as threat signatures are pushed to the edge, AI models will be deployed closer to where data is generated, reducing latency and improving real-time processing.

The Role of Cloud in the AI Pipeline

Innovation in AI use cases is driving growth and productivity across businesses. Managing the costs of data engineering-specifically transporting, processing, and distributing the massive volumes of data needed for AI initiatives-will push companies toward a hybrid approach. To optimize performance, reduce latency, and control costs, the architecture of the future will rely on training Large Language Models close to the data source, with inference workloads distributed as needed. Factors like cloud economics and data sovereignty will determine the ideal balance among cloud, private data centers, and enterprise edges in a complete AI infrastructure.

Prediction: Cyber Attacks Become AI-Powered Attacks

By 2025, an increasing number of cyberattacks will incorporate AI-driven techniques, using sophisticated machine learning models to identify system vulnerabilities, automate attack generation, and adapt rapidly to evolving defensive measures. These AI-powered attacks will surpass the capabilities of traditional methods, producing targeted, scalable, and evasive threats that can exploit even subtle weaknesses in security frameworks. 

Unlike conventional cyberattacks, which often rely on predictable patterns or human intervention, AI attacks can execute complex strategies autonomously and in real time. As a result, static and traditional security approaches will increasingly struggle to keep pace, requiring a shift toward AI-enhanced defenses capable of anticipating, identifying, and countering these dynamic threats.

Despite global challenges that range from economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, businesses have found new ways to adapt and seize emerging opportunities. Looking ahead to 2025, this rapid pace of change will only accelerate. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Ahuja is a seasoned industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in networking and telecommunications. He currently serves on the board of directors for two startups in Silicon Valley.

Kelly spent 18 years at Cisco rooted in the design and deployment of telecommunications networks. He was most recently SVP of Service Provider Business, Products and Solutions at Cisco where he was responsible for developing and managing the service provider segment strategy and portfolio. Kelly held several other senior executive roles at Cisco, including SVP and GM of the Mobility Business Group, Chief Architect for the Service Provider business, and SVP and GM of the Service Provider Routing Technology Group.

Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Calgary.