Compliance | Capture and Imaging | Intelligent Information Management (IIM) | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Intelligent Document Processing
Something interesting showed up in our recent 2025 AIIM Industry Watch report, and I can't stop wondering about it.
When we looked at how practitioners view information management's future importance, we found a notable shift. In 2024, 72% of respondents believed IM would become more important in the next 12 months. In 2025, that number dropped to 48%. At first glance, that might look like a warning sign. I don't think it is.
For years, information management practitioners have been doing the hard work of making the case internally. Getting leadership to understand why this stuff matters. Proving strategic value. Fighting for resources. The drop in that number might actually mean some of that work is paying off. Maybe IM doesn't feel like an emerging priority anymore because it's already been accepted as a core one.
That said, the data also points to a bigger shift happening underneath the surface, and that's where things get really interesting.
From "Because We Have To" to "Because It Helps Us Win"
The most striking finding in this year's research is how dramatically the reasons organizations invest in information management have changed.
In 2024, Compliance and Risk was the dominant driver at 70%. Nearly double any other priority. In 2025, it dropped to 24%. That's a 46-percentage-point decline in one year.
Here's where things landed in 2025:
- Customer Service -- 32%
- Collaboration -- 30%
- Costs and Productivity -- 30%
- Compliance and Risk -- 24%
That is a fundamentally different picture. Instead of one dominant rationale pulling everything forward, we now have a cluster of priorities that are nearly tied -- and notably, they're all about enabling the business, not just protecting it.
This is the shift from compliance-driven to value-driven investment. And it changes what the conversation should look like in your organization. The argument is no longer "we need this to stay out of trouble." It's "we need this to serve customers better, work smarter, and move faster."
That's a much better conversation to be in.
Why This Matters for AI Readiness
There's another layer here that connects directly to where our community is focused right now. The organizations that have built strong information management foundations are the ones best positioned to get real value from AI.
The 2025 Industry Watch report digs into all of this, including who's leading IM inside organizations today, what technology is being deployed, how automation is being used, and what specific practices are showing up in organizations with stronger AI outcomes.
If you want to understand where the industry is headed and where your organization stands relative to peers, the full report is worth your time.
Download the 2025 State of the Intelligent Information Management Industry report here.