What the privacy field is thinking for 2025

From my many conversations across the field as Transcend's Field Chief Privacy Officer, the one element I hear frequently from my peers is how privacy is rapidly evolving. In 2025, CPOs are not just protecting data—we're orchestrating a complex symphony of trust, innovation, and individual empowerment.

As we look to next year, the key challenges ahead will demand more than traditional compliance strategies. With that in mind, rather than trying to predict what lies ahead, here are several key considerations designed to help privacy leaders strengthen their strategies and programs, preparing them to navigate whatever challenges may arise next year (as CPOs, we know there will be a few!):

• Agile Privacy Programs and Teams: Given the fragmented landscape of state privacy regulations, privacy programs must be adaptive, with the scalability to address jurisdictional nuances and the agility to respond swiftly to emerging requirements. Agility is no longer optional—it's foundational.
  
• Stronger Collaboration with Executive Leadership: Privacy should be a central component of the business’s strategic roadmaps, and as CPOs we must be empowered to balance regulatory compliance, business growth and the critical imperative of maintaining customer trust. For privacy leaders to be recognized as strategic enablers, we must forge deep, collaborative relationships with key executive teams and advocate for a dedicated seat at the leadership table. This means KPIs, strategic alignment and deep understanding of how the conversations of compliance and growth are rapidly merging at the c-suite.
  
• Enhanced Understanding of AI and Emerging Technologies: The rapid adoption of AI necessitates that privacy professionals deepen their knowledge of this evolving technology. After this past year of AI hype, this may feel obvious but we are only in the very early stages of AI deployment in the enterprise. Staying ahead means tracking evolving regulatory guidance, learning about new governance tools, revisiting our foundations to make sure they’re ready for the pace of AI (goodbye, spreadsheets!) and educating stakeholders on the unique compliance risks and opportunities posed by AI.
  
• Reassessing Privacy Technology Investments: Legacy privacy tools struggle to keep pace with today’s dynamic regulatory environment. Privacy teams must evaluate whether their tools provide scalable, automated solutions that effectively streamline privacy operations. While transitioning to modern solutions may seem challenging, it's a critical investment in future readiness.
  
• Fresh Voices and Proactive Engagement: Staying on top of emerging laws and requirements is only part of the job – we must also be part of the conversation to advance privacy’s impact and define the field’s momentum and evolution together. Participating in industry groups, conferences, and public forums help ensure our critical inputs are heard and lay the groundwork for new spaces for fresh voices on privacy to come forward.
  

As you close the chapter on 2024, I’d love to hear what’s top of mind for you in 2025? Drop me a note or tag me on Linkedin!