For years, the conversation in tech circles was about moving everything to the public cloud. Faster, cheaper, more scalable – it sounded like the obvious path. But in 2025, the reality for many CTOs is more nuanced.

Rather than going all in on public cloud, organisations are increasingly adopting hybrid infrastructure models – blending on-premises, private cloud, and public cloud resources. And in parallel, they’re turning a sharper eye toward optimising SaaS investments like Microsoft 365 with AI-driven governance.

It’s not about going backwards. It’s about going smarter.

Why Hybrid Is Back in Favour

The hybrid Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) approach is gaining traction for some compelling reasons:

• Compliance: Certain industries face strict regulations on where and how data is stored. Hybrid setups give flexibility without compromising compliance.
• Cost control: Public cloud bills can spiral quickly without tight oversight. Retaining some workloads on-premises can stabilise costs.
• Performance: Keeping latency-sensitive applications closer to the end-user can improve speed and reliability.

A recent Irish Tech News article highlighted that hybrid models also reduce vendor lock-in – something many CIOs and CTOs are keen to avoid after seeing cloud pricing shifts in recent years.

The Untapped Potential of SaaS Optimisation

SaaS tools like Microsoft 365 are already core to most workplaces. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: a lot of licences go unused, and many features are under-leveraged.

This is where AI-led governance frameworks come in:

• Usage analytics: Identify which apps and licences are actually being used, and by whom.
• Automated provisioning: Use AI to adjust access rights in real-time, based on role changes or inactivity.
• Security compliance: Apply dynamic policies to protect sensitive data without over-restricting users.
• Feature adoption tracking: Pinpoint features that can boost productivity and guide targeted training.

According to CloudOffix, this approach isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about maximising return on investment by ensuring teams are getting full value from every tool they touch.

What CTOs Should Be Doing Now

1. Audit your cloud workloads – decide which should remain on-prem, which belong in private cloud, and which can thrive in public cloud.
2. Review SaaS utilisation data – you might be shocked by how much is paid for but unused.
3. Explore AI-driven governance solutions – look for platforms that integrate with your current Microsoft 365 or other SaaS tools.
4. Plan for scalability and flexibility – hybrid should make it easier to adapt to changing business needs, not harder.

The Bigger Picture

Hybrid IaaS and SaaS optimisation aren’t short-term cost-cutting measures. They’re strategic moves that give organisations more control, more resilience, and more value from the tech they already have.

In an era where the cloud is everywhere, the smartest move might be knowing when not to put everything there – and making the most of what you’ve already invested in.

References

• Irish Tech News – Adapting to an Evolving Technology Landscape
• CloudOffix – Future Trends Shaping Work and Technology

For years, SEO has been a predictable game. Keyword research, backlinks, page speed – rinse and repeat. Then AI search engines arrived, and suddenly the rules changed. If you’re in digital marketing, recruitment marketing, or even a role where web visibility matters, you might want to pause and look closely at what’s happening. Because we’re not just talking about another Google update; we’re talking about a new search battleground altogether.

What Is GEO and Why Should You Care?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the art of making your content show up in AI-driven search results. Instead of a page of blue links, users now get direct answers from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s generative search features. These engines scan the web, summarise it, and deliver answers in a neat paragraph.

The catch? If your content is not written in a way that these AI systems can understand, trust, and cite, you might simply vanish from visibility. According to a recent report by NYMag, this is already shifting traffic patterns for big publishers and smaller brands alike.

Real-World Shifts Already Happening

Rebekah May, an SEO strategist who runs a site called Marketing Aid, recently shared that AI search engines are now responsible for about 10 percent of her site’s traffic. And it’s not just niche marketers seeing the change. Forbes saw referral visits from AI platforms jump from around 11,000 to over 236,000 in a single year. That is a seismic shift in where audiences are coming from.

This is exactly what trend-spotting looks like in real time. The people paying attention now are the ones who will be ahead in two years.

The Career Implications: Recruiters and Job-Seekers Take Note

For recruiters:

• GEO expertise will soon be a rare skill. Candidates who can adapt SEO strategies for AI search will be gold in the digital marketing job market.
• Knowing which marketing professionals have GEO skills – and being able to talk intelligently about them with clients – will differentiate you from other recruiters.

For job-seekers:

• If your role touches content, marketing, or brand visibility, start experimenting now. Learn how AI search engines pull, interpret, and attribute content.
• This is an opportunity to position yourself as someone who can guide teams through the transition, not just react to it.

How to Spot and Act on Early Trends

1. Track tech announcements – When Google, OpenAI, or Microsoft push an update, look beyond the PR and think about the downstream effect on skills demand.
2. Follow the traffic – Use analytics to see where visits are coming from. If AI referrals are creeping up, that’s a signal to pivot your optimisation strategy.
3. Test and iterate – Create content designed for AI summarisation. Short, clear explanations and authoritative sources are key.
4. Build the narrative – In interviews or pitches, be ready to talk about how you’ve adapted to this shift. That story could set you apart.

Why This Matters More Than a Regular SEO Update

The difference here is speed and scale. GEO is not just about tweaking a headline or fixing a meta description. It’s about positioning yourself, your team, or your clients for visibility in a search world that is less about links and more about being the trusted source the AI quotes directly.

Those who learn this early will not just keep up; they’ll lead.

References

• NYMag: SEO Is Dead, Say Hello to GEO
• Hubcopy: The Future of SEO and AI Search
• Wikipedia: Generative Engine Optimisation

Search is changing fast. AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s generative search features are reshaping how people find information online. If you’ve built your digital career around SEO, or your role touches content and brand visibility, you’re about to face a new kind of competition.

The good news? Very few professionals have adapted to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) yet. Which means the early movers are going to stand out a lot.

First Things First: What GEO Actually Is

GEO is about making your content show up when AI search engines summarise information. Instead of ranking a web page in a list, the goal is to be the source an AI chooses to quote in its answer.

Think of it as optimising for the robot’s brain, not just its index.

Why This Is a Career Opportunity

• Early skill adoption: Companies will soon need people who understand AI search behaviour. Learning it now puts you ahead of most of the talent pool.
• Better career mobility: Mastering GEO can make you valuable across industries – from recruitment marketing to e-commerce to SaaS.
• Employer appeal: GEO expertise signals adaptability, curiosity, and tech fluency – all traits employers love.

How to Build GEO Skills in 5 Practical Steps

1. Study AI Search Behaviours

Experiment with tools like Perplexity or Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). Search your target topics and note:

• What kind of language appears in AI summaries
• Which sites or sources get cited

2. Create AI-Friendly Content

Start publishing:

• Clear, well-structured answers to common questions in your niche
• Short sections with bold headings and supporting facts
• Content that cites credible, up-to-date sources (AI loves these)

3. Track AI Referral Traffic

Use analytics to see if AI platforms are already sending visitors to your site or content. Tools like Google Search Console can help you spot early signals.

4. Add GEO Projects to Your Portfolio

Even if it’s a side project, document:

• Your optimisation approach
• The results (screenshots, traffic changes, citations)
• Lessons learned

These case studies are gold in interviews.

5. Follow the Experts and the Data

Read from sources leading the conversation:

• NYMag’s SEO to GEO piece
• Hubcopy’s GEO trend analysis
• SEO and AI integration discussions on LinkedIn

How to Talk About GEO in a Job Search

In your CV and interviews:

• Frame GEO work as “future-proofing” digital visibility
• Highlight your ability to adapt to industry shifts
• Connect GEO skills to business outcomes: increased reach, better engagement, faster adaptation to market changes

Your Next Move

The easiest mistake now is to think “I’ll wait and see.”
By the time GEO is mainstream, it will be a baseline skill. Right now, it’s a differentiator.

If you start experimenting today, you can walk into your next interview or client meeting with something few others have – proof you understand where search is going, and how to get there first.

References

• NYMag: SEO Is Dead, Say Hello to GEO
• Hubcopy: The Future of SEO and AI Search
• Wikipedia: Generative Engine Optimisation