Here are the top KM priorities for 2025 according to APQC research. according to APQC research. In my 2025 predictions blog on November 20, 2024, I discussed how KM continues to be top of mind for a lot of business leaders who see the value of implementing knowledge management capabilities into the overall success for their organization. APQC’s recent research on 2025 priorities in fact shows KM is still a priority for most organizations with resources and investments for KM teams and capabilities continuing at a steady state.
Not surprisingly, driven by the generative AI wave, incorporating AI and smart technology is now the number one priority for KM teams to focus on. Business leaders continue to see the value of implementing not just AI capabilities but also focusing on holistic knowledge management strategies to achieve higher levels of success. Generative AI, in particular, has become a great enabler for KM, but more importantly, it has given KM the opportunity to shine once again.
Top Opportunities for KM to Capitalize on Right Now
Driving the top priorities for KM are those areas of opportunity within organizations where KM can help. Here are the top opportunities identified by KM professionals in 2025:
Again, the advancements in AI and generative AI tools have put them top of mind for most business leaders and employees due to their ability to generate unique, realistic content and automate repeatable tasks. A majority of KM professionals are already involved in their organization’s AI efforts. They are developing strategies in partnership with IT, educating experts and employees on the use and value of AI tools, helping to identify relevant use cases, and ensuring good content management is in place.
While focusing on evolving technology like generative AI is critical, if employees and leaders are frustrated with the chaos of disorganized information repositories and don’t have access to the right data and information when they need it, timely and effective decision-making is impacted. Again, good content management—the application of a structured process to store, deliver, and facilitate access to enterprise content—can help address these challenges right now as well as set up the organization for a more successful implementation of AI capabilities.
Top Skillsets for KM to Develop
What doesn’t change for year over year is the is the need for a holistic KM strategy and approach that includes a continued focus on people, process, content and technology. The people and culture aspect continues to remain the greatest challenge for most organizations so once again, in 2025, change management was identified as the top skill for KM teams to focus on.
Change management is applying a structured process or set of approaches to help employees and teams transition to a desired future state. To instill a culture of knowledge sharing not only means training employees to use knowledge sharing tools and approaches but also understanding why they may be resisting and helping them understand how new ways of working will make their lives easier. Ensuring there are plans in place to manage communications, employee resistance and engagement, coaching for leaders, training, and rewards and recognition programs can ensure the success of any KM implementation.
Managing change effectively is particularly important when implementing new tools and technologies, especially in this era of AI. Even if leaders and executives support new technology, employees may resist changes to how they carry out their work, find established tools more comfortable, worry about what new technologies mean for their job security, or all of these at the same time! As KM teams help explain the change and why it’s important, they also need to develop a compelling response to the inevitable question: “What’s in it for me?” and dispel misconceptions about what the technology means (and does not mean) for employees.
To learn more about 2025 KM priorities and trends and how KM teams are leveraging change management, consider these additional resources:
- 2025 Knowledge Management Priorities and Trends Survey Report
- Top Knowledge Management Priorities & Trends for 2025 (webinar)
- Understanding the AI and KM Connection
- Level Up Your Change Management With These 3 Key Practices