7 key takeaways from Fieldfisher’s 2025 Tech Sector GC Summit

Against this backdrop of opportunity and uncertainty, senior legal and business leaders convened in London last week for Fieldfisher’s 2025 Tech Sector GC Summit. The Summit is an annual gathering that brings together senior leaders from across the sector to examine how innovation, regulation and leadership intersect in an era of constant transformation.

This year’s Summit focused on “Leadership in a Time of Change". From the investment landscape and M&A activity to the evolution of cyber risk and the embedding of AI into business strategy, the discussions highlighted that the pace of change has never been faster and the role of legal and strategic advisers has never been more vital.

Below, we highlight seven key takeaways from the Summit and what they mean for business leaders navigating the next wave of technological disruption.

1. Leadership through change
   The Summit’s theme reflected that uncertainty is now the constant in tech. Technology is no longer a future challenge but a present operational reality, influencing how decisions are made across every business function. Leadership today therefore means guiding organisations through continuous disruption, not waiting for stability to return. For GCs, this means reimagining risk management as a dynamic process and positioning the legal function as a driver of strategic adaptability.
    
2. AI is redefining M&A
   AI is fundamentally reshaping how deals are sourced, evaluated and integrated. Advanced analytics are accelerating target searches, shortening exclusivity windows and enhancing post-merger insights. At the same time, AI-native companies are commanding premium valuations thanks to scalability, lean cost structures and strong margins.
   
   Yet, the acceleration comes with complexity. For legal and transaction teams, the shift demands new approaches to due diligence, data validation and governance. The key is in ensuring that speed does not come at the expense of rigour, compliance or ethical oversight.
    
3. The AI investment cycle is maturing
   Fieldfisher Corporate Partner Karen O’Grady explored whether we are living through an “AI bubble,” noting that 30% of all VC funding in early 2025 went to AI firms. With only 5% of generative AI pilots producing tangible outcomes, a correction seems inevitable. Yet, such cycles often leave behind lasting infrastructure and legal frameworks that underpin the next wave of innovation. While investment volumes remain high, only a small proportion of AI projects are delivering measurable value. A market correction may be inevitable, but the outcome is more likely to be evolution than collapse. The key challenge is discernment. Investors and their advisers must separate sustainable innovation from speculative hype. Human intuition, combined with rigorous data analysis, remains the ultimate differentiator in identifying which technologies will endure beyond the cycle.
    
4. The UK government is backing innovation
   Policy support is strengthening around the UK tech ecosystem. From targeted investment incentives to sovereign data infrastructure and visa reforms for high-growth sectors, government strategy through 2028 aims to make the UK a leading hub for responsible innovation.
   
   This creates fertile ground for partnerships between private enterprise and policymakers, but also increases expectations around ethical governance, data stewardship and transparency. Businesses that align with this agenda stand to benefit from stability, access and trust.
    
5. Cybersecurity must evolve with AI
   AI is transforming the threat landscape as much as it is transforming business models. Deepfakes, synthetic voices and autonomous “agentic” AI systems are eroding traditional safeguards and enabling cyberattacks at scale. Biometric authentication is no longer foolproof, and ransomware may soon be fully automated.
   
   In this environment, businesses need to shift from reactive to anticipatory security models. This means integrating cyber strategy with corporate governance, ensuring AI tools are rigorously tested for vulnerabilities and preparing leadership teams for new classes of threat, both digital and physical. Trust will be the defining currency of the AI era.
    
6. Embedding AI into business strategy
   AI can no longer be treated as a standalone initiative. Successful organisations are embedding it directly into their core strategies, identifying where it can drive efficiency, enhance customer experience and unlock new growth. The differentiator is intent: using AI to serve clearly defined goals rather than adopting it for optics.
   
   Embedding AI effectively requires a culture of innovation, cross-functional collaboration and robust governance. For GCs, the challenge is to guide the responsible deployment of AI within business structures while safeguarding compliance and trust.
    
7. Leading with trust and transparency
   As automation and analytics become pervasive, leadership must focus on human connection and trust. Open communication about data use, clarity of purpose and transparency around AI decision-making are now strategic assets.
   
   The most successful leaders will be those who create environments where teams feel empowered to experiment, challenge and adapt. Trust within organisations and between businesses and clients remains the foundation of sustainable innovation.

Look ahead

The 2025 Tech Sector GC Summit underscored that disruption is no longer episodic — it’s systemic. For business leaders and legal advisers alike, the challenge is to lead through ambiguity with clarity, curiosity and conviction. Those who integrate technology responsibly, anticipate regulatory evolution and invest in ethical innovation will define the next decade of progress.

At Fieldfisher, our role is to help clients harness technological change to build more resilient, compliant and competitive organisations. To find out more, please contact John Cassels and Oliver Süme, co-heads of the firm’s Technology Sector group.