IN 2025, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) reshapes the rules of business and technology. It amplifies what already exists: solid foundations become a competitive advantage, while fragile ones can translate to security, operations and financial nightmares.

“Sadly, AI will not solve all your business and technology problems, at least, not on its own,” says François de Bellefeuille, software engineer and VP Clients Solutions at Spiria, a Canadian custom software development firm. Founded in 2003, the company has a team of more than 150 experts across Canada and has worked with more than 600 clients cross-industries.

While it is impressive how much AI can improve efficiency, Spiria reminds us it is not magic. The reality with new technologies is that they often amplify existing successes or challenges in a company. “If we think of legacy software, adding AI will probably shine a very bright light on existing technical, data, efficiency and security gaps—putting them forward and making them impossible to ignore,” adds François.

Both Spiria’s business and software experts agree, legacy systems create a major obstacle to success for many organizations here in Ottawa. “These outdated systems create a major setback for many companies looking to integrate new technologies and keep evolving at the pace of the market,” mentions Mr. de Bellefeuille. “And it does not discriminate per industry.”

Whether companies evolve in insurance, manufacturing or defence, the strategic modernization of their systems could allow them to set foundations for solid and sustainable business growth.

Where to Start?

According to their experts, deciding which outdated systems need to be refreshed is a strategic and business decision rather than a technical one. “Yes, you use technology. But you use it to improve critical operations in your business. It’s something you should do with purpose and strategy.”

“With our clients, we rarely recommend a simple lift and shift,” says François. According to Spiria’s experts, anyone modernizing their software applications should minimally consider the interoperability of their systems, the real investment needed for an effective system migration, the impact on their users, employees and clients, and the key components needed to add new technologies, namely AI.

For François, the modernization of software systems is very important for Ottawa businesses. “I truly believe the Capital region can follow the fast-paced technology changes happening in the world. With the right tools, we can go far and use technology to help us foster positive change in the region.”