iManage highlights rise in cloud adoption and governance-driven AI growth

iManage reports sustained growth in cloud adoption and recurring revenue as organisations prioritise content security and governance for AI integration, introducing new control protocols amidst rising demand for trusted AI systems.

Document and email management specialist iManage says it is seeing sustained cloud adoption and recurring-revenue growth as professional services firms and other organisations tighten information governance around artificial intelligence depl...

According to SecurityBrief, iManage reported that nearly 3,000 organisations now run iManage in the cloud and around half a million users access the platform each day, and that annual recurring revenue has risen as customers expand usage of the platform. The company described a shift from small pilot projects to broader AI use in daily work, which it says places renewed emphasis on structured, well-managed content and stronger security controls. The company said this is prompting organisations to treat the document management system (DMS) as the central repository and point of reference for AI systems that rely on that material. (SecurityBrief)

iManage’s own communications echo and amplify those claims. The firm told customers and the market that 25% of employees globally now use AI with little or no oversight and that one-third of organisations have experienced a document policy breach linked to unregulated AI tools, early findings from its benchmark research that is due for fuller publication next month. iManage argues these figures show unmanaged AI usage can spread quickly once tools reach more users and content, and that organisations are responding by directing AI initiatives back to a single, governed DMS. (iManage press materials)

As part of that strategy, iManage is rolling out what it calls the Model Context Protocol (MCP) as a control layer across its products and partner network. The company described MCP as a standards-based interface for approved AI tools and agents to connect to iManage content while enforcing permission checks, security boundaries and audit trails when AI systems request access to documents and email. iManage said MCP lets firms define granular access paths so only designated tools can see sensitive information, and that directing models to governed sources improves the relevance and accuracy of AI responses. The company presented MCP as a mechanism to support secure growth of an AI application ecosystem and to allow MCP-compatible AI applications to connect without vendor-specific integrations. (iManage press materials)

Customers are beginning to reflect those priorities in procurement decisions. Nard Van Breemen, Head of IT/CISO at law firm Houthoff, said, “As we advance in exploring AI, it remains evident that a well-governed Document Management System is essential,” speaking to SecurityBrief. “AI solutions are only as dependable as the information they rely on. Without a platform that ensures robust security and governance – including auditability and version control – the risks can increase significantly. iManage provides the assurance that our data is accurate, secure, and prepared for responsible AI adoption.” (SecurityBrief)

iManage has linked these governance-driven buying patterns to commercial momentum. The company’s public statements list substantial customer growth and product investment: it reported adding hundreds of new logo customers in recent years, expanding its global cloud footprint to multiple Microsoft Azure regions including a new Swiss region, and claimed year-over-year rises in annual recurring revenue, figures variously described in company releases as 28% growth so far this year and, in other communications, 42% year-over-year growth. The firm also highlighted new AI services such as Ask iManage, iManage AI Enrichment and iManage Mailbox Assistant and said it is offering customer support through a Wayfinder programme to develop practical GenAI use cases. iManage additionally claims accelerated cloud adoption in Asia and significant increases in cloud migrations and new cloud users across the region. (iManage press materials)

While these announcements paint a picture of rising demand for governed AI infrastructure, editorial distance is warranted: the growth figures and early-research findings cited are those released by iManage itself. Industry data and independent audits will be needed to fully validate the company’s market-share and security claims. Nevertheless, industry observers and buyers appear to be reprioritising platform-level governance as AI moves from experimentation into routine workflows.

Neil Araujo, Chief Executive of iManage, said in a company statement, “AI will only be as impactful as the governance and human judgment that guide it,” adding that the opportunity for 2026 is not just deploying AI but “aligning people, processes, and governed data so AI can be used safely and productively at scale. We’re focused on helping organisations move from pilots to practical, everyday AI that enhances work while keeping trust and compliance at the center.” (iManage press materials)

As firms weigh practical deployments next year, the debate over how best to combine innovation with oversight is likely to intensify. iManage is positioning the DMS as a linchpin of “trusted AI”, arguing that centralised, auditable repositories and protocol-driven connections to AI will be essential if organisations are to scale generative tools without fragmenting control over sensitive documents and knowledge.

Source: Noah Wire Services