Deloitte 2026 Technology, Media & Telecommunications Predictions: Narrowing the gap between the promise of AI and its reality

Technology For You — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:01:58 +0000

AI breakthroughs, soaring infrastructure demands, and social-first content are breaking down industry walls—reshaping how businesses build, connect, and entertain.

Agents assemble: The global Agentic AI market could reach US$45 billion in 2030, but only if enterprises and providers perform proper orchestration.
AI disrupts search: Daily usage of AI within search is expected to be three times greater than the usage of any standalone AI tool.
Hardware heats up: Inference — the running of AI models — will make up two-thirds of AI compute by 2026. Despite forecasts to the contrary, most inference will likely still take place in data centers using costly, power-intensive AI chips worth over US$200 billion, rather than on inexpensive chips at the edge.
Rise of the robots: The installed base of global industrial robots is estimated to reach 5.5 million by 2026, with modest annual growth. Robot sales will surge past a million units per year, but not until 2030.

Deloitte Global recently released its annual Technology, Media & Telecommunications Predictions report, which highlights how AI is redefining the foundations of hardware, software, telecom, and media. AI is driving infrastructure investment, reshaping business models, and accelerating shifts in how people connect and consume content—creating a more competitive and complex digital economy in 2026 and beyond.

“At nearly half of global market capitalization, technology, media, and telecommunications isn’t just another sector—it’s becoming the growth engine of the global economy. AI and the chips, data centers and infrastructure required to support agentic AI is fueling this rise and attracting PE, telcos and creative investments from big tech,” says Gillian Crossan, Deloitte Global Technology, Media & Telecommunications industry leader. “The real power of the technology lies in what’s ahead, in the practical work of making AI useful at scale and achieving the productivity gains that organizations are aiming for.”

AI is rewriting the rules of search and software

AI is changing business software, creating new markets, and reshaping how people can search for information and products—trends that could accelerate through 2026.

Agentic AI is expected to drive the next era of enterprise integration. Estimates suggest that the global Agentic AI market could reach US$35 billion in 2030, up from a projected US$8.5 billion in 2026. However, Deloitte predicts that if enterprises orchestrate agents better by more thoughtfully addressing the associated challenges and risks, this market projection could increase by up to 30% — or as high as US$45 billion by 2030.
AI is becoming an intuitive interface that summarizes results, infusing traditional search portals with AI context. In 2026, daily usage of AI within search will be three times greater than any standalone AI tool—reshaping how people can discover information. Nearly one-third (29%) of adults in developed countries will see at least one AI search summary daily, compared to 10% using standalone AI apps daily. Instead of users clicking through links and stitching together answers, search will increasingly deliver AI-crafted summaries up front, evolving from a gateway into a guide that interprets, organizes, and explains information in context.
In 2026, SaaS apps will get smarter, more personalized, adaptive, and autonomous. Agentic AI could even begin to replace today’s SaaS tools over time. In 2026, as many as 75% of companies may invest in Agentic AI, fueling a surge in spending on autonomous AI agents across SaaS platforms.

“AI isn’t just transforming business, it’s redefining the rules of competition. We’re entering a period where automation, intelligent agents, and smarter software are no longer on the horizon; they’re at the core of digital transformation. From reshaping how people search for information to reinventing enterprise platforms and pricing models, AI is altering the foundations of how markets operate,” adds Girija Krishnamurthy, Deloitte Global Technology sector leader.

AI drives demand for tech hardware and infrastructure, and exposes risks

Agentic AI and automation are accelerating demand for new hardware and infrastructure. They’re also exposing supply chain vulnerabilities and fueling a global push for greater local control of technology.

Cumulative annual sales of global industrial robots could reach 5.5 million units in 2026, not much higher than in previous years. Longer term, growth could accelerate as labor shortages bolster domestic manufacturing in developed markets and as advances in computing power and multi-modal AI can expand robotic capabilities.
In 2026, new chipmaking technologies such as high-bandwidth memory co-packaging tools, 3D stacking, plasma etching, and GAA transistors will emerge to meet the demand for GenAI and high-performance computing. At least US$30 billion could be spent on these and other critical technologies. Semiconductor supply chains will likely remain exposed to global tensions, however, as these technologies rely on a handful of specialized suppliers in concentrated regions.
Deloitte forecasts that in 2026, nearly US$100 billion will be invested globally in sovereign AI compute. Companies outside the US and China are expected to double their domestic AI capacity by 2030, led by the EU’s focus on enhancing AI sovereignty.
Their global popularity is surging: In-app revenue is forecasted to reach US$3.8 billion in 2025, and Deloitte predicts that it will more than double to US$7.8 billion in 2026.

Telecom looks towards reinvention

Satellites may expand access globally, while telcos pivot from selling speed to selling perks and lifestyle add-ons.

Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellites are poised for further growth in 2026, with roughly US$15 billion in expected annual revenues and more than 15 million global subscribers. In addition, the number of communication satellites in LEO is predicted to expand to five major constellations totaling as many as 18,000 satellites by year’s end, likely reshaping global connectivity and competition.
Direct-to-Device (D2D) is a new kind of satellite service that connects directly to a phone or device, extending coverage where cell towers can’t reach. Investment is expected to climb to US$6 – 8 billion by 2026, with over 1,000 direct-to-device-capable satellites in orbit providing basic connectivity like SOS, text, and voice. Looking ahead, next-gen satellite internet—powered by D2D satellites in low-Earth orbit—aims to move beyond basic services and bring broader connectivity to people outside today’s networks.
With many consumers already satisfied with network speed and reliability, telecom operators are turning to perks and freebies to win subscribers. From priority access to concerts to giveaways, these offers may prove to be more valuable to customers than ever-faster connections. By the end of 2026, reward programs could matter as much as, or more than, network performance, with at least one-third of consumers in developed markets favoring perks over peak speeds.

Streaming, Social, and Storytelling Collide

The lines between TV, streaming, and user-generated content continue to blur. From GenAI video and bite-sized micro-dramas to video podcasts and bold collaborations between public service broadcasters and creators, new forms of storytelling are changing how audiences engage and participate.

Micro-dramas—short, plot-driven serials designed for smartphones—are watched by over half a billion viewers annually, blending the convenience of short-form video with serialized storytelling. Their global popularity is surging: In-app revenue is forecast to reach US$3.8 billion in 2025, and Deloitte predicts that it will more than double to US$7.8 billion in 2026. While the US is expected to generate half of global revenue in 2025, its share will likely drop to 40 percent as other markets increasingly capitalize on this trend.
Approaching Hollywood quality, generative video is unlocking new creative possibilities—empowering independent creators, fueling richer audience engagement, and creating new revenue streams for platforms. At the same time, the scale and realism raise important challenges around authenticity, audience trust, and responsible usage. Platforms may need to strengthen moderation, invest in tools like watermarking, and comply with emerging regulations on labeling and age verification. How well they respond could determine if generative video can help drive growth without undermining trust in their platforms.
European public service broadcasters face many of the same pressures as commercial TV. They are adapting by co-producing with streamers, promoting content on social platforms, licensing content, and staggering releases. These strategies extend reach, attract younger audiences, and inject local content into global platforms. Partnerships could generate tens of thousands of additional hours of content on streaming and social platforms in 2026, translating into billions of views, hundreds of millions of viewing hours, and ad revenue shares worth millions of dollars. This offers lessons for US broadcasters and niche studios facing disruption.
Podcasting is rapidly shifting from audio to video, with a leading platform now offering video on over 60% of top shows since 2022. By 2026, video-enabled podcasts are set to become even more prevalent as audiences seek richer, more immersive experiences. Deloitte predicts annual global ad revenues for podcasts and vodcasts will reach roughly US$5 billion in 2026—a nearly 20% year-over-year increase, underscoring accelerating growth and opportunity.

“Entertainment as we know it is experiencing a tectonic shift. Today, audiences binge broadcast series on streaming platforms, follow creators on social feeds, watch micro-dramas on their phones, and tune into podcasts that look like TV shows. Generative video is accelerating this evolution, blurring the lines between studios, creators, and platforms, while redefining what entertainment means,” notes Dr. Tim Bottke, Deloitte Global Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment sector leader.

Account Takeover Fraud via Impersonation of Financial Institution Support

Technology For You — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 12:36:50 +0000

The FBI warns of cyber criminals impersonating financial institutions to steal money or information in Account Takeover (ATO) fraud schemes. The cyber criminals target individuals, businesses, and organizations of varied sizes and across sectors. In ATO fraud, cyber criminals gain unauthorized access to the targeted online financial institution, payroll, or health savings account, with the goal of stealing money or information for personal gain. Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting ATO fraud, with losses exceeding $262 million.

How It Works

The cyber criminal impersonates the financial institution’s staff or website, to obtain access to the account. Cyber criminals usually gain access to accounts through social engineering techniques — including texts, calls, and emails — or through fraudulent websites.

Social Engineering

A cyber criminal manipulates the account owner into giving away their login credentials, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) code or One-Time Passcode (OTP), by impersonating a financial institution employee, customer support, or technical support personnel. The cyber criminal then uses login credentials to log into the legitimate financial institution website and initiate a password reset, ultimately gaining full control of the accounts.
Social engineering methods include contacting account owners via fraudulent text messages, calls, or emails to trick the email recipient into providing their login credentials. In some instances, the cyber criminal states there are fraudulent transactions on the financial account and may provide a link to a phishing website that the account owner believes will report the fraud or prevent additional fraudulent transactions.
In some instances, cyber criminals impersonating financial institutions reported to the account owner that their information was used to make fraudulent purchases, including firearms. The cyber criminal convinces the account owner to provide information to a second cyber criminal impersonating law enforcement, who then convinces the account owner to provide account information.

Phishing Domains/Websites

The cyber criminal uses a phishing website that looks like the legitimate online financial institution or payroll website to trick the account owner into giving away their login credentials. Believing the phishing website is the legitimate one, users enter their login credentials into the fraudulent site, unknowingly providing them to cyber criminals.
Cyber criminals may also use a technique called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) poisoning. SEO poisoning refers to cyber criminals purchasing ads that imitate legitimate business ads to increase the prominence of their phishing websites by making them appear more authentic to customers who use a search engine to locate the business’ website. When users click on the fraudulent search engine ad, they are directed to a sophisticated fraudulent phishing site that mimics the real website, tricking users into providing their login information.

Once the impersonators have access and control of the accounts, the cyber criminals quickly wire funds to other criminal-controlled accounts, many of which are linked to cryptocurrency wallets; therefore, funds are disbursed quickly and are difficult to trace and recover. In some cases, including nearly all social engineering cases, the cyber criminals change the online account password, locking the owner out of their own financial account(s).

Stay Protected

Stay vigilant against ATO fraud attempts by following these tips.

Be careful about the information you share online or on social media.

By openly sharing information like a pet’s name, schools you have attended, your date of birth, or information about your family members, you may give scammers the information they need to guess your password or answer your security questions.
Monitor your financial accounts on a regular basis.

Watch for irregularities, such as missing deposits or unauthorized withdrawals, wire transfers, or expenditures.
Always use unique, complex passwords.

Enable two-factor authentication or MFA on any account possible. Never disable it.
Use Bookmarks or Favorites for navigating to login websites.

Avoid clicking on Internet search results or advertisements. MFA will not protect you if you land on a fraudulent login page. Carefully examine any email address, URL, or spelling in unsolicited correspondence.
Stay vigilant against phishing attempts.

Be suspicious of unknown “banking” or “company” employees who call you; don’t trust caller ID. Hang up, verify the correct number, and call it yourself. Companies generally do not contact you to ask for your username, password, or OTP.

What To Do in Case of an ATO Incident

Contact Your Financial Institution

Contact your financial institution as soon as fraud is recognized to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity. Requesting a recall and obtaining a Hold Harmless Letter/indemnification documents as quickly as possible may reduce or eliminate your financial losses. Immediately report fraudulent wire transfers to both to your financial institution and to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
Reset or Revoke Compromised Credentials

Reset all credentials and passwords that may have been exposed during the intrusion, including user and service accounts, compromised certificates, or other “secret” credentials. If you use the compromised password for other online accounts, change your password on those sites too.
File a Complaint

File a detailed complaint with www.ic3.gov. It is vital the complaint contain all required data in provided fields, including banking information.
- Identifying information about the cyber criminals including the financial institution impersonated, name, phone number, address, and email address.
- Any websites or software the cyber criminals may have asked you to visit or download.
- Any financial accounts provided or used by the cyber criminals.
- Include the words “Account Takeover” or “SEO poisoning” in the incident description.
Notify the Impersonated Company

Notify the company that was impersonated of the method the cyber criminals used to target the account owner. The company may be able to warn others to watch out for the scam and take proactive measures like requesting phishing pages be taken down.
Stay Informed

Visit www.ic3.gov for updated Industry Alerts and Public Service Announcements regarding ATO trends, as well as other cyber-enabled fraud schemes.

New Research Identifies Gap Between Risk Assessment Activity and Actionable Risk Reduction

Technology For You — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:09:19 +0000

New data shows peer comparisons strongly influence respondents’ approaches (89%), and benchmarking remains a cornerstone of effective cyber risk strategy.

LONDON, UK — 18 November 2025 — A new industry survey, Cyber Risk Management 2025: The Path to Effective Risk Prioritisation, reveals that more than half (56%) of organisations now conduct cyber risk assessments at least weekly, with an average cadence of 6.79 times per month. This frequency signals a strong operational commitment to cybersecurity, though many organisations continue to face challenges in visibility and effectiveness due to siloed tools and outdated practices. The findings underscore the need for more efficient, data-driven assessments – the kind enabled by unified platforms that connect risk, governance, and operations to measurable outcomes.

Commissioned by Derive, the cybersecurity risk and operations platform that helps teams quantify risk, prioritize actions, and prove impact, and conducted by Opinion Matters, an independent research company, it surveyed 200 cybersecurity and cyber risk management professionals working in UK organisations with between 2000 and 5000 employees across a range of industries.

Compliance and Leadership Reporting Drive Assessment Purpose

According to the survey, compliance is the primary reason for conducting cyber risk assessments, as identified by nearly one quarter (23%) of respondents. However, when questioned regarding their organisation’s method for prioritising cyber risks in terms of mitigation or remediation, 65% reported that guidance from leadership is the primary factor determining prioritisation.

Findings highlighted that many tools still rely on static reports and scheduled assessments, offering a limited snapshot of risk. The report calls for a shift toward continuous monitoring and real-time validation of risk mitigation activities, enabling faster response, more accurate quantification, and improved prioritisation.

“Cyber teams are working harder than ever, but too often without clear visibility into what’s actually reducing risk,” said Alex Nette, CEO of Derive. “This data confirms what we see every day – organizations need a single, data-driven platform that connects risk, governance, and operations so they can prioritize what matters, automate the rest, and prove impact in real time.”

Key Challenges: Fragmentation, Skills Gaps, and Communication Barriers

The most persistent challenges respondents reported when undertaking risk assessments include fragmented platforms (32%), a skills gap (30%), and difficulty communicating value to leadership (29%) followed by reliance on outdated data and manual processes (26%). These barriers highlight the urgent need for integrated platforms like Derive that unify cyber risk, governance, and operations data – enabling automation, measurable impact, and clear investment justification.

Legacy Tools Still Dominate

In fact, despite technological advancements, many organisations continue to depend on external consultants (44%), manual processes (44%) and spreadsheets (43%). Larger organisations (5000+ employees) are significantly more likely to use third-party tools (49% versus 38% average), suggesting both cost constraints and legacy habits are stopping smaller businesses from benefiting from specialist tools. This presents an opportunity to democratise access to cost-effective modern risk assessment tools that deliver more meaningful results.

Budget Influence and Decision-Making

Cyber risk assessments play a critical role in budget decisions. Half of those surveyed (50%) say assessments are strongly influential and 13% say they are the sole driver. However, decision-making is often hindered by an overload of unprioritised options (21%) and difficulty proving value to leadership (18%).

All respondents report some ability to measure business impact, with top metrics including:

Improved response time (50%)
Audit satisfaction (47%)
Revenue/cost outcomes (43%)
Risk exposure reduction (41%)

This partial ability to measure the impact of cyber risk assessments, combined with prioritisation difficulties and challenges of proving value to leadership, points to a reality where risk teams are struggling to deliver risk models at the pace and accuracy required.

Peer Benchmarking Gains Traction

Peer comparisons influence 89% of respondents, reinforcing the importance of benchmarking. Here, it is important to undertake peer benchmarking that identifies truly comparable firms by normalising financial data

and aligning accounting practices to enable accurate performance and valuation comparisons.

“Benchmarking and automation are now critical to closing the gap between analysis and action,” said Corey Neskey, CTO of Derive. “By combining real-world peer data with continuous risk modeling, teams can focus resources on the actions that truly reduce loss.”

Green Transition to add 9.6 Million Jobs Globally by 2030, but Risks Creating New Economic Divides

Technology For You — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:55:59 +0000

14.4 million jobs will be impacted globally, with five new jobs created for each one phased out; 33% of businesses are concerned about job displacement in their country.
Higher energy costs and regulatory burdens are hindering economic competitiveness, as green finance and technologies remain unevenly distributed both within and between countries.
Businesses can contribute to making the green transition work by embedding social and economic factors across different components of their climate strategy.

Geneva, Switzerland – The green transition is expected to impact 14.4 million jobs globally by 2030, with a net gain of 9.6 million new roles despite 2.4 million being phased out, according to a new World Economic Forum report released recently.

While business leaders in more than 80% of countries anticipate an overall economic boost, geopolitical fragmentation, economic uncertainty and deepening societal divides are challenging traditional climate-mitigation approaches and heightening the risk of uneven impacts on workers, consumers and businesses within and across countries.

The Making the Green Transition Work for People and for the Economy report – developed in collaboration with McKinsey and Company and with the support of the Laudes Foundation – provides new country-level data and guidance to help businesses embed socioeconomic considerations into their transition and sustainability strategies. Its release comes as countries meet in Belém for COP30, where discussions are placing unprecedented emphasis on the societal and economic implications of the green transition and the importance of human development.

“Effective climate action depends on understanding the unique socioeconomic realities of each country and local community,” said Attilio Di Battista, Head of Economic Growth and Transformation, World Economic Forum. “By leveraging new data and practical guidance, we can adapt climate strategies to ensure the green transition works for people and the economy.”

Key findings

Companies are struggling to stay competitive in the green transition and warn of spillover effects for consumers. Globally, 37% of businesses (and 47% in low-income economies) report rising energy and commodity costs, while 51% are concerned that some of these increases may be passed on to consumers, making key goods and services less affordable.

“In the rapidly evolving societal and geoeconomic context, businesses that want to transition successfully should explicitly consider the impact of their climate plans on people,” said Harsh Vijay Singh, Head of Equitable Transition, World Economic Forum.

Access to capital and financing for the green transition is expected to remain uneven within and between countries. Overall, 32% of businesses – and 49% in low-income countries – cite limited investment capacity and access to finance as barriers to staying competitive. Globally, 80% of executives surveyed identified unequal access to green financing among companies as a significant risk in at least one industry in their country, a concern strikingly consistent across income levels.

The green transition risks creating new technology divides. Although many governments are scaling up industrial policy efforts in the energy and green sectors, access to technologies and capacity may not accrue evenly between countries. Businesses in lower-middle- and low-income economies face higher challenges when it comes to access to green technologies, supply chains for sustainable products and green skills. More than one out of five companies lacks access to green technologies in lower-income economies. By contrast, almost 40% of businesses in upper-middle- and high-income economies face increased regulatory uncertainty and compliance burden.

In addition, one out of three businesses globally are concerned about job displacement in at least one major industry in their country. Even in countries where the green transition is expected to yield gains, significant labour market disruptions are anticipated. The research finds that higher levels of social protection and other long-term, socioeconomic foundations are associated with lower levels of concerns around the impact on workers and consumers.

Country highlights

Structural socioeconomic conditions that will help make the green transition work for people and the economy differ within and across income levels, requiring a shift beyond traditional distinctions between advanced and developing economies. Six archetypes of countries with similar risks and opportunities are analysed in the report, including key findings for the G20 and the 10 most populous countries in the world.

Inclusive green adopters (e.g. Australia, France, UK): Advanced economies with strong service sectors, greater access to financing and solid social systems. Early adopters of green technologies show concerns around higher regulatory burden and energy costs.
Green developers (e.g. China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, USA): Industrialized leaders in green technologies and yet with higher levels of per capita emissions. They benefit from deep financial markets but are grappling with uneven access to critical materials.
Emerging green adopters (e.g. Italy, Türkiye): Industrial and manufacturing economies with strong talent bases and moderate investment constraints. Businesses in these countries tend to be more pessimistic about the economic impact of the green transition.
Growth economies (e.g. Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa): Rapidly industrializing nations balancing green investments with energy affordability and access challenges. Financing constraints and nascent technology ecosystems challenge the scale-up of new green sectors.
Fossil fuel exporters (e.g. Saudi Arabia): Economies where fossil fuels represent a large share of GDP and public revenues. Some have ambitious transformation plans, but face slow returns on investment and low access to green skills and technologies.
Frontier economies (e.g. Bangladesh, Nigeria, Pakistan): Low-income nations facing acute financing, skills and affordability barriers, requiring international support to align climate and development goals.

A new approach to corporate climate action

The report helps corporates identify and address socioeconomic risks and opportunities, outlining key considerations and guiding questions to support decision-makers in integrating these factors into climate strategy. It is not intended, however, as a comprehensive guide for developing corporate climate plans.

“As the world moves forward on climate action, leaders will need a clear view of the socioeconomic impacts of the transition on people and communities,” said Hemant Ahlawat, Senior Partner and Co-leader of McKinsey Sustainability. “Building on insights from McKinsey’s Climate Transition Impact Framework, these findings aim to help companies across sectors embed social and economic considerations into their strategies to drive growth that is both sustainable and inclusive.”

The report builds on previous tools and frameworks developed by the World Economic Forum’s Equitable Transition Initiative. Its findings will inform country-level action taken forward through the Accelerators Network, and will support businesses in making their green transition strategies work for people and the economy.

Sixty-five percent of CMOs believe advances in AI will dramatically transform their role within the next two years

Technology For You — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:10:56 +0000

Gartner Survey Finds 65% of CMOs Say Advances in AI Will Dramatically Change Their Role in the Next Two Years

Eighty-two percent of business leaders say their company’s identity will need to significantly change to keep pace with the impact of AI on markets
Only 5% of marketing leaders who use GenAI solely as a tool report significant gains on business outcomes

Sixty-five percent of CMOs believe advances in AI will dramatically transform their role within the next two years, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.The survey was conducted online from August through October 2025 among 402 senior marketing leaders. In addition, a Gartner survey of 426 business leaders, conducted in September and October 2025, revealed 82% of leaders say their company’s identity will need to significantly change to keep pace with the impact of AI on markets.

“The CMO role is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. CMOs must prioritize becoming future-forward marketing leaders,” said Sharon Cantor Ceurvorst, VP, Research, in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “AI, market disruption, and cross-functional demands are expanding the CMOs remit, but not their resources. To stay relevant, CMOs must stop prioritizing execution and instead lead through strategic insight.”

“CMOs face heightened responsibility for end-to-end customer experience and commercial outcomes, often without additional resources,” said Ewan McIntyre, VP Analyst and the Chief of Research for the Gartner Marketing Practice. “This demands a renewed focus on building hybrid human-AI teams and cultivating future-ready leadership capabilities. Leaders should emphasize human reasoning, adaptability, and the ability to architect meaningful customer experiences, ensuring their teams are equipped to meet expanded executive expectations and drive business growth in an AI-driven landscape.

“Success in this new era requires CMOs to set clear strategic direction, adapt to AI-driven customer journeys, and focus on creating authentic, differentiated value. The CMO role is evolving from influencer to designer of business impact.”

Unlocking AI’s Full Business Value Remains Elusive

While AI is revolutionizing personalization, content creation, and data-driven insights, many organizations struggle to realize its full potential. A Gartner survey of 413 marketing technology leaders, conducted in June through August 2025, revealed only 5% of marketing leaders who are not piloting AI agents report significant gains on business outcomes. Furthermore, for those further along the AI journey, agent capabilities aren’t yet delivering the promised business performance.

“To address this, CMOs must move beyond basic AI adoption and instead reengineer strategies, processes, and talent models—building AI-powered organizations that seamlessly integrate human creativity with machine intelligence,” said McIntyre. “Marketing teams should proactively reimagine their brand positioning and experiences to stay relevant as leaders anticipate significant evolution in company identity.”

The Customer Attention Crisis Intensifies

GenAI is disrupting channels, while agentic buying promises to reshape purchase decision-making in ways that reduce human attention and engagement. Marketers must adopt a zero-based mentality for channel strategy, ensuring every touchpoint is intentional, relevant, and distinctive to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

“Marketers must understand and plan for dual customer journeys: those of GenAI tools and AI agents on the one hand, and those of humans evaluating their output on the other,” said Cantor Ceurvorst. “Human touchpoints will continue to become more scarce, so it matters to get each one right—creating an emotional connection to your brand that influences not just one decision, but many choices over time.”

By 2030, More Than 75% of All Enterprises Outside of the U.S. Will Have a Digital Sovereignty Strategy

Technology For You — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:12:19 +0000

Gartner Survey Reveals Geopolitics Will Drive 61% of CIOs and IT Leaders in Western Europe to Increase Reliance on Local Cloud Providers

BARCELONA, Spain, November 12, 2025

Sixty-one percent of Western European CIOs and IT leaders said geopolitical factors will increase their reliance on local or regional cloud providers, according to a survey from Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.

The survey was conducted online from May through July 2025 among 241 CIOs and IT leaders in Western Europe to determine their cloud-related technology purchases and adoption.

Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, organizations in Western Europe are increasingly worried about their digital sovereignty – having their data, operations, and technology hosted by foreign cloud providers and relying on foreign cloud infrastructure. Gartner predicts that by 2030, more than 75% of all enterprises outside of the U.S. will have a digital sovereignty strategy, supported by a sovereign cloud strategy.

Gartner Sr Director Analyst Rene Buest on stage at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo in Barcelona.

Speaking at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo in Barcelona, Rene Buest, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner, said “Many Western European organizations can’t run all of their workloads or core systems in a non-European cloud environment. This is either because they are subject to specific regulations, their customers demand it, or they are considered part of a country’s critical infrastructure.”

Some Western European organizations have begun seeking ways to reduce their reliance on global cloud providers. Fifty-three percent of Western European CIOs and IT leaders said geopolitics will restrict their organizations’ future use of global cloud providers (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Geopolitical Factors Are Impacting the Use of Global Providers and Cloud Solutions (Western Europe Responses)

Source: Gartner (November 2025)

Organizations Could Consider Geopatriation and Open-Source Technologies

Some organizations in Western Europe are considering moving their workloads from global cloud vendors to local alternatives. “While geopatriation can enable local cloud options to meet geopolitical needs, full independence from global tech vendors will take several years of ongoing effort and investments by local providers,” Buest said.

For others, open source could be a viable option. Fifty-five percent of CIOs and IT leaders said open-source technologies will be an important factor in their future cloud strategies. While open-source favors customization and flexibility, it also presents challenges as many projects are complex and smaller projects often need to be coordinated with one another.

“Organizations that have been slower to adopt cloud technologies are now in a favorable position to plan for greater digital sovereignty,” said Buest. “Since they mainly have legacy systems, they can carefully choose which cloud solutions or platforms are best suited for each part of their operations.”

Overall, CIOs and IT leaders must take responsibility for their organization’s digital destiny. “They must create and protect their own organization’s digital sovereignty,” said Buest. “No one else will protect their organization’s digital sovereignty – neither their cloud provider nor their service provider.”

63% of Indian organizations feel the pressure to prove ROI of their AI investment

Technology For You — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:29:55 +0000

AI Investments Rise in India, but Enterprises Face Hurdles in Scaling Innovation and Proving ROI: Kyndryl Readiness Report 2025
91% of Indian organizations expect AI to transform roles within 12 months; AI investment up 37% year-on-year
Yet, 75% of Indian organizations (vs 57% global) admit that their innovation efforts stall after proof-of-concept

Kyndryl, a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise services, today released the India insights of its second annual Readiness Report, that drew on responses from 3,700 senior leaders across 21 countries. The data reveals a tipping point in India’s AI journey: organizations are increasing their AI investments while facing pressure to modernize infrastructure, scale innovation, reskill workforces, and navigate a fragmented regulatory landscape.

“A readiness gap exists as enterprises grapple with the promise of transformative value from AI,” said Martin Schroeter, Chairman and CEO of Kyndryl. “While 90% of organizations globally think they have the tools and processes to scale innovation, more than half are stalled by their tech stack, and less than a third say their employees are truly ready for AI. Closing that gap is the challenge and opportunity ahead.”

India stands out in the speed and scale of its AI transformation, with 91% of organizations expecting AI to fully transform roles within a year. AI investment has risen 37% year-on-year, reflecting confidence in leading the next wave of digital disruption. Yet, 63% of organizations feel pressure to prove AI’s ROI, signaling a shift from experimentation to accountability as AI embeds into core business strategies.

“India’s enterprises expect AI to have a transformational impact on their businesses, yet struggle with adoption. With a clear shift in focus from experimentation to accountability, we are seeing an innovation paradox – the intent to innovate is strong, but the ability to scale and sustain remains a hurdle. Organizations must address this execution gap by investing in robust technology foundations, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and embedding accountability into every stage of the innovation lifecycle,” said Lingraju Sawkar, President, Kyndryl India.

ROI under pressure with AI stuck in experimentation phase: 63% of Indian organizations feel pressured to prove AI’s return on investment, while 75% (vs 57% global) admit that their innovation efforts stall after proof-of-concept. As AI begins to embed in core business strategies, a clear shift can be witnessed from experimentation to accountability.

Execution and Infrastructure challenges: 69% (vs 57% global) cite foundational technology issues as major roadblocks, highlighting a critical gap: the infrastructure and processes required to support innovation are not evolving as quickly as the strategy guiding them.

Geopolitical pressures forcing a data pivot: Across the world, organizations are now reevaluating where and how their data is stored, processed, accessed, and secured amid an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape. In India, 81% express concern over geopolitical risks in cloud data storage and 55% (vs 44% global) are re-evaluating data governance frameworks.

AI driving workforce transformation, but skills gaps remain: AI adoption is accelerating faster than organizations can adapt, with 51% of Indian leaders concerned about technology skills, 42% about cognitive skills, and 43% about reskilling.

Cyber resilience top of mind: 88% of Indian organizations have experienced a cyber-related outage. Importantly, only 35% consider themselves “completely ready” for future risks.

Cloud is under pressure as geopolitical and regulatory disruption drives change

Many organizations are also revisiting their cloud infrastructure, prompted by new global regulations and growing concerns about data sovereignty. While 62% leaders in India admit struggling to keep up with technological change, nearly all (99%) would change something about their cloud implementation.

Translating readiness into value

India’s technology sector is seeing strong investments in artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The future of its digital economy will depend not only on speed, but on how effectively organizations scale innovation, align technology with business priorities, and deliver measurable outcomes. The Kyndryl Readiness Report 2025 reveals foundational technology gaps, data governance complexities, cyber resilience pressures, and workforce readiness challenges that continue to test execution.

Talent & Culture – the next readiness frontier

Globally, as leaders look to scale innovation, people readiness is emerging as a key barrier and a key opportunity. While nearly 9 in 10 global leaders believe AI will completely reshape jobs in the next year, only 29% feel their workforce is ready to successfully leverage the technology and concerns remain around the skills needed to succeed in this era. Many organizations are also battling cultural barriers – with nearly half of global CEOs reporting their organization stifles innovation (48%) and moves too slowly in decision making (45%). Those pulling ahead — dubbed “Pacesetters” in the report — aren’t just investing in innovation. They are uniquely prioritizing culture, upskilling, and leadership alignment.

Compared to global organizations who are lagging in these areas, Pacesetters are:

32 points less likely to cite their tech stack as a barrier

30 points more likely to say their cloud can adapt to new regulations

20 points less likely to report a cyber-related outage in the past year

Survey of 184 Senior Enterprise Risk Executives Reveals Shifts in Top Five Emerging Risks

Technology For You — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:42:17 +0000

Gartner Survey Finds Risk Leaders Concerned About Low-Growth Economic Environment and AI Risks in Third Quarter of 2025

The low-growth economic environment, caused by tariff-driven trade tensions and other conditions, moved into the top rank of emerging risks for the third quarter of 2025, according to Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.

The Quarterly Emerging Risk Report series captures the views and concerns of enterprise risk management (ERM) leaders, risk management professionals, auditors, and senior executives views on emerging risks or over-the-horizon risk.The 3Q25 report, based on a survey of 184 senior risk and assurance executives, also revealed mounting concern around artificial intelligence (AI). AI-related information governance-driven risks, moved up in rank, from the fourth most cited spot in 2Q25 to the second rank in 3Q25, and shadow AI moved from the fifth ranked spot to the third spot, as organizations face challenges in effectively monitoring its use (see Table 1).

“The top five emerging risks in the third quarter highlight a continuum of concern related to two broad themes for enterprises that emerged in the second quarter: A volatile low-growth macroeconomic environment, and AI as the disruptive technology that can increase compliance risks quickly as it is adopted by the mainstream,” said Gamika Takkar, Director, Research, in the Gartner Risk & Audit Practice.

Figure 1: Top Emerging Risks of Q3 2025

Source: Gartner (November 2025)

Navigating Complex Emerging Risk Signals

The universe of risks continues to diversify. As emerging risks grow more complex, 72% of ERM leaders say taking timely action is highly important. However, only 15% feel confident in determining what information to spotlight.“Amid varying emerging risk signals, heads of ERM should prioritize tactics to identify emerging risks that require immediate stakeholder attention for timely response,” said Takkar.

To effectively recognize risks that need immediate attention, risk leaders should take these three steps to fully evaluate the impact and prioritize response:

Set up impact thresholds using diverse parameters. Assess diverse impact parameters, including regulatory, reputational and ESG dimensions to shortlist high-priority emerging risks.
Link emerging risks with strategic priorities. Analyze how emerging risks impact strategic priorities to facilitate targeted action steps that prevent must-avoid outcomes (MAOs).
Use response time with impact and velocity. Factor in organizational response time along with impact and velocity to prioritize emerging risks.

Enterprise risk leaders can also set impact thresholds using a range of parameters to consider. These include issues like regulatory impact, which may cause issues that lead to regulatory shutdowns or licensing issues and legal impact, which could cause precedent-setting legal action. Reputational and customer impact are also important considerations as they could risk irreversible damage and trust, causing customer attrition.“Enabling ERM leaders to navigate the noise and identify risks that require timely action is top of mind for any enterprise,” said Takkar. “To make sense of conflicting signals, leaders must be cognizant of risk prioritization tactics and ensure timely stakeholder to avoid strategic derailment.”

Key shifts in cybersecurity trends examined in new CompTIA report

Technology For You — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:33:28 +0000

“State of Cybersecurity 2025” explores how AI, OT, data and other factors are altering the landscape.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – The cybersecurity landscape is being reshaped by forces that simultaneously create greater efficiencies and stronger protections, but expand the attack surface that must be defended, according to a new report from CompTIA, the leading global provider of vendor-neutral information technology (IT) training and certifications.

“State of Cybersecurity 2025” reveals that 81% of survey respondents rate cybersecurity as a high priority within their organization. This prioritization is reflected in hiring intent. There were over 514,000 U.S. employer job postings in a 12-month period for dedicated cybersecurity roles and technology-adjacent positions with a high concentration of cybersecurity skills, a 9% increase from the previous 12 months.

“The scope is broader, and the stakes higher,” said Seth Robinson, vice president, industry research, CompTIA. “Organizations that succeed will be those that align cybersecurity strategy with business objectives, prioritize skill development and embed security into every layer of their digital architecture.”

Business and technology professionals acknowledge that artificial intelligence (AI), operational technologies (OT), data security and other factors are impacting risk assessment, cybersecurity policies and skills development.

Early days for AI usage

Companies are proceeding cautiously with their use of AI. The report finds that 70% of firms place themselves in an early education phase or a stage of testing AI implementation on low-priority systems. The go-slow approach is due in part to skills gaps in using AI tools, identified by 45% of firms, and in basic cybersecurity topics (43%). From a cybersecurity standpoint, there is a relatively even split between those organizations focused on using AI to prioritize internal improvements (37%) and those defending against new threats (31%).

OT security challenges grow

The digitization of building management functions and physical security systems has moved OT beyond its traditional domains of critical infrastructure and manufacturing. That has elevated the level of concern about the vulnerability of OT architecture. In the CompTIA survey 58% of firms said they have a high focus on OT and 36% characterized their focus as moderate. This heightened focus is reflected in increased cooperation, communication and training for OT and IT teams. Companies are also ramping up their OT teams. CompTIA’s analysis of Lightcast job posting data shows that there were over 184,000 OT job postings in 2024, with significant growth in OT security since 2020.

Prioritizing data protection

The abundance of data is another factor that is prompting new approaches to cybersecurity. Many companies are creating dedicated teams or individuals for handling data activities. This is most common for data security, where 66% of companies have dedicated employees, compared to other high-profile activities such as database administration (60%) and data analytics (58%).

Cybersecurity staffing and skills

Options under consideration to develop more robust cybersecurity skills include new hiring (56%), training current employees (54%), certifying current employees (48%), expanding the use of third parties (46%) and exploring new use of third parties (42%). While each of these activities may deliver some positive results, employers would be wise to take a multi-pronged approach to developing cybersecurity talent, according to Robinson.

“Businesses need a pipeline of early-career talent, reskilled employees from other disciplines and cross-functional training to bridge skill gaps and allow for career growth,” he said.

AI-driven Automation and Robotics Progress Will Stall Without Aggressive Redesign of Manufacturing Operations

Technology For You — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:22:26 +0000

Gartner Survey Shows 49% of Organizations Lack Confidence in Future Manufacturing Strategy.

Nearly half of organizations lack confidence in their manufacturing strategy to deliver on business outcomes over the next three years, according to a survey from Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.

The survey found that two-thirds of organizations are not pursuing the needed aggressive redesign of manufacturing operations to deliver on expectations for advanced automation, including the use of AI technologies and autonomous robots.

Gartner surveyed 128 leaders with responsibility for manufacturing or supply chain decisions in May 2025 to understand the drivers prompting manufacturers to reshape their strategies, identify the competitive characteristics needed to stay ahead, and explore future visions and strategies for manufacturing.

“CSCOs picture a near future of advanced automation where machines are involved in completing a majority of tasks, yet most operating models are not keeping pace to enable these strategic priorities,” said Simon Jacobson, VP Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice. “Leadership wants to embrace future capabilities to increase competitiveness, yet 66% of survey respondents say integrating supply chain and manufacturing is the most significant challenge for the next three years. This uncomfortable reality should motivate leaders to take more aggressive action to reinvent their operations.”

The survey findings indicated that advanced automation that allows for minimal human oversight was ranked in the top three manufacturing capabilities driving competitive advantage over the next three years. Additionally, respondents expected the amount of manufacturing tasks machines will complete to increase significantly over the same period (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Expectations that Machines Will Take on More Tasks in the Future

Source: Gartner (October 2025)

Leading organizations are revamping their manufacturing operating models by aligning them to future-oriented capabilities and removing legacy roadblocks across value streams, governance and resources. Respondents reporting to the chief supply chain officer (CSCO) are 68% more likely to have stronger alignment, investment coordination, speed and agility, and integration with the supply chain than those reporting the chief operating officer (COO).

Manufacturing Governance: Reset Needed

One critical area where CSCOs can influence manufacturing capabilities is by aligning new governance models to enable future-ready capabilities in advanced automation technologies, including AI and robotics. Legacy organizational designs that overemphasize cost controls may now block the type of agility and responsiveness needed to capitalize on new opportunities.

Gartner recommends CSCOs take three actions to align governance models to enable future-ready manufacturing capabilities:

Reset expectations for plant managers: Plant leaders must be empowered to shift from command-and-control oversight to using AI for data-driven decision making and performance optimization. CSCOs need to address legacy mindsets, empower shop floor teams to make decentralized decisions, and provide targeted digital training.
Modernize/standardize production systems: CSCOs should enhance production systems by integrating emerging technologies, strengthening site integration, and building digital capabilities. CSCOs should coordinate capability building by aligning site initiatives with digitalization efforts, strengthen standards and accountability through KPIs and training, and empower shop floor teams to make faster, informed decisions supported by formal governance and targeted programs.
Reallocate decision rights: CSCOs should empower plant managers by moving decision authority closer to the point of execution, supported by advances in AI, robotics, and automation. This shift enables greater operational agility and responsiveness, but it also requires careful alignment of governance practices and workforce training to ensure effective collaboration between human and machine-led tasks.

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