IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2025 Predictions

IDC FutureScape Figure

• Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2025 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

• Summary of External Drivers

• Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

• Prediction 1: In 2025, 50% of the G1000 Will Struggle with Divergent Regulatory Changes and Rapidly Evolving Compliance Standards, Challenging Their Ability to Adapt to Market Conditions and Drive AI Innovation

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 2: By 2025, 85% of Organizations Will Be Formalizing Policies and Oversight to Address AI Risks (e.g., Ethical, Brand, and PII), Aligning AI Governance with Strategic Business Goals

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 3: Responding to the Drag of Technical Debt, 40% of CIOs in 2025 Will Drive Enterprise Initiatives in High-Impact Areas to Remediate Technical Debt for Competitive Advantage

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 4: In 2026, Over One-Third of Organizations Will Be Stuck in the Experimental, Point-Solution Phase of AI Experimentation, Requiring a Shift of Focus to Enterprise Use Cases to Deliver ROI

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 5: By 2026, 80% of CIOs Will Lead the Creation of a Strategic Road Map to Rapidly Implement Responsible AI Solutions, Maximizing Benefits While Mitigating Risks Across Their Operations

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 6: In 2026, 55% of CIOs Will Diversify and Broaden Security Strategies Across Their Organization's IT and Security Teams to Address New/Fast-Evolving Threats to Their Technology and Supply Chain Ecosystem

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 7: By 2027, 65% of CIOs Will Be Accountable for Embedding Sustainability Goals into Every Technology Project, Measuring Outcomes to Refine Investments and Align with Environmental Objectives

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 8: Just 50% of Organizations in 2027 Will Be Able to Effectively Use AI-Infused Applications to Improve Incident Detection and Resolution Processes, Making Them More Cyber-Resilient Organizations

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 9: Due to Rising Pressures, 80% of G1000 CIOs Will Be Hired from Outside Their Organization by 2028, Requiring CIOs to Expand Skills in Digital Innovation, Strategic Leadership, and Industry Versatility

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

• Prediction 10: By 2028, 50% of G1000 Will Adopt Cutting-Edge Tools to Close the Digital and AI Skills Gap, Easing Reliance on Specialized Talent, Boosting the Workforce, and Bridging the Expertise Gap for Innovation

• Associated Drivers

• IT Impact

• Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

External Drivers: Detail

• AI-Driven Business Models — Moving from AI Experimentation to Monetization

• Future Proofing Against Environmental Risks — ESG Operationalization and Risk Management

• AI-Driven Workplace Transformation — Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today

• Regulatory Flux — Navigating Compliance Challenges in a Shifting Policy Landscape

• Expanding Digital Security Frontiers — Fortification Against Multiplying Threats

• Responsible and Human-Centric Technology — Ethics in the Enterprise

• Battling Against Technical Debt — Overcoming Hurdles to IT Modernization

Learn More

• Related Research