Enterprise AI adoption has advanced beyond planning, with 86% of IT decision-makers deploying copilots, agentic AI or fully autonomous systems and IT budgets set to rise 4.8% in 2026, up two percentage points from 2025. Survey respondents plan to boost AI infrastructure spending, with 94% targeting increased Azure investment.
A first-half 2026 CIO survey shows 86% of IT decision-makers are deploying copilots, agentic AI or autonomous systems. The poll finds IT budgets will grow 4.8% next year, a two-point increase from 2025 and roughly in line with the 5.2% figure from six months earlier.
Cloud infrastructure spending intentions remain robust, with 94% of respondents planning to increase AI infrastructure outlays. Azure and AWS maintain their leadership positions, with Azure expected to capture significant incremental demand from enterprise clients.
Data quality and accuracy have overtaken security and governance as leading GenAI adoption barriers, reflecting rising concerns over output reliability. The survey also notes that 63% of IT leaders foresee AI deployments putting headcount pressure on staff, up from 45% previously.
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