Enterprises are preparing to expand their cloud investments, even as many remain dissatisfied with the financial returns of recent technology deployments, according to a new report from Unisys.
The study, which surveyed 1,000 C-suite and IT executives across eight global markets, highlights a widening disconnect between business leaders and technology teams on priorities for cloud, AI, and security.
Less than half of the 300 business executives surveyed said they were pleased with the return on investment from cloud, automation, and generative AI projects.
Still, more than 75% of respondents said their organizations intend to increase cloud spending this year.
Unisys suggests this optimism may be undermined by outdated systems and processes.
“Organizations are still operating on outdated foundations and processes,” said Manju Naglapur, SVP and GM for cloud, applications, and infrastructure at Unisys.
To unlock true value, he added, companies must modernize infrastructure, align IT and business priorities, and adopt proactive cybersecurity strategies.
Misaligned Views on AI and Security
The report found sharp differences in how IT and business executives perceive progress. More than two in five business leaders said their companies had made strong advances in AI pilots, while fewer than a third of IT leaders agreed.
Concerns over readiness to support AI workloads also surfaced, with over 40% of IT leaders saying their current infrastructure cannot handle the demands of data-intensive AI systems.
Security perceptions diverged even further.
Nearly two-thirds of business executives described rigid or outdated security frameworks as barriers to innovation and data sharing. Only about a third of IT leaders shared that view.
The Cost of a Reactive Approach
Despite differences, executives largely agreed that cybersecurity strategies remain too reactive. Almost 90% said their organizations are prepared to respond to attacks once they occur, but lack a robust framework to prevent them.
The stakes are high. More than two in five companies reported that IT outages can cost as much as $500,000 per hour in unplanned downtime.
“The next wave of technological disruption is already underway,” Naglapur noted, “yet many organizations are still relying on outdated foundations.”
