November 14, 2025
The Top 5 Issues Facing IT Management in 2026
Gartner Groups IT Symposium/Xpo in September brought together top CIOs throughout the country as they examined the issues mounting on the horizon for 2026. Gartner VP Analyst, Gene Alvarez believes that 2026 will be a pivotal year for technology leaders, stating that “disruption, innovation, and risk are expanding at unprecedented speed.”
Others spoke to a more accelerated pace with more innovative systems and applications rolling out in a single year than experienced in past years.
What does all this mean for today’s CIOs and IT managers? We’ve summarized and paraphrased some of the top takeaways that are likely to impact IT leadership in the new year:
- AI is no longer optional.
Artificial intelligence has become a core driver of competitive advantage, but responsible adoption demands strong governance and oversight. Leaders must establish frameworks for ethical AI use, address risks such as bias and data leakage, and deploy robust AI security platforms to defend against emerging threats like “prompt injection” attacks. The goal is to ensure AI delivers sustainable value while maintaining trust, transparency, and compliance.
- Cyber threats are more complex. and, more aggressive.
As AI, cloud, and IoT technologies expand the digital landscape, cyber threats are growing more sophisticated. From AI-enabled attacks to ransomware-as-a-service, adversaries are evolving at unprecedented speed. In 2026, IT organizations will move beyond reactive defense, embracing predictive analytics, automation, and integrated risk management to build resilience and stay ahead of attackers.
- Your existing talent may no longer be enough.
The shortage of skilled professionals in cybersecurity, AI, and data analytics continues to limit innovation. To bridge the gap, organizations will launch large-scale reskilling programs, promote continuous learning, and design clear career pathways. Building a culture of digital fluency, adaptability, and lifelong learning will be essential for maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving tech ecosystem.
- Regulatory complexity and data compliance are intensifying.
Global data privacy and AI regulations are advancing rapidly, creating an increasingly intricate compliance landscape. From GDPR and DORA to emerging national AI frameworks, IT leaders must ensure that systems, data flows, and governance models meet rising standards. Managing data provenance and considering sovereign or “geo-patriated” cloud strategies will be critical to maintaining trust, avoiding penalties, and ensuring long-term operational integrity.
- Every dollar must deliver measurable impact.
With technology budgets under increasing scrutiny, IT leaders must demonstrate clear, quantifiable business outcomes for every investment. Success will depend on aligning technology spending with strategic priorities, adopting scalable models such as SaaS and PaaS, and driving cost optimization without compromising innovation. The focus is shifting from experimentation to delivering tangible, enterprise-wide results.
Businesses today face an era of extraordinary complexity, driven by rapid and unprecedented change across the digital landscape. Leaders who can adapt their strategies to meet this moment will be best positioned to compete and thrive. Success will demand not only insight and vision, but also the discipline to harness available tools effectively, maximizing the value of every action taken and every technology implemented.
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