IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Digital Infrastructure 2025 Predictions
The IDC study provides IDC's top 10 predictions for digital infrastructure in 2025 and beyond."The computational resources, connectivity capabilities, and data logistics delivered by modern digital infrastructure are fundamental enablers of digital business and AI-fueled business," explains Mary Johnston Turner, research vice president, Digital Infrastructure Strategies at IDC. "C-suite business and IT leaders need to recognize the mission-critical nature of digital infrastructure's security, performance, and scale and make it a priority to fund, protect, and operate these resources as effectively as possible to support future business imperatives."
IDC FutureScape Figure
Executive Summary
IDC FutureScape Predictions
Summary of External Drivers
Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers
Prediction 1: By 2026, 70% of G2000 C-Suite Executives Will Require Technology and Business Outcome Alignment Paired with ROI and Value Analysis to Justify New AI-Enabling Infrastructure Spending
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 2: By 2028, 75% of Enterprise AI Workloads Will Be Deployed on Hybrid Fit-for-Purpose Infrastructure to Turbocharge Time to Value While Optimizing Performance, Cost, and Compliance
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 3: By 2027, After Suffering Multiple AI Project Failures, 70% of IT Teams Will Return to Basics and Focus on AI-Ready Data Infrastructure Platforms for Data Logistics, Quality, Governance, and Trust
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 4: By 2028, in Response to Growth of GenAI Inferencing Workloads, 60% of G2000 Will Supersize Edge IT by Doubling Spend on Remote Compute, Storage, and Networking Resources
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 5: In 2026, GenAI and Analytics Deployments for IT Operations Use Cases Will Increase Team/Individual Productivity by 10%, Leading to $5 Billion of Economic and New Business Value
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 6: By 2027, 75% of Large-Scale Datacenters Will Have Implemented Advanced Energy Management Systems, Incorporating AI and Machine Learning to Optimize Power Usage and Reduce Carbon Footprints
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 7: By 2027, Resilience, AI, and Privacy Regulations Will Drive 70% of the G5000 to Reengineer the Majority of Core Business Workloads to Be Portable Across Multiple Private and Public Cloud Infrastructures
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 8: By 2028, 100% of the G3000 Will Mandate Hardware-Enabled Zero Trust Security in the Infrastructure Stack as a First Line of Defense Against Cyberattacks, Increasing IT Staff Productivity 4x
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 9: By 2029, 50% of the G2000 Will Suffer Combined Annual Losses Totaling Over $100 Billion Because of Tech Debt and Lack of Modernization as They Struggle to Protect Older Infrastructure and Meet Demand for AI
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Prediction 10: By 2029, the Compute Power Needed to Train LLMs Will Be Reduced by 65% as New Qubit Technology Enables Portions of These Models to Be Offloaded and Solved Using Quantum-Centric Supercomputers
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Business Impact
Guidance
Advice for Technology Buyers
External Drivers: Detail
AI-Driven Business Models — Moving from AI Experimentation to Monetization
The Drive to Automate — Toward a Data-Driven Future
Regulatory Flux — Navigating Compliance Challenges in a Shifting Policy Landscape
Expanding Digital Security Frontiers — Fortification Against Multiplying Threats
Battling Against Technical Debt — Overcoming Hurdles to IT Modernization
Customer Experience Squared — Consumer and Citizen Expectations for Digital Services
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