CGI has published the results of its own global annual report, based on interviews with more than 1,800 business and technology executives, most of them members of senior management. This year’s report highlights a clear market evolution towards digital engineering and reengineering to scale AI and achieve business results.
CGI’s findings from the report identify three key trends that are shaping business and technology strategies in private and public sector organizations:
1.- The strategic imperative: adaptable and resilient organizations.
Technological and digital acceleration remains the macrotrend with the greatest impact, cited by 70% of executives. The fastest growing trend continues to be the change in the global economic order and the reconfiguration of supply chains, with increasing geopolitical complexity putting greater pressure on organizations to adapt. At the same time, 52% of executives are prioritizing data sovereignty and on-premises cloud strategies, while only 25% consider their operating models to be highly agile, reinforcing the need for more adaptable and resilient organizations.
2.- The ambition and adoption of AI are exceeding the level of preparation of companies.
Deployment of generative AI has increased 30 percentage points over the past two years, while 62% of organizations are now applying AI in core business and operational processes. However, enterprise readiness continues to lag the pace of adoption, reinforcing that digital reengineering of core systems, data, and operating models is critical to scaling AI and generating measurable value. While 40% of organizations have an enterprise-level AI strategy, only 20% extend it to their entire ecosystem. Furthermore, only 51% quantify the results obtained from their AI adoption.
3.- Progress depends on the expansion of talent and execution capacity.
Cost pressure remains the top constraint for organizations, while 45% of executives say legacy systems pose a significant challenge to their data and AI strategies. Nearly 70% report having difficulty hiring IT talent and 52% indicate that talent shortages directly impact programs and ability to execute. As a result, senior leaders are increasingly turning to substantial and selective managed services models to bolster delivery capability and support scalable AI-driven transformation.
Almost 70% report having difficulties hiring IT talent and 52% indicate that talent shortages impact their ability to execute
According to Tim Hurlebaus, president and CEO of CGI, “Managers are navigating an environment marked by increasing complexity, from regulatory pressures to fragmented systems, while being expected to achieve measurable results. The results of Voice of Our Clients 2026 show a clear evolution towards digital engineering and reengineering initiatives, as organizations develop new capabilities and modernize legacy environments to scale AI and achieve results from their digital transformation.” “As we celebrate our 50 years of innovation and collaboration with our customers,” adds Hurlebaus, “we are focused on building the future and are uniquely positioned to support this ambition as a comprehensive trusted partner, combining deep sector expertise, proximity to customers and a proven approach to generating a return on investment thanks to AI.”
Clients are increasingly consolidating their relationships with a small number of trusted partners, capable of combining business consulting, systems integration and digital reengineering to deliver comprehensive results. The findings reinforce that without a modernized foundation, applying AI on fragmented data, legacy systems, and outdated operating models often increases complexity rather than generating measurable value. This priority is also driving increased demand for selective managed services and consulting capabilities that support how organizations align technology, people and processes to achieve measurable business results.
According to Dave Henderson, Chief Technology Officer at CGI, “with AI adoption accelerating, the priority is now execution and realizing value.” “The opportunity,” explains Henderson, “lies in helping organizations move beyond isolated AI use cases to integrate AI into complex business environments to achieve tangible results and sustainable competitive advantage. CGI’s AI-ready approach is designed to make AI real and results-focused, helping clients combine human strategic insight with the platforms, data infrastructure, and ecosystem integrations necessary to ensure scalable impact.”
