1. Shortage of Specialised IT Talent

While there isn’t a general shortage of IT professionals, experienced and highly skilled profiles are scarce and hard to find – especially in specialised domains. At the same time, demand remains high due to the ongoing digitalisation of our economy. Security specialists, for example, are in particularly high demand because of stricter regulations such as NIS2. The rapid rise of generative AI is also driving extra demand for experts in AI and data engineering. On top of that, continued migrations to the cloud require deep expertise.

Many organisations try to attract and train IT specialists themselves. However, since areas like security, data engineering, AI, and cloud services typically fall outside an organisation’s core activities, recruiting and retaining these profiles often comes with high costs and time loss. What’s more, these specialists need continuous training to keep up with the latest developments. Those resources could be better invested in core business tasks. That’s why many organisations ultimately opt for outsourcing, where Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can deliver this expertise efficiently and at scale.

2. Compliance as a Continuous Process

Where compliance used to be mainly an administrative task, it has now become an ongoing process – one where organisations must demonstrate that measures work in day-to-day practice. On top of that, businesses today face a complex mix of standards and regulations, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), NIS2 and the AI Act, often alongside sector-specific rules.

Meanwhile, the IT landscape keeps evolving. Organisations are using more and more cloud services, which means they need to keep processes with all those providers under control. Cybersecurity and AI also bring new challenges. That’s why it’s increasingly important for organisations to choose experienced IT partners with a strong European presence, who can help them stay compliant in this demanding context. Using managed services that automatically verify and record that processes are in order makes compliance practical and sustainable, and helps avoid breaches and fines.

3. AI-readiness

AI innovations are moving so fast that best practices are constantly shifting. For many organisations, it’s simply not feasible to keep up with these developments on their own. And chasing the latest AI trends makes little sense if the basics aren’t in place. Without robust security and governance, you risk exposing sensitive business data. You can only implement AI safely and responsibly when your IT environment is ready for it.

That’s why more and more organisations are turning to specialised partners to get the fundamentals right, make their IT environment compliant with regulations like NIS2 and the AI Act, and future-proof their AI implementations. A Managed Service Provider can automate processes and provide temporary or ongoing expertise to get organisations ready faster. Even after go-live, the MSP will monitor and fine-tune the use of AI applications, all without the organisation having to make long-term investments in attracting and retaining scarce talent.

4. Geopolitical Developments

Geopolitical tensions have been rising in recent years, and wars are disrupting supply chains worldwide. This instability negatively impacts market sentiment. Differences in views on international trade are affecting relationships between countries, leading to changes in import tariffs, among other things. All these developments make it harder for businesses to predict what their future will look like. The result? Uncertainty, increased risks, higher costs, and postponed investments.

5. Rising Cyber Threats

Cyber threats have always been around, but over the years, significant shifts have taken place. Since the emergence of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT at the end of 2022, cybercriminals have eagerly embraced these AI tools to craft more convincing phishing emails, develop malware, and launch large-scale disinformation campaigns, according to a recent report by OpenAI.

Foreign powers are also becoming increasingly active in digital warfare. In addition to disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing public opinion, hacker collectives are carrying out cyberattacks on government websites, financial institutions, and news media. Cyber threats are therefore a very real danger and should be a top priority for every organisation.

For more context on these key IT trends for 2026, check out this episode of Z-Digital Disruption.

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