How Digital Sovereignty Impacts AI and Sovereign Cloud Usage

This IDC Market Perspective looks at the impact of digital sovereignty on AI.Digital sovereignty, defined as the ability for nations and organizations to control their digital assets, is reshaping the adoption of AI and sovereign cloud. Driven by regulatory, security, and geopolitical factors, organizations are increasingly localizing sensitive AI workloads and seeking ownership of models to ensure compliance, resilience, and strategic independence. This shift is fostering regional innovation, new alliances, and a spectrum of sovereignty options, with technology providers urged to offer measurable, configurable, and ethical sovereign solutions."Increasing interest in sovereign cloud indicates deeper recognition that technology and geopolitics are now even more intertwined in the context of AI," says Ewa Zborowska, research director, AI, IDC Europe. "The more strategic AI becomes, the more vulnerable it is to global turbulence. Diversifying actions in the tech supply chain that once appeared overly cautious are now being viewed as prudent and necessary. True digital sovereignty is not just about where your data lives; it is about who controls the future of your AI, your strategy, and your independence."