PUBLISHER: IDC | PRODUCT CODE: 1950776
PUBLISHER: IDC | PRODUCT CODE: 1950776
Key Software Delivery Challenges and Pain Points in 2026: AI Further Snarls Existing Complexity of Cloud-Native Landscape
This IDC Perspective looks into the challenges and pain points in 2026 for software delivery, which faces escalating complexity as AI integration compounds existing cloud-native and security challenges. Organizations must navigate technical debt, legacy systems, skills gaps, and regulatory demands while rapidly productizing AI under intense leadership pressure. "Success hinges on pragmatic modernization of data and application infrastructure, embedding security throughout the life cycle, and clear-eyed vendor engagement," said George Mironescu, associate research director, Software Development, Software Delivery, Software Engineering at IDC.
Executive Snapshot
- Key takeaways
- Recommended actions
Situation Overview
- Triangulating complexity: AI, cloud native, and security
- AI implementations face complex web of obstacles
- AI overwhelms agenda amid diverse priorities
- High pressure to productize AI increases delivery risk
- The closer a role is to enterprise risk, the higher the pressure
- Closing reflections: Choosing both pragmatism and vision
Advice for the Technology Buyer
- Clearly define the scope and limits for AI adoption
- Modernize application and data infrastructure to cloud native
- Make security integral to AI-data-application delivery life cycle
- Final considerations: Manage vendor relationships with eye on strategic dependencies
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- Related research
- Synopsis
