Organizations today are overwhelmingly concerned with the business value of IT. In 2026, IT is no longer viewed as a cost center but as a critical driver of business strategy, innovation and competitive advantages. With IT spending under intense scrutiny, leaders are under pressure to demonstrate clear, measurable ROI from technology investments.

Organizations of all sizes are adopting AI and other advanced applications to gain competitive advantages. Before they can do that, however, many find they need to modernize their IT environments.

Small to midsize enterprises (SMEs), in particular, often have overly complex environments with a mix of systems and applications.

Endpoint devices represent the primary entry point for attackers to compromise company networks. In fact, up to 90 percent of all successful cyberattacks originate at an endpoint device. About 68 percent of organizations have experienced at least one endpoint attack that compromised their data or IT infrastructure.

An organizational culture that values and promotes security best practices plays a key role in reducing cyber risk.

It’s well known that humans are the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain. In fact, the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report found that 60 percent of security breaches involve user behavior.

AI agents can help small to midsize enterprises become more competitive.

Imagine having an assistant who can do it all. Handle repetitive tasks quickly and accurately. Answer customer queries and provide support. Personalize marketing campaigns and qualify leads.

AI adoption has accelerated among small to midsize enterprises (SMEs). Up to 60 percent of SMEs now report some form of AI usage, more than double the rates seen in 2023. AI is now viewed as a necessity for competitiveness, particularly among growing SMEs.

That doesn’t mean that SMEs are using AI strategically.

Organizations aren’t spending enough on cybersecurity. As we explained in our previous post, many business leaders have misconceptions about the risks to their organizations and the level of security needed to protect against the latest attacks. They may view security as a “nice to have,” whereas new technologies such as AI are seen as strategic investments that will drive the business forward.

Cybersecurity budgets increased by about 4 percent in 2025 — half the 8 percent budget growth in 2024. Cyber threats continue to escalate, but organizations aren’t dedicating enough of their IT budgets to addressing that risk.

Meanwhile, AI is taking more and more of the IT budget pie.

Managed services help reduce regulatory compliance risk and enable organizations to capitalize on the strategic advantages of compliance.

Thousands of government and industry regulations are in play today, with an estimated 30 percent of those impacting small to midsize enterprises.