With AI poised to reinvent how businesses operate, the stock market experiencing major swings, and geopolitical tensions growing, we can’t seem to shake “unprecedented times”.

Today, leaders are expected to move faster, while at the same time, making more informed decisions. They are juggling a delicate balance, embracing the best of technology with the best of humanity to transform their business for an AI world.

Earlier this year, IDC conducted our annual CEO Study including 419 CEOs and 15 in-depth CEO interviews. We explored business priorities, risks, approach to AI, technology priorities, and vendor perceptions.

Based on our research, there are 5 pillars of the 2025 CEO Tech Agenda.

1) Embrace the AI-Fueled Business

In our survey, we asked CEOs to select which word their company needs to focus on to thrive in 2025. The response acts as a pulse check for business sentiment. This year the word Innovation rose above the rest, underscoring the bold vision CEOs are carrying, anchored by the value proposition of AI technology. 

The AI-Fueled business is built on the shoulders of digital business transformation. Year- over-year comparison shows that CEOs continue to grow their expectation on the proportion of revenue to come from digital products, services, and experiences. AI can be an accelerator for this transformation. Data shows CEOs are keen to use AI for reinvention, with over half stating they think AI will offer their organization a chance to reinvent its business model in 3-5 years.

Why such optimism? Perhaps because majority of CEOs state they are seeing measurable business benefits from their generative AI initiatives. When asking what those benefits are, operational efficiency rose to the top of the list, followed by improved customer satisfaction, and improved business resilience.

As CEOs frame their view on technology through the lens of business strategy, it is important to note that CEOs articulate improving customer experience as their top business priority in 2025.

2) Find growth amid uncertainty

Year after year, business leaders are facing a tough economic landscape. Whether its supply chain issues, an inflation crisis, quantitative tightening, and now trade wars, CEOs have had to mitigate the risk of economic pressures on their business.

It is evident from the conversations that I’ve had with CEOs that they are up for the challenge – as it seems to not just be in the job description, but in the DNA of the best leaders.

While challenges by region vary, CEOs across the world are looking at how technology investments can help their organizations gain a competitive advantage or at the very least, not fall behind their counterparts.

This year, AI agents have been a hot topic in the tech industry, and front of mind for CEOs. However, this doesn’t mean that CEOs are handing the reins over to robots. In fact, about half say that all decisions must be approved by humans. It is evident that those forcing an extreme strategy may and, in some instances, already have seen that backfire. Hand in hand with investments in AI Agents is the emphasis to invest in cybersecurity. Trust is a cornerstone of the CEO agenda this year, and we will explore more on that later.

3) Enable a strong tech leader

With so much tech talk in the C-Suite, it is no surprise that the tech leadership function is evolving. While Chief Information Officer continues to be the most common role, we have also seen a rise in Chief Technology Officers and Chief Information Security Officers this year.

Reporting structures also trend towards a more direct relationship between the CIO and the CEO. This has likely prompted the CEO to envision the CIO role as more strategic. In fact, when asked about the desired state two years from now, less than 1 in 4 CEOs say they want their CIO’s primary focus to be on cost reduction and risk management. Rather, their focus should be to either modernize IT to drive better business outcomes, orchestrate digital transformation to improve business agility, use AI to transform and create new revenue streams, and/or promote collaboration on AI initiatives across functions.

4) Safeguard trust with employees, technology and partners

Earlier, we noted how trust is a cornerstone of the 2025 CEO Tech Agenda. Arguably, developing trust with employees is the lynchpin of getting value from AI investments. We know that many knowledge workers are concerned about the impact of AI on the workforce. Employees must be involved in reimaging workflows with AI, their expertise with the day-to-day must be valued, and leaders must be honest about where along the AI readiness journey their organization sits.

Secondly, CEOs must work with their tech leadership to ensure there is trust in technology. It is paramount that clarity exists on how outputs are determined, how data is shared, what biases may exist, and what is at risk moving forward with new technology versus maintaining the status quo.

Lastly, CEOs must work across their C-Suite to ensure the organization is developing trusted relationships with technology partners. This year, CEOs elevated data governance and security practices as the top characteristic they value in their technology partnerships.

5) Lead effectively in an AI world

Beyond technology, CEOs express a critical need to hone skills around business strategy, operational excellence, and people leadership. As AI plays an increasingly larger role at work, leaders must show up with a human centered approach.

To land on the CEO agenda this year, it is critical to:

Find the connection between AI and CX: Determine how and where in the customer experience you can make an impact. This is not limited to customer service, rather it extends beyond this function to the sales and marketing lines of business, and is supported by efficiency in operational functions like finance, supply chain, etc.

Consider how you can build agility into your approach: With the economic stressors unrelenting, leaders will be looking for partners who move with agility and can provide guidance to find growth amid uncertainty.   

Secure the CIO as a champion: While the CIO may not always be the final decision maker, they are increasingly playing the role of strategic advisor on business transformation. Without them on board, it will be difficult to move forward.

Become a trusted partner: The message from CEOs is clear, they are looking for trust in their partnerships, valuing strong data governance and security practices.

Lead with humanity in the business relationship: While AI is great at a lot of things, building deep and trusted connections requires not just humans in the loop, but humans at the core.  

Today’s B2B tech buyers are digitally fluent, AI-assisted, and increasingly independent. They move easily between platforms, researching products and evaluating vendors, without ever needing to speak with a salesperson.

For marketing leaders, this changes everything. 

When buyers are making critical decisions before sales even enter the conversation, your role expands dramatically. It’s no longer about driving awareness or filling the funnel. You must own the entire buyer journey, from understanding what your buyers want to creating real demand.

That’s a tall order, but it’s the new starting line if you want your AI-powered product to stand out in a saturated, fast-moving market. Successfully marketing your AI solution requires orchestrating seamless omnichannel experiences that deliver relevance at every turn.

Where to Start: Understanding Digital-First Buyers

Most of the B2B tech buying journey happens digitally, but that doesn’t mean you should still be relying on gated PDFs and nurture campaigns. Modern buyers chart their own course, jumping between websites, apps, social platforms, videos, and interactive tools to explore, evaluate, and even purchase solutions.

And they’re confident doing it. Seventy-one percent of B2B tech buyers are comfortable using digital channels for large-ticket purchases, and 73% leverage digital tools for complex decisions. 

They’re also bringing AI into the process. Digital assistants are increasingly helping buyers compare vendors, configure solutions, and respond to requests for proposals (RFPs). This means AI is reshaping how your buyers make purchasing decisions.

Marketing AI is hard. Visit our dedicated resource page for Marketing leaders who need help recalibrating their GTM strategy.

The Rise of an Unpredictable Buying Committee

To complicate matters further, buying decisions aren’t centralized anymore. What once involved one or two senior decision-makers now requires consensus from a wide, and often unfamiliar, range of stakeholders. A single deal might include a VP of Customer Experience, a cybersecurity lead, an IT procurement manager, and a Head of AI Strategy.

Five years ago, many of these roles weren’t even part of the conversation. Today, they have the power to make or break your deal. 

What does this mean for marketing leaders? GTM strategies based on traditional buyer personas and outdated messaging will fail to resonate. To reach this modern buying committee, marketing teams need to orchestrate connected, omnichannel experiences that speak to each stakeholder’s priorities and position your AI solution as the one that solves their specific challenge.

If you don’t, your competitors will gain influence with the very stakeholders you overlooked.

Learn more about shifting buyer behavior from Laurie Buczek’s blog, The Buyer Behavior Shift: Capitalizing on AI’s Potential

The New Marketing Playbook is Built on Omnichannel Moments

In this environment of self-guided buyers, shifting stakeholder dynamics, and AI-mediated decisions, marketing must prove value earlier and more deliberately than ever. Add to that the challenge of standing out in a saturated market of AI-powered products, plus pressure from a performance-focused C-suite, and the stakes only climb higher.

Buyers are accustomed to personalized experiences from the B2C brands they engage with every day, and now they expect the same from B2B. In fact, nearly 70% say their decision on whether to read something is influenced by whether it’s personalized. Omnichannel marketing is the new marketing playbook.

Still, personalized content only works if it’s delivered in the right format, on the right channel, at just the right time. And that’s tougher than it sounds. A VP of Customer Experience scrolling LinkedIn has a different set of concerns than a Head of AI Strategy downloading a technical white paper. A short explainer video might catch one stakeholder’s attention, while a peer case study builds credibility with another.

The key is creating moments where something clicks for the buyer: “This solves my problem.”

But that’s just the spark. To be effective, each moment needs to connect, creating a continuous experience. Ask yourself:

What happens after a buyer engages with your content? How are they guided to the next step?
Is each interaction building momentum, or starting from scratch?
Do our digital and human touchpoints hand off smoothly?

True omnichannel excellence isn’t just about being everywhere; it’s about designing deliberate transitions between content, people, and stages of the journey.

To lead with that kind of intention, marketing leaders must leave the old playbook behind and navigate this new reality. Here’s how the shift looks in practice.

Omnichannel experiences are at the center of Marketing’s expanded imperative. Watch this webinar to learn more – Marketing’s Imperative in the Dawn of the Experience Era

What Successful Marketers Are Doing Differently

It’s no surprise that 37% of CMOs say creating a unified, omnichannel customer experience will have the greatest influence on their marketing strategy over the next 12 to 18 months, according to IDC’s 2024 Worldwide CMO Priorities Study. But how are they actually making it happen?

They’re designing journeys where every touchpoint, whether self-service, automated, or human, works in harmony. 

Consider this scenario: a potential buyer discovers your product comparison guide on a third-party site. That guide links to a chatbot that provides real-time answers to technical questions. The chatbot offers a live Q&A session with a product expert. After the session, the buyer receives a personalized recap that highlights the exact features they asked about.

Every interaction builds momentum, and each step feels relevant, timely, and connected. That’s what omnichannel excellence looks like, and it’s what successful marketers are putting into practice.

Rather than focusing on how many campaigns they can launch this quarter, top teams are focused on how well each moment contributes to the bigger picture. That shift shows up in how they:

Map the buyer journey to uncover pain points and find new opportunities.
Pinpoint where human interaction adds the most value.
Use real-time buyer behavior signals to fine-tune nurture paths.
Ensure every asset and handoff supports a unified story.

However, none of this works without a clear understanding of who your buyers are, what they want, and how they’re making decisions.

To Lead the New Buyer Journey, You Need Trusted Tech Intelligence

Successfully guiding today’s buyer, one who is self-directed, AI-assisted, and surrounded by a growing cast of decision-makers, requires more than instinct. It requires intelligence.

Research and analysis grounded in real-world insight help you:

Identify and understand your buying committee.
Craft messaging that resonates with each stakeholder.
Orchestrate omnichannel experiences with confidence.
Make evidence-based decisions with speed and confidence
Differentiate your AI product in a market full of similar-sounding solutions.

It’s time to lead the new buyer journey and make your AI product the obvious choice. Discover how IDC can help you think bigger and move faster.

Need immediate support for guiding the new buyer journey? Download our new eBook – Leading through Change: Capitalizing on growth in the AI technology shift

Inspire Buyers Every Step of the Way

Buyers don’t think in terms of funnels, functions, or handoffs. They think in terms of outcomes: Does this solve my problem? Can I trust it? 

That clarity is earned one intentional, relevant, and personalized moment at a time.

The companies that succeed are those where marketing and sales aren’t working in silos, but rather building unified experiences that inspire modern tech buyers at every step. Is yours one of them?

As organizations attempt to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscapes of artificial intelligence and data analytics, many are developing AI centers of excellence (COEs). The goals are to harness the power of AI to create business value, to drive innovation, and to stay ahead of the competition.

AI COEs follow the traditional COE model, though obviously focused on the role of AI in business strategies and in corporate culture. They draw the top talent from throughout an organization that can champion how AI can be interwoven into existing processes to create new efficiencies.

Consider the example of ECS, a leading provider of cloud, cybersecurity, AI, machine learning, and IT modernization services in Fairfax, Virginia.

“Our data and AI center of excellence was established to advance our company’s data and AI culture, practice, products, partnerships, and social eminence,” explains Rick Torzynski, senior data and AI engineer and product architect for Atlas Graph at the company. “With a vision to scope, prioritize, induct, govern, and integrate data and AI opportunities, our COE aims to align our capabilities with the strategic vision and operational needs of our customers.”

By creating a dedicated COE for AI and data analytics, Torzynski says the company can leverage the expertise of over 200 data professionals — 50% of whom hold PhD or master’s degrees — to drive innovation and solve complex problems.

“Our COE serves as a community of practitioners, providing a platform for knowledge sharing, expertise exchange, and best practice development,” Torzynski says.

Investments for the Future

As an AI leader, practitioner, and researcher, Adnan Masood has long maintained that an AI COE defines a strategic inflection point in how organizations can future-proof their core competencies.

The chief AI architect at UST, Masood says his organization established its COE to address a classic demand: “We needed adaptive leadership and a single source of truth for data-driven strategy, from dynamic risk management to value chain optimization,” Masood explains. “That has been our springboard to scalable solutions and sustained momentum. Since then, I have worked with various client organizations, helping them establish and run their respective COEs.”

UST, formerly known as UST Global, is a provider of digital technology and IT transformation services based in Aliso Viejo, California. But AI COEs are hardly limited to technology companies. Among non-tech organizations, Masood says he has watched COEs generate quick wins — such as reducing fraud loss by double digits or serving as a catalyst for deeper initiatives such as advanced customer lifetime value analytics.

When an AI COE is designed and staffed effectively, executives can hope to witness strategic cohesion when AI-driven insights support critical-path decisions, aligning people, platforms, and cultural capital, Masood says.

“AI COEs help build cross-functional synergy by merging data scientists, domain experts, and finance leaders,” Masood explains. “That cross-pollination strengthens institutional memory while mitigating the strategic ambiguity that so often stymies new tech deployments.”

Potential Benefits from an AI COE

The benefits of an AI COE can be many and go far beyond technology advancements, Torzynski says. At ECS, they include:

Talent development: “Our COE provides opportunities for employees to grow professionally, even in areas outside of their primary job responsibilities. Regular town hall meetings encourage employees to explore various COEs, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development,” Torzynski says.

Knowledge sharing: “Our COE serves as a community of practitioners, holding regular meetings and events to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices. This collaborative environment promotes innovation and drives business value.”

Strategic partnerships: “Our COE manages and develops strategic, technical partnerships, enabling us to stay at the forefront of AI and data analytics trends.”

Certification and training: “Our COE provides flexible and rigorous training, supporting project delivery and ensuring that our teams are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed.”

Proposals and solutions: “Our COE supports proposals by providing technical solution strategies, enabling us to deliver innovative solutions to our customers.”

Culture of innovation and creativity: “Our COE has been instrumental in fostering a culture of innovation and creativity, empowering employees to pursue their passions and drive business value.”

What Organizations Can Expect from an AI COE

The expectation of any COE is that it will help drive innovation and improve efficiency first and foremost, says Jason Hardy, CTO of AI at Hitachi Vantara. It is also important that a COE enhances the decision-making process and facilitates a healthy collaboration between business units and external partners.

At Hitachi Vantara, “The COE is ultimately designed to move AI from theoretical exploration to practical implementation, delivering tangible business value by optimizing the many processes, enhancing efficiency, and unlocking data-driven insights,” Hardy explains.

It should also be noted that by developing and implementing AI-driven solutions, the COE contributes to the creation of new revenue streams and business opportunities, he says.

An ideal COE should serve each business unit with both operational transparency and agile governance, Masood explains. At UST, the company places data engineers side by side with financial analysts to ensure swift translation from concept to execution excellence.

“Boards want tangible ROI — like the significant improvement in operational efficiency we saw once advanced ML was integrated into supply chain optimization,” Masood explains. “By embracing this purposeful approach, the COE stands at the center of a broader innovation ecosystem.”

Gaining Resilience and Competitive Edge

Any organization aiming for market and competitive resilience should consider developing an AI COE, Masood says.

“I’ve seen it become a vital change agent that champions iterative prototyping, fosters collaborative innovation, and sustains a high-performance culture,” Masood explains. “Companies with strong AI governance can boost [significant] returns on invested capital. C-suites increasingly view these [gains] as the hallmark of mission alignment, especially when shareholders demand better liquidity analysis and more reliable revenue management.”

An AI COE helps accelerate AI adoption by providing a dedicated hub for a more practical application, Hardy says. It achieves this by piloting innovative AI solutions tailored to specific industry needs, as evidenced by successful advanced prototypes in energy, industrial, and mobility industries, among others. This hands-on approach enables clients to see impactful results and understand the real-world implications of AI.

“The COE fosters collaboration with key technology partners, ensuring access to cutting-edge AI capabilities and facilitating the development of robust and impactful AI solutions that directly address client business challenges and unlock new value streams,” Hardy explains. “This collaborative approach allows us to develop and deliver impactful prototypes, as we’ve already demonstrated in the energy, industrial, and mobility sectors, ultimately accelerating AI adoption and delivering tangible business value for our clients.”

Defining and Measuring Success

To determine if an organization has benefited from establishing an AI COE, it must first define what it means by success, Torzynski says. He recommends these steps:

Establish clear goals and objectives: Define the purpose of the AI COE, such as improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience, or driving revenue growth.

Develop key performance indicators (KPIs): Measure gains from the AI COE, such as with project completion rates, customer satisfaction, or revenue growth.

Establish a framework for success: Outline the key elements that enhance the business, such as with innovation, impact, and efficiency.

To measure actual success, Torzynski says organizations should:

Track project completion rates: Monitor the progress of each project and measure the impact on business outcomes.

Monitor customer satisfaction: If customers of the COE have been identified, evaluate customer satisfaction and measure the impact of AI on customer experience.

Measure revenue growth: Determine what portion of revenue growth can be attributed to the AI COE.

Track innovation and impact: Assess the innovation and impact that AI projects have had and measure the value created.

Conduct regular evaluations: Routinely assess the performance of team members and identify areas for improvement.

Finally, Masood stresses that a robust AI COE is more than just a discrete function; it becomes a cornerstone of enterprise architecture, shaping tomorrow’s go-to-market strategy and fueling future-proofing.

“The ability to harness frontier AI, such as generative models or agentic automation, hinges on forging an environment of continuous learning,” Masood explains. “The strategic imperative is clear. Organizations should establish their AI COE now to lead, rather than follow.”

(This is the first of a two-part series on AI COEs. In part 2, we explore how an AI COE impacts individual units in an organization, who should be selected to the COE team, and who the ideal leaders for the effort are.)

“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” isn’t just a movie; it’s an apt description of the place of AI in the world today. No matter where you look, AI has infiltrated every aspect of work and play. You have it in your products. Your competitors have it in theirs. How can you navigate and better understand this big market shift?

What was once a bold product differentiator has become the baseline for attracting today’s digitally fluent tech buyers. Buyers who, in turn, are leveraging AI to search, compare, and choose vendors faster than ever.

In fact, as of 2024, 74% of B2B tech buyers say they plan to buy more through eCommerce and engage less with sales reps over the next three years, up from 56% in 2019. As AI pushes this evolution even further, 70% of U.S. B2B buyers will rely on GenAI tools throughout their buying process by 2028.

This evolving behavior is rewriting the product marketing playbook. Effective marketing has always been about strong positioning and creating real demand in the marketplace. If you can’t clearly communicate how your AI solution outpaces the rest, someone else will – and your C-suite knows it. The pressure to differentiate your AI is landing squarely on marketing’s shoulders.

In an AI-saturated market, the question isn’t “Who has AI?” It’s “Who markets it better?”

The Pressure Cascade: What Today’s Marketing Leaders Are Up Against

Thirty-nine percent of executives expect CMOs and their teams to develop a new strategy for customer acquisitions in the next 12 to 18 months, according to IDC’s 2024 Worldwide CMO Priorities Study. Similarly, 31% of executives expect marketing to optimize costs and improve marketing ROI. C-suite leaders are raising the bar internally for marketing performance. In other words, CEOs, CFOs, and CIOs/CTOs now expect CMOs to own growth, ROI, and technology alignment.

As the bar continues to rise, CMOs are pushing their teams harder to deliver more, faster, and with a measurable impact.

This mounting set of expectations is what we call the Pressure Cascade. Without intervention, it overwhelms strategy, fractures execution, and stalls growth.

Overcome the pressure with this eBook – Leading through Change: Capitalizing on Growth in the AI Technology Shift

How Executive Expectations Are Reshaping Marketing

Each executive brings a unique perspective to the table, and understanding their individual viewpoints is crucial for marketing teams to align, adapt, and lead effectively.

CEO: “Marketing needs to show how we’re leveraging AI to evolve the business, not just the brand.”
Takeaway: Marketing must lead the charge in transforming how the business shows up in the market, delivering business evolution that signals leadership and competitive strength.

CFO: “If we’re investing in AI tools and content, I need proof that it’s tied to real opportunity and growth.”
Takeaway: ROI is under the microscope. Marketing must prove how AI-enabled products generate revenue, reduce inefficiencies, and create measurable business value.

CTO: “Marketing must accurately communicate the business value of our AI capabilities to the market.”
Takeaway: Tech credibility matters. Marketing must translate complex AI capabilities into clear, trustworthy messaging that aligns internally with the technology roadmap and differentiates the business externally.

In short: your CEO wants innovation, your CFO wants proof, and your CTO wants alignment.

Learn about Marketing’s expanding role in the infographic –
Rise of the Chief Market Officer

What’s at Stake?

AI has transformed your product, your buyer, and your internal expectations. And yet, many go-to-market (GTM) strategies haven’t caught up. When marketing fails to reflect this shift, the ramifications are real: campaigns stall, budgets shrink, strategies shift, and competitors with a differentiated AI value proposition surge ahead.

Where CMOs Go from Here: Turning Pressure Into Performance

CMOs are reframing internal conversations to reflect the new stakes, asking more urgent questions of their teams:

“Where’s the real market data, not assumptions?”
“How are our competitors using AI and how do we beat them?”
“What’s the story that proves we’re ahead of the curve?”
“What do our buyers really want and need?”

These aren’t rhetorical questions. They point directly to the biggest barriers many marketing teams face today:

Data gaps

Too many strategies are still built on outdated assumptions or incomplete insights. Without reliable, real-time data, many marketing initiatives stall before they start.

Competitive positioning

As more companies adopt AI, differentiation becomes more difficult and more urgent. Being a fast follower isn’t enough when the C-suite expects marketing to lead.

Narrative clarity

Without a clear, compelling story that connects your product to business outcomes, even the most advanced capabilities fail to inspire confidence both internally and externally.

This isn’t just about having AI. It’s about rewiring your GTM strategy to be insight-led, execution-focused, and ROI-driven. Surface-level product claims, vague positioning, and outdated assumptions don’t cut it when AI-savvy buyers and executive pressure leave no room for error.

Your Next Move

For CMOs ready to act, the upside is real. When marketed effectively, AI becomes a force multiplier:

Enable smarter decision-making with predictive, real-time insights.
Position your AI capabilities as a lasting competitive edge
Build internal and external trust through a credible, future-facing narrative.

Easing the Pressure Cascade is the key to capitalizing on the AI tech shift.

Need resources to navigate the AI technology shift? Visit our dedicated resource center.

Ease the Pressure Cascade With Trusted Tech Intelligence

To navigate and understand big market shifts like AI, CMOs need research-backed technology intelligence.  Access to analysis and insights grounded in real buyer data, peer benchmarks, and industry-wide trends enables CMOs and their teams to make evidence-based decisions.

 Here’s how data can fuel the right decisions for your company:

Turn insights into action.
Align on what matters most and take action with confidence.

Inform competitive positioning.
Understand how your competitors are using AI and where you can outpace them.

Craft a future-forward narrative.
Articulate a compelling story that resonates with buyers and stakeholders alike.

Without trusted intelligence, the Pressure Cascade becomes a drag on execution and morale. With the right data and partners, it becomes your launchpad to lead change, accelerate growth, and build competitive advantage.

The Bottom Line?

AI is no longer an emerging trend; it has become a mainstream technology. It’s a present reality reshaping how products are built, how buyers behave, and how market share is won.

If you’re still marketing your AI-enabled product like it’s 2020, you’re missing the moment and you’re risking your relevance. The time to recalibrate is now.

IDC serves up the data and analysis CMOs and their teams need to stay aligned with what your buyers want and where the market is headed. Based on a methodology that’s been developed and refined over 60 years and vetted by thousands of experts, IDC can help you decisively plan your next move with confidence.

Are you ready to lead? Start capitalizing on the AI technology shift.

Large Cloud Providers are Supercharging Support for Security Channel

In the ever-evolving realm of cybersecurity, we are seeing exciting changes in how top vendors are supporting their channel partners. Many cybersecurity channel partners have noticed that major cloud providers are ramping up their channel support teams more quickly than other SIEM vendors. As Google and Microsoft boost their channel support, they are transforming the security landscape. Meanwhile, customers are observing a steadier pace of change in channel support staff among other SIEM vendors.

Tech Titans Turned Cyber Stars: Google and Microsoft’s SIEM Surge

Channel partners are increasingly recognizing Google and Microsoft for their efforts in enhancing channel support among vendors offering SIEM solutions. While these tech giants have traditionally been recognized by the channel as leaders in software, search, and cloud services, their role in the cybersecurity market, including SIEM, is evolving. Senior security channel executives are now viewing them as key players in cybersecurity. Historically, the responsibility for Microsoft and Google within channel organizations has not been with the security business unit. Similarly, their initial successes in the security sector were often add-on deals, with account management handled by channel staff outside the dedicated security sales team.

Google’s Security Renaissance: Mandiant Magic and Channel Opportunities

Google’s acquisition of Mandiant has reignited its focus on security, boosting customer awareness of Google’s growing role in the security market. Mandiant’s strong reputation for incident response services has played a significant part in this shift. Security incidents often lead to new priorities, vendor changes, quicker decision-making, and increased budgets, all of which position Google to benefit from investments in channel support staff. Additionally, Google’s Security Operations solution is gaining traction in the SIEM space, with the Gemini AI assistant helping to lighten the workload for analysts. Channel organizations are eager to partner with companies that customers are interested in migrating to or have existing investments with, creating opportunities for up-selling.

Microsoft’s Masterstroke: Bundling Brilliance and Channel Charm

For Microsoft, it was not a single acquisition or product category that drove demand in the security channel. Instead, it was their bundling strategy, which integrated security features into E3 and E5 licenses. Initially, security channel organizations saw this approach as a potential risk, as they often partnered with vendors competing against Microsoft and faced challenges in price comparisons. While the channel recognized the value of Microsoft’s ecosystem, there were concerns about profitability with a company not traditionally seen as channel focused. However, as Microsoft’s security capabilities have gained industry respect, channel partners have embraced the partnership. Microsoft is now seen as increasing its channel support staff in the security sector. As the second largest SIEM vendor by revenue, Microsoft continues to improve Microsoft Sentinel with SOC optimization. Microsoft’s Security Copilot works across the security products, helping security analysts work more efficiently.

Beyond SIEM: Google and Microsoft’s Security Spotlight Sparks New Opportunities

The enhanced security visibility of both Google and Microsoft extends beyond just SIEM, and their growing commitment to supporting channel partners opens up exciting new opportunities for customers to explore and evaluate products across various categories.

Cloud Marketplace Magic: AWS Leads the Way in Partner Collaboration

The influence of cloud marketplaces is truly significant. They are enhancing their collaboration with traditional reseller partners, streamlining processes to make it easier for the channel to work alongside security vendors. This improvement is particularly evident with AWS.

IBM’s Channel Shift Beyond QRadar

IBM is seen by North American channel partners as expanding its channel support staff. However, the transition of IBM’s QRadar SaaS business to Palo Alto is expected to result in this growth having a greater impact to IBM’s other security categories beyond SIEM.

Channel Balancing Act: SIEM Growth and Support Dynamics for CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Palo Alto

CrowdStrike, Fortinet, and Palo Alto are all expanding their SIEM business, but there is a slight perception that they might be losing channel support staff rather than gaining it, due to a range of factors. As major security-focused vendors, these companies are welcoming hundreds of new channel partners each year. However, adding partners without increasing support staff can sometimes leave partners feeling overlooked if resources become stretched thin. Additionally, vendors often bring in channel support staff focused on specific vertical markets or product categories, which may not always align with every channel organization’s needs. Sometimes, vendors strategically shift their focus to certain types of partners, like GSIs over regional VARs, based on their target market segments or other considerations. In such cases, existing partners might receive less attention or see expansion opportunities shift to other partners. It is also important to remember that large cybersecurity vendors have well-established channel partner programs, and changes in personnel and organization are often seen as a normal part of the partner-vendor relationship.

Navigating Change with Cisco’s Splunk’s Acquisition

Cisco and Splunk are perceived as losing channel support staff more frequently than they are gaining it. Acquisitions can naturally lead to some disruption in the channel, as partners from both the acquiring and acquired companies may feel a bit anxious about potential changes. However, there was an optimism that Splunk could benefit from Cisco’s extensive channel presence following the acquisition.

For More Information:

To learn more about the perceived changes in channel support staff among SIEM vendors, check out IDC’s Survey Spotlight: SIEM: Vendor Perceptions of Channel Support Staff Changes (US53441425). Or check out the full results of IDC’s North American Security Channel Partners Survey, 2024. (US53227225)

Jaclynn Anderson, Research Director, Security & Trust

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 presented a strategic direction with three overarching themes: a comprehensive design overhaul across all its platforms, the introduction of a new OS naming convention, and continued development of Apple Intelligence.

This year’s event was not about disruptive innovation, but rather careful calibration, platform refinement and developer enablement – positioning itself for future moves rather than unveiling game-changing technologies.

At the heart of WWDC 2025 was a comprehensive naming overhaul of Apple’s software platforms. iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS are all being rebranded under a year-based naming convention – iOS 26, macOS 26 (Tahoe), and so on – signaling a shift toward a more predictable, aligned cadence across the Apple ecosystem.

But this new branding is more than cosmetic. The user interface (UI) across platforms has been redesigned with a Liquid Glass aesthetic, emphasizing light, transparency and depth, heavily influenced by the visionOS UI. The look and feel – with more translucent menus, updated icons, and redesigned toolbars – brings Apple’s mobile, desktop and XR environments closer together. These changes bring a more visually appealing experience, more clarity to navigation and controls, and provide a more polished overall user experience.

Strategically, Apple appears to be leveraging a refreshed and unified user experience as a primary means to preserve ecosystem loyalty and stimulate hardware upgrades. By making the experience more cohesive, it implicitly raises the friction for users considering a switch to competing platforms, while offering a new aesthetic standard that could make Android interfaces appear dated.

Apple Intelligence

If the tech industry was hoping for Apple to make a grand leap forward in artificial intelligence, they will have to keep waiting. While Apple Intelligence was central to the announcements, its presence was more about setting direction, keep incrementing app functionality, rather than introducing new disruptive futuristic applications.

The most significant AI-related news is the decision to open up Apple’s foundation models to developers. For the first time, with the new Foundations Model Framework, developers will be able to access the same on-device and Private Cloud models used for features like Genmoji, writing tools and summarization. This step brings Apple closer to the kind of AI tools that competitors such as OpenAI, Google and Meta have been offering for some time. This move to empower developers is strategically important, as it allows Apple to leverage its vast developer community to infuse the ecosystem with AI capabilities and more specialized AI applications, catapulting them to the next level sooner.

There are also tangible improvements for users: Apple Intelligence is expanding to new countries and will support additional languages. The key consumer-facing AI upgrade is a push into translation. Building on the existing Translate app, Live Translation is being integrated more deeply with Messages, FaceTime and the Phone App. There are two important additions to the Phone app – Call Screening and Hold Assist – will improve privacy by filtering spam or unwanted calls.

Visual Intelligence also gets an important update. The iPhone will now identify additional information about screenshots, offer to add relevant events to the Calendar, or allow users to ask ChatGPT for more details about the image content. Users can also highlight a portion of an image to isolate it as the area of interest for Visual Intelligence.

Other AI enhancements include an upgrade to Genmoji, which can now combine standard emojis into custom expressions. The Shortcuts app has also been upgraded using Apple intelligence models, enabling more powerful and intuitive user-created automations with intelligent actions. Users will be able to tap into Apple models (on-device, private cloud compute, or even ChatGPT), directly from Shortcuts. More announcements were made for watchOS, tvOS and iPadOS, which will resonate well with consumers.

Currently, Apple’s AI strategy, as showcased, leans more towards systemic integration and developer empowerment rather than delivering groundbreaking consumer-facing AI functionalities that have captured market attention. While this carries the risk of competitors moving faster, it also delineates a potential pathway for Apple to offer differentiated value, likely centered on its traditional pillars of privacy and seamless integration.

This is a classic Apple modus operandi, but it now confronts significant challenges amid the ongoing AI gold rush.

Notably absent is any significant overhaul to Siri, which is expected in 2026. Meanwhile, Apple’s voice interface remains significantly behind rivals in both intelligence and utility – a gap increasingly problematic given the accelerated pace of AI innovation elsewhere. However, Apple was humble enough to explain that is not willing to compromise the user security, privacy and experience for the sake of speed, which is the exact right strategy. Consumers are not yet all hooked on AI features and the majority don’t even understand the benefits. Bringing an AI Siri experience that won’t delight users, will hinder not just Apple, but the entire industry.

iPad and Mac

On the iPad, Apple is bringing the iPad and the Mac even closer. The introduction of more Mac-like multitasking features, is a sign of the company’s continued ambition to evolve the iPad into a true productivity tool. This is a continuation of Apple’s long term strategy to position the iPad, particularly its Pro models, as a viable laptop replacement for productivity-focused tasks. For users, this could mean a significantly more efficient workflow when managing multiple applications.

The new macOS Tahoe will fully embrace the new Liquid Glass design, including fresh designs for the menu bar and window buttons. The Control Centre has been redesigned, and, for the first time, it will be possible to add third-party apps.

A new Preview app will be introduced on the iPad, which will allow users to open and edit PDF files, as well as images.

There’s also an important development in Audio and Video: users will be able to select which microphone to use. Local Capture (Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Zoom and Webex), will allow different inputs to be used recordings combined – an excellent feature for podcasting.

Spotlight on macOS got a massive revamp to improve user experience. Users will be able to select the types of content they want to browse. A new Actions app will allow creating actions directly from Spotlight. It will be also context-aware, understanding what is on screen and possible actions.

VisionOS

For the visionPro headset, visionOS 26 introduces key features aimed at improving usability and broadening adoption among consumers and enterprises. Eye scrolling aims to make navigation more intuitive, while third-party controller support (Sony PlayStation VR controllers) expands input options beyond eye and hand tracking – critical for certain applications, especially gaming. Shared experiences (supporting up to five users) will enable content sharing and multiplayer gaming, making visionPro a more collaborative device.

watchOS

The standout feature is the introduction of a Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence. The device will analyse the entire workout history and provide personalized insights. Using voices from Fitness+ trainers, the feature aims to offer support and motivation during exercise.

Looking Ahead

WWDC 2025 reflects Apple’s strategic posture in 2025: deliver reliable improvements, avoid overpromising in areas where competitors lead, and quietly preparing for more ambitious updates down the line.

For Apple, 2025 is shaping up as a transitional year. The company is maintaining user trust and developer interest, but it is not pushing the envelope in AI, a domain where rivals are moving quickly. Apple is not, at least publicly, making radical shifts in AI strategy in direct response to competitive pressures. Historically favoring execution over experimentation, Apple often enters new spaces by delivering the best possible experience to delight users.

This approach to AI, despite short-term criticism, suggests a degree of confidence in its long-term approach, or perhaps an acknowledgement that a more profound AI pivot requires more time.

It is important to remember that for the majority of consumers, AI remains a novelty, and many still do not full understand its benefits. Apple needs to continue focusing on its large installed base of users who prioritize improved experiences in the apps and services they use and love, rather than disruptive innovation every single year.

However, the stakes are rising. As competitors aggressively embed AI into their platforms, Apple face increasing pressure to deliver compelling intelligence-driven experiences. If WWDC 2025 is any indication, the groundwork is being laid – but the real test comes next year.

Until then, Apple remains in refinement mode: architecting its platforms, aligning its tools, and waiting for the right moment to act.

We’ve always been the guide. Now we look the part.

Today, we’re excited to unveil IDC’s refreshed brand identity — a bold new expression of who we are, what we stand for, and the value we deliver to customers. This is more than a logo update or a new color palette (though yes, they look pretty sharp). It’s an evolution that honors our legacy while signaling the future we’re building. 

In a world moving faster than ever, where technological change is constant and complex, our job is clear: to help you navigate the changing landscape so you can confidently make the right decisions, at the right time.  

IDC has long been recognized for the depth of our research, the quality of our data, and the strength of our relationships. Our business is built on delivering trusted, evidence-based insight in a way that is accessible, human, and actionable. This new identity brings that promise to life by making our value more visible, cohesive, and aligned with what you expect from IDC. 

From vision to visuals: the story behind the design

At the heart of our refreshed look are two core elements: a refined logo and new path beacon. 

The logo honors our 60+ year heritage but elevates it with a modern, signature hue: Beacon Blue. 

The path tells our story — a dynamic visual element that flows from dark to light, symbolizing the journey from raw data to actionable insight. It’s literal. It’s metaphorical. And it’s unmistakably IDC. 

Together, they create a fresh look that visually represents the clarity and confidence we bring companies around the globe. 

This is just the beginning.

We’re rolling out the new look starting today, but this is just the start. To ensure consistency and quality every step of the way, we’ll continue unveiling our branding across new touchpoints on an ongoing basis. 

That’s important because this refresh isn’t just about appearances. It’s a signal of where IDC is headed — a company committed to quality, innovation, and deep partnership. A company evolving alongside you, expanding our reach, and ready to meet the next era of tech intelligence head-on. 

Today, we look different. But make no mistake — the IDC you trust is still here. Sharper, bolder, and more aligned than ever. We can’t wait to show you what’s next. 

#WeAreIDC