Enterprise IT Leaders Slowed Technology Spending
A survey of 1,681 global IT decision-makers reveals cooling interest in traditional software and services for late 2026.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Software
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Enterprise IT decision-makers have scaled back their technology spending plans for the second half of 2026. Organizations are shifting funds away from traditional software and service sectors, favoring investment in security and enterprise tools.
Why it matters
The shift indicates a broader movement by organizations to cut commitments to legacy services and traditional software. This realignment suggests a strategic pivot as companies prioritize specific growth areas over broad-based IT expansion.
The overall Net Score for technology spending stands at 17%, with Robotic Process Automation falling to 18%. Conversely, security software is projected to grow at 8.1%, while enterprise software is expected to expand by 4.0%.
The players
Infosys
This is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting.
Cognizant
This is an American multinational information technology services and consulting company.
Zscaler Inc.
This company provides a cloud-native security platform that protects users and data.
Cloudflare Inc.
This company provides a global cloud platform that delivers security and performance services.
The details
Organizations are actively cutting budgets for legacy vendors in favor of generative AI initiatives. IT consulting and outsourced IT sectors have particularly struggled, reflecting a contraction in demand for traditional service models.
Timeline
October 2025: RPA Net Score was 23%.
October 2, 2026: End of data collection period.
H2 2026: Period of slowed enterprise technology spending.
The Tech Race
This contraction mirrors the broader industry shift away from legacy IT services as organizations prioritize cloud-native security and generative AI. The movement positions firms like Zscaler and Cloudflare to capture demand that was previously allocated to traditional IT consulting.
Business users may experience changes in available software features as vendors prioritize high-growth security and AI tools. Organizations are likely to consolidate their IT service providers, potentially streamlining the software ecosystems used in daily workflows.
The takeaway
The cooling of IT spending highlights that decision-makers are becoming increasingly selective with their technology investments. Readers should monitor whether their organizations follow this shift toward security and AI-focused infrastructure in upcoming quarterly cycles.
Further reading
For more analysis of current trends in digital transformation, explore our Software coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Techstrong IT.
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