90% of organisations report AI and cloud readiness, but only 65% exceed operational efficiency expectations: Unisys report

By Express Computer On Jul 23, 2026

While 90% of organisations say they have the technology architecture needed to support AI and cloud initiatives, only 65% report that their operational efficiency exceeds expectations, according to a new study by Unisys.

The Unisys AI & Cloud Insights Report 2026, based on a survey of 1,000 senior IT and business decision-makers across the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific, suggests that organisations are making progress in building AI and cloud capabilities but are struggling to translate those investments into measurable business outcomes.

The study found that 90% of respondents believe they have the right architecture for large-scale, data-driven decision-making, up from 72% in 2025. However, the proportion of organisations reporting operational efficiency that exceeds expectations declined from 80% in 2025 to 65% this year.

Cybersecurity also emerged as a growing concern. Nearly 49% of organisations reported experiencing a cybersecurity breach during the past 12 months, compared with 17% in the previous year.

The report indicates that interest in agentic AI continues to outpace deployment. While 75% of respondents said agentic AI will be essential for managing cloud environments, only 23% reported that they have begun scaling the technology across their organisations.

According to the survey, organisations continue to prioritise technology modernisation (39%) and AI and automation initiatives (36%) over business-focused objectives such as reducing operating costs (27%), improving customer experience (24%) and accelerating time to market (21%).

The study also found that 42% of business leaders currently view cloud and IT functions as profit centres rather than cost centres.

On cybersecurity, 93% of respondents said cloud security capabilities influence the level of autonomy granted to AI systems, while 96% believe their cloud security approach enables faster adoption of new technologies.

“Building a strong technology foundation is an important first step. IT and business leaders must show that their investments are paying off and delivering real growth,” said Mike Thomson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Unisys.