In 2027 the technology sector must turn years of rapid investment and innovation into sustainable value, with attention shifting from what technology can do to what it can deliver economically, operationally and competitively. A new report identifies four forces shaping that year: AI (rebalancing from investment to monetization), persistent supply chain disruption, rising digital sovereignty, and the spread of intelligence into the physical world.
AI: Rebalancing from Investment to Monetization
59% of organizations expect their AI budgets to increase by 10% or more in 2027, intensifying pressure to show tangible returns. Enterprises will increasingly evaluate AI by ROI and productivity gains rather than technical superiority alone. Across infrastructure, software, services and devices, focus will move to where AI creates value, how that value is captured and which business models can convert adoption into sustainable returns.
Supply Chain: Crisis is the “New Normal”
Companies can no longer assume disruptions will end and supply chains will revert to a previous normal. Rising AI infrastructure demand, component shortages, geopolitical pressure, energy needs and macroeconomic uncertainty combine to create persistent volatility. Hardware delays are already affecting 60% of PC channel partners, illustrating the operational strains that firms must manage. Firms that build resilience into operations will be better placed to turn disruption into advantage.
Digital Sovereignty: Independence Comes at a Cost
More than 100 countries are now pursuing digital sovereignty initiatives, making control over data, infrastructure, AI and digital supply chains an increasing priority. Complete technological independence will rarely be practical or necessary; organizations will need to decide what they must control, where partnerships remain essential and where added sovereignty delivers enough business value to justify the extra cost and complexity.
Physical AI: Intelligence Escapes the Screen
AI is moving beyond software and screens into physical systems as advances in AI, edge computing, sensors and connected hardware create systems that perceive, learn and respond to their surroundings. Global humanoid robot shipments alone are expected to exceed 700,000 units by 2030. The opportunity extends beyond humanoids to vehicles, buildings, energy infrastructure, workplaces and connected consumer environments, while raising new questions around governance, safety, liability, integration and trust.
Commenting on the launch of the Forces Shaping 2027 program, Chief Research Officer Evan Kirchheimer said: “The defining technology story of 2027 will not simply be what comes next, but what happens as the investment and innovation of recent years meets economic and operational reality.
“AI needs to demonstrate returns. Supply chain disruption needs to be planned for rather than waited out. The perceived imperative of digital sovereignty brings difficult choices around cost and access. And as AI moves into the physical world, businesses face an entirely new set of opportunities and responsibilities.
“What makes these forces particularly significant is how closely they are becoming connected. Decisions made in one area increasingly have consequences elsewhere, making it more important than ever for businesses to understand the wider technology landscape when deciding where to invest and compete.”
The Forces Shaping 2027 program compiles research across the technology ecosystem to track these four forces. It launches with an e-book exploring each force and the research underpinning it, and will continue to track developments through 2027, with AI-enabled access intended to help clients explore and navigate the research.
