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The manufacturing industry is undergoing a period of significant transformation, driven by a confluence of technological advancements, economic shifts and evolving consumer expectations.

The industry is being impacted in areas such as smart manufacturing, supply chain optimization, aftermarket services and sustainability. Manufacturers are leveraging technologies such as IoT, AI, ML, digital twins, AR, VR and cloud to optimize production processes, improve quality and enhance efficiency. They are also implementing digital solutions to streamline supply chain operations, reduce costs and improve visibility. Aftermarket services are being placed at the forefront and integrated into core business processes to drive customer satisfaction and revenue.

Advancements in AI applications are redefining the landscape of business service automation in the U.S., disrupting use cases and codifying service knowledge using generative AI (GenAI) technologies. These innovations, powered by large language models (LLMs), vision-language models (VLMs), small language models (SLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and other appropriate finetuning techniques, are revolutionizing how organizations automate customer service, IT support and business operations.

The transformation of business designs and operating models is a fundamental necessity for North American insurance carriers aiming to sustain competitiveness and effectively navigate the complexities of contemporary market conditions. This imperative arises from several critical factors, including customers’ evolving expectations, volatile geoeconomic circumstances and the increasing frequency and severity of property and life losses primarily attributed to climate change.

The healthcare payer landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by a shift toward value-based care (VBC), the integration of advanced analytics and AI, and a commitment to improved member engagement and interoperability. These trends reflect a broader movement toward patient-centered models that prioritize quality  outcomes and enhance the healthcare experience for all stakeholders.

The U.S. data analytics and AI market is undergoing transformative changes and a dynamic evolution driven by technological advancements, regulatory changes and enterprise demands. The market is also experiencing an accelerating need for enterprises to integrate advanced technologies, especially AI, into their business strategies.

The U.S. data analytics and AI market is undergoing transformative changes and a dynamic evolution driven by technological advancements, regulatory changes and enterprise demands. The market is also experiencing an accelerating need for enterprises to integrate advanced technologies, especially AI, into their business strategies.

Strategic consolidation and an emphasis on improving technology capabilities are driving a noticeable increase in M&A activity in North America’s telecom, media and entertainment (TME) industries. Compared to previous years, the number of deals increased significantly in 2023 and 2024 as private equity groups became more aggressive in purchasing media and technology businesses. As businesses look to safeguard their digital infrastructures in response to growing customer demands for individualized content and services, there is a noticeable movement toward cloud services and  cybersecurity. Furthermore, as businesses manage compliance while seeking expansion through mergers and  acquisitions, regulatory scrutiny continues to influence deal-making tactics. As the economy stabilizes amidst the lowering of interest rates and persistent inflation, there is cautious optimism about future M&A activity.

The North American O&G (oil and gas) services industry is undergoing significant transformation, driven by various factors, including technological advancements, shifting energy demands, environmental regulations and geopolitical events. This dynamic landscape is characterized by a growing focus on efficiency, sustainability and innovations as service providers seek to adapt to the industry’s evolving needs.

The power and utilities industry is witnessing a transition from traditional energy sources to cleaner alternatives such as wind and solar energy, leading to an increase in new asset types to deploy, connect and manage. Additionally, there has been a rise in distributed energy resources (DERs), leading to disruptions in energy production patterns. Moreover, as the industry increasingly adds renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to its energy mix, their integration into the grid continues to be a challenge. Global supply shortage due to the war in Ukraine has led to an increase in natural gas prices, making the purchase or production of power expensive.

The U.S. public sector, particularly state, local and educational (SLED) agencies, is finally witnessing the anticipated surge in cloud services adoption. This shift is transforming SLED IT organizations, spending and department operations, intensifying competition among cloud service providers and increasing the demand for FinOps capabilities.

Until last year, we saw public cloud services grow mainly due to innovation, faster time to market and improved customer experience. But, in the last four quarters, we saw AI technologies driving the growth of cloud services in the U.S. As enterprises increasingly recognize the transformative potential of AI, they are turning to cloud platforms to access the necessary computing power, storage and tools to develop and deploy AI applications. The ability to scale resources on-demand, combined with the wide range of AI-specific services offered by cloud providers, has made cloud computing an attractive option for enterprises seeking to leverage AI. This increased demand for cloud services, fueled by AI adoption, drives significant growth in the U.S. cloud services market, benefiting both cloud infrastructure providers and service providers.

The rapid evolution of cloud infrastructure marks a significant shift in how organizations approach their digital transformation initiatives. The demand for cloud technologies has surged as businesses strive to combine the security and control of on-premises infrastructure with the scalability, innovation and flexibility offered by cloud platforms. The shift is catalyzed by fast-paced technological innovation and driven by strategic business demands requiring heightened operational agility and efficiency. Over the last few years, the urgent need to meet evolving strategic goals has driven the rapid adoption of cloud-native technologies within multicloud environments. It is revolutionizing how organizations design, deploy and manage their applications.

As quantum computing advances at an unprecedented pace, the concept of Q-Day—a day when quantum computers can fundamentally undermine our current encryption methods—has entered discussions among cybersecurity professionals and business leaders alike. While there is no definitive date set for Q-Day, we are approaching a critical juncture where traditional cryptographic techniques may no longer suffice to protect sensitive data, digital communications and transactions. This impending shift not only poses significant risks for individuals but also presents a high-stakes event that every enterprise must anticipate and prepare for; inadequate preparation could lead to substantial data breaches, compromised systems and irrevocable damage to customer trust and organizational reputation.

The degree to which data platforms are critical to efficient business operations cannot be overstated. Without data platforms, enterprises would be reliant on a combination of paper records, time-consuming manual processes and huge libraries of physical files to record, process and store business information. The extent to which that is unthinkable highlights the level at which today’s enterprises and society as a whole rely on data platforms. The core persistence, management, processing and query requirements of data platforms have been well established since the emergence of the database market in the early 1970s. The data platforms market continues to evolve to keep pace with emerging capabilities and requirements. Two of the most significant trends driving the data platforms sector in recent years are cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

The breadth of customer experience (CX) solutions created by software providers in recent years has expanded into new areas, usually related or adjacent to existing, more traditional toolkits. Most providers in the space began as more-or-less pure play contact center software providers, so the CX toolset starts with that set of technologies. Products are grounded in core functions for service delivery, like interaction handling, labor management and customer tracking. Some software providers have come into the CX space from other starting points, notably customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing technologies, so they start with a different core toolset, often expanding to add contact center functions.

The managed network services (MNS) industry, whereby entire or parts of enterprise networks are effectively outsourced to expert suppliers, has witnessed a significant evolution since its inception in the early 2000s. Initially focused on basic connectivity and maintenance tasks, the industry has expanded to include a comprehensive range of services that address the complexities of modern ICT infrastructures. Today, MNS encompass underlay network management, network security, cloud connectivity, software-defined networking and more. The demand for MNS is driven by the need for robust security measures such as secure access service edge (SASE) and regulatory compliance amid an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Software providers have identified “openness” as a key consideration for contact center buyers. Since there is no generally accepted rule about what makes a system open, it makes sense for us to examine what components contribute to that quality, and why it should be thought of as a good thing.

For many years, HR teams encountered an endless stream of buzzwords often intended to garner excitement about new technological developments or further evolution of the HR profession. Unfortunately, this often leads us down unproductive paths in the attempt to be part of the conversation. Often, executives and senior leaders will express a requirement to include the latest buzzwords in any software RFPs as a minimum for participation. HR teams find themselves in a position of compliance but struggle to be fully informed and educated on the what, why and how associated with the trendy topics.

Doing more with less is the defining characteristic of finance and accounting departments in midsize enterprises, which ISG research defines as organizations with between 100 and 999 workers. One frustrating truth confronting executives in these organizations is that, once their company stops being a small business, it has many of the same challenges that large enterprises face but with fewer resources to deal with them. Over the past two decades, advances in information technology have had the greatest incremental impact on midsize enterprises, approaching the ability of large organizations to harness practical, affordable and reliable technology to gain productivity and improve performance, especially in the office of finance. The introduction of artificial intelligence and generative AI will close the gap further. 

Generative AI (GenAI) software can transform various aspects of enterprise operations, which makes it a critical component of modern business strategies. GenAI tools can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, report generation and customer interactions. GenAI can improve overall operational efficiency, resulting in time and cost savings for the organization. Another benefit from GenAI software is the ability to analyze vast amounts of data and extract actionable insights, enhancing decision-making processes. This empowers the workforce to make informed decisions quicker. Utilizing GenAI in customer service and support can lead to more personalized and responsive interactions. By analyzing customer behavior and preferences, companies can tailor offerings and communications, resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.