IT Strategies Shifting From Disruption to Decisive Action in 2025: Mid-Year Trending Insights Report Released By Info-Tech Research Group

At the midpoint of 2025, trending research usage from Info-Tech Research Group is pointing to an emerging shift for CIOs, where IT leaders are moving beyond reactive disruption management and are executing proactive strategies across AI, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and modernization. The insight marks a pivotal shift revealed in the global research and advisory firm's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report. The report analyzes the most accessed research and tools by global IT leaders, offering insight into how CIOs are maturing operations, addressing AI risks, and accelerating execution across key domains.

TORONTO, July 23, 2025 /CNW/ - IT leaders are no longer just reacting to disruption but actively implementing change, according to new findings from Info-Tech Research Group. The global IT research and advisory firm has recently published its Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report, which offers a data-driven snapshot of its most accessed research, tools, and advisory services from the first half of the year. The report reveals how CIOs are maturing internal practices and accelerating execution across generative AI, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and modernization.

Info-Tech Research Group has recently published its Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report, which offers a data-driven snapshot of its most accessed research, tools, and advisory services from the first half of the year. The report reveals how CIOs are maturing internal practices and accelerating execution across generative AI, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and modernization. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group)

"At a recent Info-Tech Leadership Summit, attendees were polled on their intention to 'shift left', essentially making a clear and decisive shift toward the strategic, forward-leaning IT leadership capabilities featured on the left-hand side of Info-Tech's famous IT Management & Governance Framework," says Info-Tech Research Group's Chief Research Officer Gord Harrison. "The poll was nearly unanimous, as it revealed that the group of 70+ IT leaders intends to move from organizational partner to organizational leader over the next couple of years. This is echoed in the most accessed research of 2025 so far. CIOs are actively strengthening operational maturity, embedding AI governance, investing in infrastructure modernization, and tightly aligning technology with measurable value as they prepare to lead technology-first organizations."

The report's findings indicate a broader trend among IT leaders this year to actively pursue modernization, operational maturity, and AI readiness. Info-Tech's key resources on cybersecurity, data governance, and Microsoft licensing updates are among the most accessed recently, reflecting the growing pressure on CIOs to balance innovation with accountability. At the same time, the rise in interest around AI governance and device management emphasizes the need for IT to be both agile and secure in a fast-changing tech environment.

Top 12 Resources Featured in Info-Tech's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report
Reflecting this decisive shift for 2025, the top 12 resources featured in Info-Tech's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report span critical areas such as enterprise device management, AI risk governance, Microsoft licensing changes, data strategy, cybersecurity architecture, and infrastructure modernization. These areas capture the top concerns of CIOs today, from enabling hybrid work and modernizing security postures to navigating AI compliance and preparing IT operations for scale.

1. Build & Execute an Enterprise Device Management Strategy: Through a comprehensive framework, this popular blueprint provides actionable guidance for developing a modern device management strategy that supports hybrid work, enhances service delivery, and improves the employee experience. It includes tools and insights that IT leaders have been leveraging to plan for lifecycle management, enforce policies, and automate support across a diverse range of devices.
   
   
2. Build a Vendor Security Assessment Service: With third-party risks continuing to grow, organizations are shifting toward proactive vendor oversight. IT leaders are using Info-Tech's structured framework to prioritize vendor reviews based on risk and business impact and develop more scalable, consistent, and defensible security assessments across the supplier ecosystem.
   
   
3. Build a Robust and Comprehensive Data Strategy: As a central pillar of enterprise maturity in 2025, this comprehensive data strategy has helped CIOs establish a unified approach that aligns data governance with organizational goals. The roadmap is being used to increase data fluency, enable analytics-driven decisions, and lay the foundation for unlocking data-driven decision-making at scale.
   
   
4. Microsoft Licensing Changes Are Coming in 2025 – What to Expect Between Now and Microsoft Year-End: This research-backed note breaks down the key changes Microsoft is expected to make to its licensing and pricing models ahead of its fiscal year-end. As IT leaders seek clarity to avoid contract pitfalls, this practical guide is helping procurement teams prepare for upcoming renewals, mitigate cost risks, and negotiate more effectively with Microsoft.
   
   
5. Build Your AI Risk Management Roadmap: Centered on responsible and sustainable AI adoption, IT leaders have used this resource to develop their AI risk roadmaps. The approach outlined in this resource guides IT leaders through a structured process for identifying, assessing, and mitigating AI risks in alignment with evolving regulations and ethical standards, which is a growing concern as adoption outpaces policy readiness.
   
   
6. CIO Priorities 2025: This annual report offers insight into the evolving mindset of CIOs who are shifting from foundational efforts to value realization. The top five initiatives that CIOs are prioritizing this year include AI readiness, IT process maturity, and infrastructure modernization, showcasing a clear view of how technology leaders are translating high-level strategies into actionable plans amid exponentially evolving demands.
   
   
7. Build a Robust Security Architecture With Microsoft Technologies: Security leaders are working to better leverage existing tools, and they've been using Info-Tech's resource to understand how to strengthen defense strategies using Microsoft's native capabilities, reflecting a shift toward cost-effective and platform-aligned security models.
   
   
8. The CIO Playbook: With growing demand for business-aligned IT leadership, Info-Tech's CIO playbook has been widely leveraged for its tactical methodology for elevating operational performance and embedding IT deeper into organizational value streams. The popular playbook outlines the core competencies, practices, and frameworks needed to transform IT from a support function into a business enabler.
   
   
9. Security Priorities 2025: Security strategies are becoming more anticipatory as threats grow in volume and complexity. The priorities outlined in this annual report detail how security leaders are shifting investment toward identity protection, cloud security, and real-time threat detection. It's high usage by IT leaders reflects a broader trend of building adaptable, forward-looking defenses in an increasingly unpredictable landscape.
   
   
10. Privacy Regulation Roundup: Updated monthly, the privacy roundups provide timely insights have been used to help organizations stay current with evolving global data and AI regulations. These monthly bulletins offer security and privacy leaders with practical guidance on managing compliance risks and aligning privacy practices with changing legal requirements.
    
    
11. Info-Tech's Best of 2024 Report: IT Moves Into Position: This retrospective report compiles the top research from 2024, offering a clear view into how organizations transitioned from awareness to action across key areas such as AI adoption, cybersecurity resilience, and IT modernization. The usage data indicates CIOs are preparing to set the stage for the more decisive execution seen in 2025.
    
    
12. Infrastructure & Operations Priorities 2025: This widely accessed resource reflects a growing trend among organizations to elevate infrastructure as a lever for agility and innovation. IT leaders are accelerating modernization, automation, and hybrid strategies to meet the rising demands for scalability and performance, while laying the groundwork for long-term resilience.

"Info-Tech's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report shows that IT leaders are not just talking about strategy; they're making moves to implement it," explains Harrison. "This trend is one to watch as we enter the second half of the year and CIOs prepare to navigate through uncertainty."

Info-Tech's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report offers a unique look into the top priorities of global IT leaders and the tools they are using to advance transformation. As emerging tech trends, operational maturity, and sector-specific needs converge, the firm anticipates continued momentum through the final six months of 2025, as organizations continue to build future-ready IT capabilities.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Info-Tech's experts on any of the associated research, and access to the complete Info-Tech's Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report, please contact [email protected].

About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services, and SoftwareReviews for software buying insights.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

Media Contact: Sufyan Al-Hassan, Senior PR Manager, Info-Tech Research Group, [email protected], [phone] x2418