Most firms fail to maximise cloud computing despite two decades of investment, survey finds
Only 14% of organisations have reached advanced cloud maturity, according to technology services firm NTT DATA, as companies struggle to align infrastructure with AI ambitions.
Text by Martti Asikainen 27.3.2026 | Photo by Adobe Stock Photos
Nearly two decades after cloud computing emerged as a transformative technology, the vast majority of businesses have failed to fully realise its potential, according to a global survey of more than 2,300 senior executives.
Only 14% of organisations have reached the highest level of cloud maturity, effectively integrating cloud computing into their operations and strategy rather than simply using it for data storage, despite widespread adoption and substantial investment, according to research published by NTT DATA.
The research, based on a survey of decision-makers across 33 countries, comes as businesses face mounting pressure to deploy AI capabilities whilst managing increasingly complex cloud environments.
Contradiction facing businesses
The NTT DATA survey identified a contradiction facing businesses. Whilst 99% of respondents said AI was increasing demand for cloud investment, at the same time 88% indicated that current spending levels were putting AI initiatives at risk.
Fewer than half of organisations expressed satisfaction with cloud’s impact on innovation or their progress in modernising legacy systems, the research found, suggesting that many companies are struggling to translate cloud adoption into tangible business benefits.
“AI is accelerating faster than enterprise cloud maturity,” said Charlie Li, NTT DATA’s global head of cloud and security. “Cloud has moved well beyond infrastructure and is now the execution layer for AI.”
The survey also found that chief AI officers were 22% more likely than chief information officers and chief technology officers to identify AI as driving cloud investment needs, suggesting potential misalignment between different parts of organisations.
AI skills emerged as the top cloud competency gap, according to NTT DATA’s respondents, whilst security remained the highest investment priority.
Modernisation obstacles
Legacy applications and data platforms were cited by half of respondents as obstacles to innovation, with modernisation identified as the top priority for the next two years, the study found.
The survey suggested that organisations are increasingly adopting mixed deployment models, with nearly all expecting private cloud growth and sovereign cloud adoption projected to increase by 50% over two years. Sovereign clouds, which keep data within specific national boundaries, have gained prominence amid concerns about data security and regulatory compliance.
However, more than half of respondents cited cloud cost management as a significant challenge, whilst organisations anticipated a threefold increase in adoption of fully managed cloud platforms, according to the research.
Security concerns persist
Confidence in cloud security varied markedly between organisations at different maturity levels, the NTT DATA study found. Whilst 68% of the most advanced organisations expressed high confidence in their cloud security, only 36% of others shared that view.
The survey found that more mature organisations were significantly more likely to have defined clear security roles and responsibilities backed by regular audits.
NTT DATA, which provides cloud consulting and implementation services to three-quarters of Fortune Global 100 companies, outlined six recommendations for organisations seeking to improve cloud value, including developing cloud and AI strategies in tandem and adopting platform-led approaches to manage complexity.
The research did not specify precisely how “cloud maturity” was measured or provide details on the survey methodology beyond the number of respondents and countries covered.
Business Wire’s press release was published in STT Info.
