From decoding generative AI to maturing financial processes and modernizing infrastructure, IT leaders are aligning strategy with execution to meet today’s urgent mandate for action and innovation. Our most popular research and resources in 2025 so far reveal that CIOs and IT leaders are leaning into this year’s disruption and building a future-ready IT department across key domains. At this critical mid-year point, look beyond the trends to discover a peer-validated view of what matters most in IT right now.
We’ve consolidated our most popular new research and products from the first half of 2025 to reveal what’s top of mind for CIOs and IT leaders.
- IT leaders have moved into action, decoding what generative AI means for their organizations and seeking opportunities while also putting guardrails in place.
- CIOs sought to get their priorities in order and mature their key processes, including financial management.
- IT is making improvements to core domains – data strategy, cybersecurity, infrastructure and operations, and applications – as it prepares to deliver on its innovation mandate.
- IT looked first to its existing suite of products and vendors such as Microsoft, and then looked toward new vendors for the missing pieces, including those for its generative AI use cases.
- The public sector was proactive in seeking IT solutions to their unique concerns and challenges.
Info-Tech’s Best of 2025 Mid-Year Report:
IT moves from disruption to decisive action
IT leaders are embracing change – and moving into readiness mode across domains.
Mid-year research consumption reveals CIOs and IT leaders are building a future-ready department across domains
We’ve consolidated the most popular brand-new research during the first half of 2025.
- IT leaders have moved into action, decoding what generative AI means for their organizations, and seeking opportunities while putting guardrails in place.
- CIOs sought to get their priorities in order and mature their key processes, including financial management.
- IT is focusing its improvement efforts on some key domains – data strategy, cybersecurity, infrastructure and operations, and applications – as it prepares to deliver on its innovation mandate.
- IT looked first to its existing suite of products and vendors such as Microsoft, and then looked toward new vendors for the missing pieces, including those for its generative AI use cases.
- The public sector was proactive in seeking IT solutions to their unique concerns and challenges.
Top Research & Products in 2025
“Here is Info-Tech’s most popular research so far in 2025.”
Gord HarrisonChief Research Officer
Info-Tech Research Group
Build & Execute an Enterprise Device Management Strategy
Build a digital workplace for the workforce of the future.Build a Vendor Security Assessment Service
Use a risk-based approach to right-size your vendor security assessments.Build a Robust and Comprehensive Data Strategy
Build a data strategy that’s organization first, not technology first.Microsoft Licensing Changes Are Coming in 2025
This brief will discuss the recent changes in Microsoft renewals.Build Your AI Risk Management Roadmap
Develop your AI risk management framework to mitigate risk and drive value for your AI investments.CIO Priorities 2025
The CIO Priorities 2025 report investigates five initiatives CIOs should prioritize in the coming year.
Top Research & Products in 2025
“Empower your entire IT team with targeted research on a wide range of IT topics.”
Jack HakimianSenior Vice President
Info-Tech Research Group
Build a Robust Security Architecture With Microsoft Technologies
Maximize your investment in Microsoft security tools and justify where supplements are required.The CIO Playbook
8 secrets & 12 steps to systematically achieve IT excellence.Security Priorities 2025
Safeguard your organization by preparing for growing cybersecurity challenges.Privacy Regulation Roundup
A monthly report with actionable insights, and links to useful Info-Tech research.Info-Tech’s Best of 2024 Report: IT Moves Into Position
IT gets the playbook to future-proof the organization.Infrastructure & Operations Priorities 2025
Shift I&O into strategic gear to showcase its true value.
Top Research & Products in 2025
“Beyond trends, Info-Tech provides deep-dive tools to help get you to action.”
Carlene McCubbinAssociate Vice President
Info-Tech Research Group
Improve Organizational Resilience With a Tabletop Program
Don’t just plan for resilience – practice it.Build Seamless IT Operations With Automation
Create a framework to improve processes, reduce risks, and scale effectively.Applications Priorities 2025
Face off against applications disruptors in the coming year.Create a Zero Trust Implementation Plan
Build a path to seamless security and verified trust.Build a Strategy to Modernize Your Infrastructure
Align your business and IT goals, then define your guiding principles to set direction.Develop an M&A IT Playbook
Structured for certainty, adaptable to nuance: the playbook proactively drives M&A success, from due diligence to integration.
Top Research & Products in 2025
“Our best practice research and advisory is designed to make your job easier.”
Aaron ShumVice President
Info-Tech Research Group
Boost Solution Delivery Throughput With AI
Embed AI into the DNA of your solution delivery team.Develop an AI Compliance Strategy
Provide actionable steps for your teams to align with global AI standards.Build an ITFM Improvement Roadmap
Find the ideal entry point for maturing your practice of IT financial management.Rapidly Improve Your IT Processes
Invest time in process improvement today to save time tomorrow.Assessing DeepSeek: Disruption in the AI Industry
Market reaction to the introduction of DeepSeek has been unprecedented.Info-Tech’s Best Research for Government 2025
IT leaders are looking to address the unique challenges facing the public sector.
Best of Diagnostics
IT Management & Governance Diagnostic
Optimize and elevate the performance of your core IT processes for high-impact results.CIO Business Vision
The most important thing to do is understand the business’ needs and actively measure that the business is satisfied.IT Staffing Assessment
Make IT a corporate powerhouse by improving your ability to grow, deploy, and manage your team.
Best of Concierge Services
Custom Vendor Landscape
Quickly understand a software marketspace with a concise, analyst-driven vendor snapshot.IT Strategy Visualization Service
Design a boardroom-ready IT strategy presentation.Develop and Deploy Security Policies
Enhance your overall security posture with a defensible and prescriptive policy suite.
Best of Vendor Quadrants
by SoftwareReviews
These buyer's guides are designed to help prospective purchasers make better decisions by leveraging the experiences of real users.
IT Service Management – Enterprise Data Quadrant
Human Capital Management – Enterprise Data Quadrant
Project Management – Enterprise Data Quadrant
Best of Training Programs
Cybersecurity Workforce Development
Upskill your IT team by going beyond certifying knowledge to assuring competence.Management Fundamentals
The move from peer to manager is the hardest transition in IT.Maximize Business Value From IT Through Benefits Realization
Embed lightweight value checking into your governance process.
Best of Workshops
Achieve IT Spend & Staffing Transparency
Lay a foundation for meaningful conversations with the business.Build a Business-Aligned IT Strategy
Success depends on IT initiatives clearly aligned to business goals, IT excellence, and driving technology innovation.Build a Robust and Comprehensive Data Strategy
Build a data strategy that’s organization first, not technology first.
Best of Industry Research
Transform Your Professional Services Organization With a Digital Business Strategy
A digital business strategy exemplar for legal services.Assess the Strategic Context for ERP Modernization in Higher Ed
High costs and high rewards for institutional IT.Build Your AI Strategy for Retail Inventory Management
Identify value-driven AI strategy use cases to transform your inventory management.
Best of Keynotes
Transform IT. Transform Everything.
Learn about leveraging exponential technology to meet socio-political and cultural uncertainty head on.The Rise of AI Agents
AI agents have evolved beyond basic language models to systems capable of executing end-to-end tasks.The Race for Talent: Build Over Buy
Don’t leave the IT skills gap up to fate by using the traditional ‘post-and-pray’ recruitment approach.
Best of AI Marketplace
Customer Experience AI Summary
AI-driven solutions are revolutionizing customer experience by offering unparalleled efficiency and personalization.Data & Analytics AI Summary
In your growth story, the role of business intelligence and analytics cannot be overstated.Sales Automation AI Summary
How AI augments lead generation and sales execution.
Build & Execute an Enterprise Device Management Strategy
Build a digital workplace for the workforce of the future.
1: Infrastructure & Operations
End-User Computing
Emily SugermanSenior Research Analyst
Build a Vendor Security Assessment Service
Use a risk-based approach to right-size your vendor security assessments.
2: Security
Threat Intelligence & Incident Response
Ahmad Jowhar
Research Analyst
Kate Wood
Associate VP
Build a Robust and Comprehensive Data Strategy
Build a data strategy that’s organization first, not technology first.
3: Data & Business Intelligence
Data Management
Crystal Singh
Principal Advisory Director
Steve Willis
Practice Lead
Ryan Brunet
Principal Research Director
Microsoft Licensing Changes Are Coming in 2025
This brief discusses the recent changes in Microsoft renewals.
4: Technology Research
Vendor Management
Jeff ElliottPrincipal Advisory Director
Build Your AI Risk Management Roadmap
Develop your AI risk management framework to mitigate risk and drive value for your AI investments.
5: CIO
Innovation
Bill WongAI Research Fellow
CIO Priorities 2025
The CIO Priorities 2025 report investigates five initiatives CIOs should prioritize in the coming year.
6: CIO
Innovation
Brian JacksonPrincipal Research Director
Build a Robust Security Architecture With Microsoft Technologies
Maximize your investment in Microsoft security tools and justify where supplements are required.
7: Security
Security Processes & Operations
Fred ChagnonPrincipal Research Director
The CIO Playbook
8 secrets & 12 steps to systematically achieve IT excellence.
8: CIO
IT Strategy
Travis Duncan
Research Director
Sanchia Benedict
Practice Lead
Yatish Sewgoolam
Associate VP
Security Priorities 2025
Safeguard your organization by preparing for growing cybersecurity challenges.
9: Security
Security Strategy & Budgeting
Ahmad JowharPrincipal Research Director
Privacy Regulation Roundup
A monthly report with actionable Info-Tech insights and links to research to assist you with becoming compliant with every relevant regulatory activity.
10: Security
Security Technology & Operations
Safayat Moahamad
Research Director
John Donovan
Principal Research Director
Horia Rosian
Workshop Director
December 2024 Roundup Headlines
- What does a second Trump presidency mean for privacy, AI governance?
- Data compliance: The evolving landscape in China
- Responsible AI in practice – where privacy meets innovation
January 2025 Roundup Headlines
- Spear phishing: What organizations need to know
- New laws shaping California’s AI and privacy landscape
- HIPAA security rule: The proposed overhaul
February 2025 Roundup Headlines
- Regulating resilience: Key takeaways from the EU’s NIS2 and CRA
- What you should know about US-Canada tariff threats
- Privacy risks of shadow data
March 2025 Roundup Headlines
- Privacy in the age of robotics
- Quebec’s digital future: Cybersecurity, AI, and transformation
- Drawing the line: Where enterprise access ends and government overreach begins.
- The EU AI Act: Compliance in effect
April 2025 Roundup Headlines
- Beyond anonymization: A new privacy frontier for AI
- Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act: Impact on cyber insurance
- 23ANDME: What happens to your DNA data when it’s sold?
May 2025 Roundup Headlines
- Navigating privacy and AI compliance for digital clones
- Compliance challenges: Copyright and the EI AI Act
- SAG-AFTRA calls out Fortnite over Darth Vader AI voice
Info-Tech’s Best of 2024 Report: IT Moves Into Position
IT gets the playbook to future-proof the organization.
11: CIO
Strategy & Governance
Paulina Pryciak
Senior Research Analyst
Kennedy Confurius
Market Intelligence Specialist
Caroline Dias Alencar
Research Director
Infrastructure & Operations Priorities 2025
Shift I&O into strategic gear to showcase its true value.
12: Infrastructure & Operations
End-User Computing
Emily SugermanSenior Research Analyst
Improve Organizational Resilience With a Tabletop Program
Don’t just plan for resilience – practice it.
13: Security
Security Technology & Operations
Michel HebertPractice Lead
Build Seamless IT Operations With Automation
Create a framework to improve processes, reduce risks, and scale effectively.
14: Infrastructure & Operations
I&O Process Management
Mahmoud RaminSenior Research Analyst
Applications Priorities 2025
Face off against applications disruptors in the coming year.
15: Applications
Applications Development
Andrew Kum-SeunResearch Director