Omdia: Four major DRIVEs will reshape the technology industry landscape in 2027

Drawing on research and expertise from across Omdia, Omdia has identified four major DRIVEs shaping 2027: AI, supply chains, digital sovereignty, and physical AI. Together, these DRIVEs point to a new development trend: AI must increasingly prove it can deliver real returns; enterprises must remain competitive amid persistent supply chain volatility; organizations must weigh strengthening technological autonomy and control against the resulting costs; and at the same time, intelligence will move further from software and screens into the physical world. AI: From investment to commercialization The AI technology race will continue, but the standard for measuring success is changing. Omdia expects 59% of enterprises to increase their AI budgets by 10% or more in 2027, so the pressure to prove that AI can deliver tangible returns will intensify further. Enterprises will increasingly evaluate AI investments based on return on investment (ROI) and productivity gains, not just technological advantage. Across infrastructure, software, services, and devices, market attention will shift to where AI can create value, how that value can be realized, and which business models can turn AI adoption into sustainable returns. Supply chains: Crisis becomes the "new normal" Technology companies can no longer assume that supply chain volatility will eventually end and that supply chains will return to normal. The combination of AI infrastructure demand, component supply constraints, geopolitical pressures, energy demand, and macroeconomic uncertainty is keeping the market in a state of heightened volatility. Currently, 60% of PC channel partners have already been affected by hardware delivery delays, underscoring the operational pressure enterprises continue to face. The ability to respond to these pressures will increasingly be an important measure of corporate competitiveness. Enterprises that can build resilience into their operating systems will be better positioned to turn market volatility into competitive advantage, while less agile competitors may gradually lose market share. Digital sovereignty: Autonomy and control come at a cost The question is gradually shifting from whether organizations need to strengthen digital sovereignty to how much autonomy and control they need, and how much they are willing to pay for it. More than 100 countries are currently advancing digital sovereignty-related initiatives, reflecting growing emphasis on control over data, infrastructure, AI, and digital supply chains. But achieving complete technological autonomy is usually neither realistic nor necessary. Enterprises need to determine which areas must be autonomous and controllable, which areas still require reliance on partners, and in which cases the business value of greater digital sovereignty is sufficient to offset the resulting costs and complexity. Physical AI: Intelligence steps out of the screen AI is accelerating from software and screens into the physical world. The ongoing development of AI, edge computing, sensors, and connected hardware is driving the emergence of intelligent systems that can perceive, learn from, and respond to their surroundings. Global humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation shipments are expected to exceed 700,000 units by 2030, reflecting rising investment in physical AI and the field's continued acceleration. This opportunity extends far beyond humanoid Siasun Robot&Automation to include areas such as automotive, construction, energy infrastructure, workplaces, and connected consumer environments. As intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in the physical world, enterprises will also face new issues in governance, safety, liability determination, system integration, and trust. Speaking about Omdia's release of "The DRIVEs Shaping 2027," Omdia Chief Research Officer Evan Kirchheimer said: "The core theme for the technology industry in 2027 will no longer be just watching what comes next, but what the investments and innovations of recent years will deliver when faced with economic and operational realities." "AI needs to prove that it can deliver real returns. Enterprises need to plan ahead for continued supply chain volatility and uncertainty rather than waiting for it to recover on its own. The growing importance of digital sovereignty also brings difficult choices about cost and access. As AI moves into the physical world, enterprises will face a whole new set of opportunities and responsibilities." "These DRIVEs are especially important because they are increasingly interconnected. Decisions in one area increasingly affect others, so when deciding where to invest and compete, enterprises need a comprehensive understanding of the entire technology industry landscape more than ever before."