A new global study by NTT DATA warns that enterprise AI ambitions could be at risk, as most organisations struggle to realise the value of cloud computing fully.
In its report, “Cloud-led innovation in the era of AI: The new rules for driving value with cloud”, the company found that only 14% of enterprises have reached advanced cloud maturity despite nearly two decades of adoption.
“AI is accelerating faster than enterprise cloud maturity,” said Charlie Li, president, Global Head of Cloud and Security, NTT DATA, Inc. “Cloud has moved well beyond infrastructure and is now the execution layer for AI. Organisations that fail to evolve their cloud foundations risk constraining the growth and value of their AI investments. Our clients who are succeeding are treating cloud as a value creator, not a technology initiative.”
AI ambitions and cloud investment
The report highlights that almost all (99%) organisations say artificial intelligence is increasing demand for cloud, 88% say current cloud investment levels are putting AI, cloud-native, and modernisation initiatives at risk.
Cloud is increasingly seen as the execution layer for AI, but fewer than half of respondents were satisfied with its impact or their progress in modernising systems. Legacy applications and outdated data infrastructure remain major barriers to innovation, urging organisations to prioritise modernisation over the next two years.
Driving value with cloud
The report, based on a survey of more than 2,300 senior decision-makers across 33 countries, outlines six key imperatives for organisations to turn cloud into a strategic value engine:
- Aligning cloud and AI strategies
- Modernising applications,
- Adopting platform-led approaches
- Increasing complexity in cloud ecosystems
- Securing the cloud
