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Key Software Delivery Challenges and Pain Points in 2026: AI Further Snarls Existing Complexity of Cloud-Native Landscape

Publisher IDC
Published Feb 19, 2026
Length 11 Pages
SKU # IDC20900796

Description

This IDC Perspective looks into the challenges and pain points in 2026 for software delivery, which faces escalating complexity as AI integration compounds existing cloud-native and security challenges. Organizations must navigate technical debt, legacy systems, skills gaps, and regulatory demands while rapidly productizing AI under intense leadership pressure. “Success hinges on pragmatic modernization of data and application infrastructure, embedding security throughout the life cycle, and clear-eyed vendor engagement,” said George Mironescu, associate research director, Software Development, Software Delivery, Software Engineering at IDC.

Table of Contents

11 Pages

Executive Snapshot

Key takeaways

Recommended actions

Situation Overview

Triangulating complexity: AI, cloud native, and security

AI implementations face complex web of obstacles

AI overwhelms agenda amid diverse priorities

High pressure to productize AI increases delivery risk

The closer a role is to enterprise risk, the higher the pressure

Closing reflections: Choosing both pragmatism and vision

Advice for the Technology Buyer

Clearly define the scope and limits for AI adoption

Modernize application and data infrastructure to cloud native

Make security integral to AI-data-application delivery life cycle

Final considerations: Manage vendor relationships with eye on strategic dependencies

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