Information security, cloud and AI vendors stand out as critical to businesses

By Liam Eagle and Ellie Brown

Overall, businesses expect technology vendors of all kinds to become increasingly important in the coming year. However, information security vendors, cloud infrastructure suppliers and AI tools vendors are particularly noteworthy and considered critical to how businesses operate. Businesses prioritize product performance when evaluating vendors, along with cost, security and support, and these factors rate similarly high in describing businesses' reasons for switching vendors. Enterprises also expect vendors across categories to have a strategy or road map for AI, citing such a strategy as "extremely" important in many cases. These and other trends are highlighted in responses to our Digital Pulse, Vendor Evaluations 2025 survey.