For leaders at midsize enterprises (MSEs), the path to technological advancement is paved with tough decisions. Positioned between nimble startups and resource-rich corporations, they must make investments count. To provide clarity in this complex environment, a recent benchmark study, involving more than 400 MSE technology leaders and chief information officers (CIOs), asked a critical question: Where are you placing your bets? This article explores their collective answer, drawing from a detailed technology adoption road map to reveal the key priorities shaping the modern MSE.
About the study: Gartner defines an MSE, in the context of its “2025 Technology Adoption Roadmap for Midsize Enterprises” study, as an organization typically characterized by:
- Annual revenue between approximately $50 million and $1 billion
- Employee count ranging from 100 to 999
- Technology leadership often led by a CIO or IT director with broad responsibilities
- Resource constraints that require strategic prioritization of technology investments1
What’s Next for Midsize Enterprise Technology Priorities
The study cuts through the noise of market trends by focusing on the practical adoption plans for 45 key technologies across six domains—AI & Analytics, Security, Digital Workplace, Network, Infrastructure, and Storage.2 By analyzing study findings and real-world scenarios, we can construct a reliable compass. This compass points toward where your peers are finding value and how they are structuring their technology stacks for resilience and growth. The “enterprise value” factor in this road map appraises technologies based on their ability to increase cost efficiency, improve speed and agility, drive innovation or competitive differentiation, and enhance the employee experience. Conversely, “deployment risk” considers potential challenges such as cybersecurity risks, implementation costs, talent restraints, macroeconomic uncertainty, and architecture complexity.3
“Enterprise value” appraises technologies based on cost efficiency, agility, innovation, and employee experience.
“Deployment risk” considers cybersecurity, cost, talent availability, macroeconomic uncertainty, and complexity.
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AI & Analytics: Making Data Do the Work
The consensus is clear—data is no longer a passive asset but an active driver of strategy. The leading investments focus on transforming raw information into a competitive edge.4 CIOs are in a race to deliver AI outcomes safely and at scale, seeking to improve employee productivity, streamline business processes, and achieve game-changing improvements to their business models at an acceptable cost.
Generative AI
Moving beyond initial curiosity, midsize organizations are deploying generative AI for specific, high-return tasks. The focus is on improving operational efficiency, accelerating content development, and augmenting employee capabilities. According to Gartner, generative AI is expected to be embedded in more than 80% of independent software vendor enterprise applications by 2026, a significant increase from less than 5% in 2024.5 Copilots, a new breed of intelligent agents, exemplify this trend by acting as AI-powered productivity tools that use generative AI to create human-like interactions within digital experiences. These tools foster seamless collaboration between people and technology, enabling users to search for information, discover deep insights, and generate content through natural chat experiences. While 98% of technology leaders in the 2024 Gartner survey reported employees were keen to try generative AI tools, 72% had difficulty integrating them into daily work, highlighting a need for effective integration strategies.6 For low-complexity roles, generative AI can significantly augment less experienced employees’ work, while for high-complexity roles, it can help enhance the productivity of more experienced staff who can effectively validate its outputs.
Generative AI is expected to be embedded in more than 80% of independent software vendor enterprise applications by 2026.
Prescriptive Analytics & Data Observability
As top technology priorities, prescriptive analytics and data observability are linked. To trust the recommendations of prescriptive analytics engines, leaders know the underlying data must be sound. So, technology teams are investing in data observability platforms to validate the quality and reliability of the data fueling their most advanced analytical models.
Security: Endpoint, Identity, & Zero Trust
Complexity and cost are acknowledged hurdles, yet leaders are decisively moving toward a more modern, integrated security posture.7 The approach assumes no user or device is inherently trustworthy, helping reduce the attack surface and improve control.
As identity has become a key attack vector for threat actors, organizations are consolidating their defenses around identity and endpoints. Tools like unified endpoint security (UES) and identity threat detection and response (ITDR) are now central to protecting where work happens and who has access.
Zero trust network access (ZTNA) is also critical for an effective risk mitigation strategy. It supports hybrid work by limiting access to only the applications a user needs. This reduces the risk of lateral movement and strengthens the overall security posture.
Infrastructure Modernization: The Engine of Innovation
Infrastructure modernization is becoming a core enabler of business agility. Organizations are no longer treating it as a maintenance task. Instead, they are rebuilding their technology foundations to support faster delivery, greater scalability, and more consistent performance.
Cloud infrastructure and DevOps platforms are central to this shift.8 Rather than separate initiatives, they can work together as a single strategy. Cloud provides the flexibility to scale with demand, while DevOps platforms automate the software lifecycle. This combination allows teams to develop, test, and release new services quickly and with fewer manual steps.
The result is a more responsive technology environment—one that supports continual improvement and helps the business adapt to change with confidence.
The CIO’s Dilemma: Mapping Technology to Strategic Impact
A critical insight from Gartner is the visualization of technologies on a risk-versus-value matrix presented in the “2025 Technology Adoption Roadmap for Midsize Enterprises” study and represented in the radar chart above. A framework such as this can help leaders move beyond hype cycles and make pragmatic choices. AI governance is crucial for establishing accountability for risks and investment decisions related to AI applications. It involves creating policies, assigning decision rights, and implementing oversight systems. CIOs are increasingly tasked with leading AI strategy within their organizations, with 57% reporting this responsibility in a recent Gartner AI survey.9
To support more informed decision making, below is a quadrant-based framework to help CIOs assess new technologies through the dual lens of strategic value and implementation risk.
Strategic Quadrants
- Foundational Moves (High Value, Low Risk): Technologies like cloud infrastructure are considered non-negotiable.10
- Strategic Bets (High Value, High Risk): Generative AI rollouts offer differentiation but require executive sponsorship. While the potential for productivity and business benefits from AI is high, 47% of CIOs in a Gartner AI survey indicated that AI has not met their return on investment (ROI) expectations, highlighting the challenges of deployment, unpredictable costs, and potential negative behaviors.11
- Contained Investments (Low Value, Low Risk): Incremental improvements for specific teams.
- Caution Zones (Low Value, High Risk): Technologies that consume resources with slight strategic gain.
47% of CIOs indicated that AI has not met their ROI expectations, highlighting the challenges of deployment, unpredictable costs, and potential negative behaviors.
Putting Insights Into Action: A Guide for Leadership
For the leadership team, data can provide a powerful tool for strategic alignment. By using data and the steps below, CIOs and their teams can translate strategy into execution.
- Adopt a Portfolio Mindset: Treat technology initiatives like a financial portfolio. Balance safe, foundational investments with calculated, high-reward bets. Use a risk-versus-value matrix to forward the discussion between IT and business stakeholders.
- Mandate Platform Integration: Prioritize platform integration. Encourage teams to think in terms of connected systems rather than isolated tools. This shift can support operational efficiency and help manage long-term costs.
- Invest in People, Not Just Platforms: Technology can deliver value when people are equipped to use it effectively. A successful road map should include more than platforms. It should include a plan for training, change management, and role clarity. This means defining ownership for AI and emerging technology outcomes and, in some cases, creating new roles as your organization explores new tools and agentic AI. Leaders can choose a pace that fits their goals and risk tolerance: a steady approach for modest ambitions or an accelerated path for those seeking a competitive advantage.
How Forvis Mazars Can Help
The journey from insight to impact is unique for every organization. Business Technology Services professionals at Forvis Mazars can help leaders use enterprise data not as a rigid set of instructions, but as a flexible framework to build a tailored technology strategy that can drive and embolden tangible business outcomes.
In addition, with identity as a key attack channel for threat actors, it’s critical to formulate an effective defense strategy for data visibility around identity and endpoints. Tools such as UES and ITDR, offered by leading providers like Microsoft, SentinelOne, and Elastic are now central to protecting where work happens and who has access.
Connect with us today to define and execute your technology adoption road map.
Related readings:
- A Guide to ERP Modernization in Eight Essential Steps
- Start the New Year With a New IT & Cybersecurity Strategy
- AI in Business: Aligning Best Practices
- From AI Tool to Agent: Reshaping Your AI Road Map
- Putting AI Agents to Work for Humans
- 1“2025 Technology Adoption Roadmap for Midsize Enterprises,” gartner.com, 2025.
- 2Ibid.
- 3Ibid.
- 4“Inspired by AI: Six Copilot Use Cases,” info.microsoft.com, 2024.
- 5“Pacing Yourself in the AI Races: 2024 IT Symposium/Xpo Keynote Insights,” gartner.com, October 21, 2024.
- 6Ibid.
- 7“2025 Technology Adoption Roadmap for Midsize Enterprises,” gartner.com, 2025.
- 8Ibid.
- 9“Pacing Yourself in the AI Races: 2024 IT Symposium/Xpo Keynote Insights,” gartner.com, October 21, 2024.
- 10“2025 Technology Adoption Roadmap for Midsize Enterprises,” gartner.com, 2025.
- 11“Pacing Yourself in the AI Races: 2024 IT Symposium/Xpo Keynote Insights,” gartner.com, October 21, 2024.