November 2025
2026 ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE PREDICTIONS
Gartner Forecasts IT Spending for Software to
Grow 15% in 2026
Despite being in the trough of disillusionment in 2026, GenAI features are now ubiquitous across software already owned and operated by enterprises and these features cost more money, aligning with this flush. The cost of software is going up and both the cost of features and functionality is going up as well thanks to GenAI. Gartner
~~
2026 Shift in Enterprise Software Focus
Forrester predicts there will be a transition from human-centered to AI agent– and process-centered design. By 2026, enterprise apps will serve a digital workforce of AI agents, not just human users. Forrester
~~
40% of Enterprise Apps Will Feature
Task-Specific AI Agents by 2026
As organizations accelerate digital transformation, agentic AI in enterprise applications will move beyond individual productivity, setting new standards for teamwork and workflow through smarter human-agent interactions. This shift will transform enterprise applications from tools supporting individual productivity into platforms enabling seamless autonomous collaboration and dynamic workflow orchestration. Gartner
~~
Hyperscaler Cloud Marketplace Sales to Hit
$163 Billion by 2030
This growth reflects increasing enterprise adoption of marketplace procurement and a sharp rise in agentic AI sales. A five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.1% from 2025 to 2030 is forecasted, as vendors across the IT industry – from large global software vendors to ISV startups – increasingly embrace hyperscaler marketplaces as a primary route to market. Businesswire
~~
CEO OUTLOOK
The majority of CEOs have mastered the art of adaptability this year. An overwhelming majority (92%) agree that to lead through these unpredictable times, they need to cultivate a level of adaptability in themselves and their teams that goes beyond anything they’d previously imagined. Nearly six in 10 said agility and adaptability are the most important currencies for business success. And 64% say they’re actually pretty well prepared for more complexity ahead—up from just 17% who felt that way on a similar survey last year.
Most CEOs are pretty pessimistic about the prospects for global prosperity. More than half—58%—say they are moderately or significantly decreasing, and 14% say they are staying about the same.
CEOs said they’re mainly looking inward to secure their prosperity, with more than half focusing on innovation, 44% actively investing in AI, and 42% investing in upskilling and talent development. Forbes
Newsletter Subsribe
Newsletter subscription request
September 2025
Current Trends in Enterprise Software
AI Adoption Is Still Experimental – While buzz is high, 95% of generative AI investments haven’t delivered ROI yet, per an MIT study. Many pilot projects stumble due to poor infrastructure or unclear use cases. Enterprises with strong data foundations are faring better, but overall the adoption curve is steep and experimental. Investors.com
~
Customer Success as Strategic Imperative – As subscription models dominate, customer success (CS) has evolved from just support to a strategic growth lever. According to Forrester, between 61% and 75% of B2B revenue, on average, comes from expansions and renewals. Companies with mature CS programs see 12% higher revenue growth and 19% higher gross margins. Forrester
~
SaaS Market Boom Continues – The global SaaS market is expected to hit ~$300 billion in 2025, with a CAGR around 19–20% through the end of the decade. Fortune Business Insights
~~From Job Hopping to Job Hugging: Why The ‘Quits Rate’ Is Approaching A Decade Low
Uncertainty in today’s economic, political, and global landscape is shaping a new workforce trend: Job Hugging.
~
Recent data shows both the Market Opportunity Indicator – which tracks how employees view external job prospects and near-term security – and the Quits Rate – the percentage of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs – are at record lows. This stands in sharp contrast to the Great Resignation of 2022, when more than 50 million Americans chose to quit their roles.
~
The Risk: While stability may feel safe, a stagnant labor market can cause employees to grow overly comfortable, staying in “holding patterns” instead of building new skills or advancing their careers. This not only slows personal growth but can also block fresh, motivated talent from entering the workforce. READ MORE
~~When a Performance Improvement Plan Could Help Your Employee
A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal approach to remedy an employee’s performance gaps, including failures to meet specific job goals or behavior-related concerns. The plan outlines the existing issues and defines what new outputs and behaviors are needed by when. But is a PIP the right choice for your situation? Will it work? Is it worth the effort? Here are some tips on determining if a PIP is the right path and, if so, how to implement one optimally. READ MORE
~~4 Fundamental Ways to Boost Employee Engagement
Ensure your employees feel seen – With the rise of remote work, workers may feel like just another face on the zoom screen. Instead, employees need to feel that what they’re doing matters and that their absence would be noticed. READ MORE
~
Ensure your employees feel heard – If employees if employees feel that their ideas and suggestions don’t matter, it’s very hard for them to feel engaged. READ MORE
~
Ensure your employees feel valued – Research has found that managers frequently overestimate how much appreciation they show their employees. So whatever praise you think you’re sharing with your employees, do it even more. READ MORE
~
Ensure your employees feel encouraged– Employees who feel a genuine sense of belonging at work are a powerful force. At a minimum, they’re less likely to quit, saving companies huge amounts of time and money in training and replacement costs. But their loyalty can also unleash massive gains in productivity and innovation, as they bring their best ideas and sustained effort to bear in supporting a company that they feel supports them. READ MORE
Newsletter Subsribe
Newsletter subscription request