C1 Research Identifies CIOs' 2026 IT Investment Priorities: Balancing Innovation with Discipline in the Era of AI

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- C1 today released its 2026 IT Investment Priorities report, based on direct conversations with CIOs and senior technology leaders across industries. The research shows that CIOs are entering 2026 with a clear mandate: lower costs, strengthen security, and modernize without adding unnecessary risk.

While AI remains a major area of interest, CIOs made it clear that cost savings sit at the top of the 2026 agenda. The consolidation and cutbacks of 2025 will give way to IT investments that are disciplined, measurable, and tied directly to business outcomes – not guided by hype. The report lays out four specific themes guiding IT investment for the coming year:

• Start small/win fast: CIOs said they plan to take a more practical approach to AI adoption. Most intend to start with small, high-confidence use cases, prove value quickly, and expand only when the foundation—identity, security, data, and infrastructure—is ready. CIOs say they want an intelligence-driven operation that learns and improves over time.
  
  
• The AI channel: Many CIOs now view AI as a viable interaction channel that assists employees and customers with real-time insights, automated workflows, and smarter interactions across every channel.
  
  
• Security fundamentals: Leaders reported that most breaches still stem from basic access failures, not advanced attacks, and AI-generated audio, images, and video designed to mimic real people have become enterprise threats. Identity management and deep fake protection will be top investment priorities for 2026.
  
  
• Customer and employee experience: Poor employee experience leads to poor customer experience, so CIOs cannot focus on one at the expense of the other. Agent experience must be part of the answer.

"The message from CIOs was consistent: invest wisely and focus on the fundamentals," said Leigh Juul, Chief Revenue Officer at C1. "The leaders who pair cost discipline with thoughtful modernization put their organizations in the strongest position for the future."

"Even with budget pressure, CIOs are moving forward with AI by focusing on clear, practical applications that deliver value," said Hassan Kassih, Vice President of Capabilities at C1. "The eight investment priorities outlined in this report offer a realistic path for getting results without increasing risk."

The full C1 Edge Research: IT Investment Priorities for 2026 report is available at https://www.onec1.com/resources/guide/it-investment-priorities-for-2026.

About C1
C1 makes modernization real—delivering secure, practical solutions for AI-powered collaboration, infrastructure, and security that drive measurable outcomes from day one. Focused on real-world results, C1 combines industry-leading partner technologies with deep expertise across advisory, professional, and managed services. From healthcare and education to government and financial services, C1 designs and delivers solutions that are faster, simpler, and more resilient—turning transformation into tangible value. For more information, visit www.onec1.com

Media Contact:
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Resources: 2026 IT Investment Priorities research study

SOURCE C1