IT leaders rethink cloud, AI spend amid lock-in fears

New survey data from Parallels points to rising concern among IT leaders about vendor lock-in, growing fatigue with virtual desktop platforms, and a more selective approach to paying for AI features.

The Parallels 2026 State of Cloud Computing Survey found that 94% of organisations are concerned about vendor lock-in, with nearly half saying they are very concerned. Uncertain product roadmaps and fears over future support featured prominently in responses.

The results suggest a shift in how organisations assess cloud and end-user computing choices, moving away from cloud-only and AI-first postures towards hybrid options and clearer exit routes.

"Last year, organizations were focused on escaping rising costs," said Prashant Ketkar, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Parallels. "This year, they are focused on avoiding regret. IT leaders want automation that reduces workload, architectures that support hybrid reality, and the freedom to change course as needs evolve."

The survey was conducted in November 2025 and includes responses from 540 IT professionals in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. Respondents described their cloud journeys and priorities, including security, operations and end-user computing delivery.

AI spending

Buyers appear to be placing tighter conditions on AI investment. Less than a third of respondents (29%) said they were willing to pay more for AI features.

Interest in AI was also tied to operational outcomes rather than experimentation. The top priorities were issue detection (47%), automated application patching (41%), and reduced administrative overhead (39%).

The survey framed this as a shift from enthusiasm to implementation, alongside a broader re-evaluation of where AI fits in day-to-day IT work, particularly in environments with heavy operational demands.

VDI workload

Virtual desktop infrastructure and desktop-as-a-service management emerged as persistent pressure points. The survey found that 85% of organisations spend one to 10 hours per week managing VDI.

IT staff time was also the largest hidden cost for 68% of respondents, a concern the research suggests has become more urgent than last year.

Training and onboarding pressures also surfaced. Nearly 30% cited training and onboarding as a major challenge, pointing to skills and capacity constraints as organisations maintain and change end-user computing platforms.

Platform change

The operational burden is feeding into replacement plans. The survey found that 66% of organisations are seeking a new VDI or DaaS solution in 2026, up from 58% in 2025.

More than half (53%) plan to implement a new solution within four to six months, suggesting shorter decision cycles and faster change programmes than last year, when respondents expected moves over a longer window.

The survey linked these shifts to concerns about long-term viability and support, alongside a desire for greater flexibility in architecture and procurement-especially where vendor consolidation could reduce leverage.

Hybrid correction

The data also points to a rebalancing of cloud strategies. Nearly half of respondents (49%) said they operate multi-cloud environments, while 33% run hybrid deployments.

In addition, 49% said they are actively considering or planning a move back to on-premises or hybrid models, driven by cost volatility and data sovereignty concerns.

Data sovereignty was a widely shared worry, with 84% expressing concern. At the same time, only 6.5% reported using browser isolation, which the survey presented as a gap between perceived risk and deployed controls.

Security signals

Security incidents also featured in the results. Nearly half of respondents said they experienced a security breach in the past 12 months, suggesting that security and platform strategy are becoming more closely linked in decision-making.

That backdrop appears to be shaping attitudes to lock-in and exit planning. Roadmap uncertainty was cited by 46% of respondents, while 57% cited fears over future support-figures that suggest organisations now treat supplier direction and long-term support as technical risks, not just procurement concerns.

"This year, they are focused on avoiding regret. IT leaders want automation that reduces workload, architectures that support hybrid reality, and the freedom to change course as needs evolve," said Ketkar.

The results suggest IT teams are reassessing operational overhead, security exposure and the practical value of new features as they plan near-term changes to end-user computing and cloud deployment models.