US, UK IT Leaders Share AI Ambitions, But Face Different Operating Realities

Spending intent surveys from MES Computing and Computing reveal common priorities around AI, cybersecurity and governance, but also highlight regional differences in cloud strategy, cost pressures and digital sovereignty.

Midmarket IT leaders in both the United States and United Kingdom are increasing technology investments heading into 2027, but research data suggests they are taking a more measured and pragmatic approach than frenzied AI hype implies.

Findings from the 2026 MES Computing IT Leaders Spending Intent Survey and Computing’s IT Leaders Research show organizations continuing to fund artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud technologies and modernization. However, respondents on both sides of the Atlantic expressed similar concerns about governance, skills shortages, risks and demonstrating business value.

The key takeaway from both surveys is not that IT leaders are recklessly spending on AI—they are striving to balance innovation with operational discipline.

Security Remains The Foundation

One of the clearest similarities between both surveys is that cybersecurity continues to be at the heart of organizations’ tech strategies.

For example, MES Computing’s research found cybersecurity and cyber resilience as the most cited investment priorities for 2027, ahead of many other technology initiatives. Respondents consistently identified cyber risk, governance and operational resilience as top concerns.

The UK data tells a similar story. Cybersecurity ranked alongside cost control as one of the most significant technology challenges facing IT leaders over the next 12 to 18 months.

Looking at the data side by side, the findings suggest that while AI may dominate boardroom discussions, security is where IT leaders make no space for compromises.

AI Spending Is Rising, But Most Organizations Are Still Cautious

Both surveys show AI adoption moving forward but not at the pace often portrayed (or perhaps desired) by tech vendors.

In the U.S., most respondents described their organizations as evaluating AI, running pilots or deploying AI in limited use cases. Employee copilots, automation, IT operations and knowledge management were among the most common uses for AI.

Interestingly, the UK survey shows somewhat greater deployment maturity. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed reported moving beyond the evaluation stage, with more than one-quarter already running limited production deployments and a smaller group reporting broad deployment.

Yet even in the UK, respondents noted careful AI implementation, not sweeping transformation projects.

From both surveys, it’s clear that IT leaders are certainly not rushing headfirst into AI. Most are overseeing controlled deployments that can provide productivity gains and operational improvements.

Governance Is Emerging As The Next Major Investment Area

Perhaps the strongest common trend across both surveys is the rise of AI governance.

MES Computing respondents cited AI policies, training, governance committees, legal reviews, monitoring tools and data governance as leading areas for investment.

UK respondents reported similarly. Half are investing in AI training, 40 percent in formal AI policies, and 30 percent in legal reviews. Nearly one in five already have formal AI governance frameworks in place.

Respondents in both surveys raised concerns about:

-Regulatory compliance

-Data governance

-Privacy

-Security vulnerabilities

-Hallucinations and inaccurate results

-Responsible use policies

Moreover, the findings indicate organizations are gradually moving past “Can we use AI?” to “How do we manage AI safely?”

Skills Are A Universal Constraint

Both surveys also shine a light on another emerging reality—AI talent shortages are becoming a barrier to progress.

MES Computing respondents frequently cited difficulties training employees and hiring qualified staff.

Computing’s research found that only 4 percent of UK IT leaders felt completely confident in their ability to effectively deploy and manage AI. For these leaders, AI engineers, architects and governance specialists were among the hardest skills to acquire.

The data suggests that AI advancements are outpacing organizations’ ability to develop internal expertise.

Where The Surveys Differ: Cloud Economics And Sovereignty

The most significant difference between both sets of respondents is around infrastructure strategy.

For UK IT leaders, cloud economics is a topmost concern. Cloud represented the largest single budget category, consuming nearly 15 percent of IT spending. Respondents reported increasing concerns over cloud inflation, licensing changes and cost management.

Digital sovereignty was also a big concern among UK’s IT leaders. Twenty percent described sovereignty as mission critical to cloud strategy (although relatively few had actually shifted workloads away from major hyperscalers.

These themes barely surfaced in the U.S. survey. Instead, U.S. IT leaders focused more heavily on AI governance, modernization, cybersecurity and leveraging external partners to fill expertise gaps.

The difference reflects distinct regional pressures. UK organizations operate within a regulatory environment where sovereignty, data residency and the geopolitical stage are intertwined with technology planning.

The Rise Of The Pragmatic CIO

From both survey’s data, a picture emerges: Despite an aggressive industry push to adopt AI, CIOs and other IT leaders are becoming more disciplined rather than pursuing experimental projects.

Across both the U.S. and UK, tech leaders are being asked to shoulder a lot of responsibilities –arguably now more than ever--including:

-Modernizing infrastructure

-Securing increasingly advanced and complex environments

-Establishing AI governance controls

-Developing workforce skills

-Controlling costs

-Delivering measurable business outcomes

Meanwhile, they are also navigating uncertainty around regulations, AI policies, and fallout from global economic turbulence.

The result is a more pragmatic model of leadership than headlines often suggest.

Access the full results of the U.S. survey and the UK one.