Global business approaches digital transformation 'tipping point'

New research from IDC and Micro Focus forecasts that global business is approaching a digital transformation tipping point.

By 2023:
  • 50% of global IT spending will go into DX
  • 46% of global GDP will be driven by digitally-transformed businesses
  • 65% of businesses are expected to modernise systems of record
  • 66% of businesses are expected to be beyond the pilot stage of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning usage

While DX has at times been seen as something of a buzzword for IT, it is now regarded by most organisations as an essential business mandate and will soon become the default operating mode. With the data being created globally growing at a CAGR of 25.8%, businesses pursuing DX are developing systems to manage and exploit the opportunity: modern systems of record to ensure that data is accessible and AI/ML to efficiently utilise it.


The new competitive advantage identified by this research is found in turning data into intelligence through a digital transformation platform which underpins all business systems. This stands in contrast to existing DX approaches which address specific functionalities. By 2025, it is expected that 80% of organisations will measure customer outcomes in terms of their interaction with a whole ecosystem, taking the strength of information flow through the network into account.

The key differentiator for businesses in this landscape, according to Joe Garber, Global Head of Strategy & Solutions at Micro Focus, will be ‘digital determination’: the capacity and dedication to see through end-to-end DX projects. “Although core business systems are the lifeblood of the organisation, only five percent of the organisations we studied have built enduring strategies of DX success. Rather than adopting a rip-and-replace strategy that can yield unacceptable risk, we are seeing that most businesses need to instead pursue an assertive modernisation strategy.”


While DX is rapidly becoming the new norm, only 5.1% of the organisations studied had already realised sustainable performance excellence competencies around new digital technologies and business models. ‘Businesses cannot afford the risky and time-consuming proposition of digitally transforming from scratch,’ continued Garber. “They need to run and transform at the same time. We expect that this will not be a transition stage, but the way that IT will continue to operate - and getting to that point demands determination.”.



Alteryx introduces an updated Academy platform designed to support learning at different career...
Explore the impact of continuous, contextual identity verification in enhancing business metrics...
Kiteworks and Kasm partner to provide secure data management for distributed teams and partner...
Red Cactus and Tollring launch AI conversation analytics to support CRM integration across over 200...
The UK invests in 'Sunrise', a £45 million supercomputer to advance fusion energy research and...
Teleport’s infrastructure identity platform has been named a 2026 SC Awards Finalist in the Best...
AI is increasingly being integrated into shared services, with organisations exploring its...
F5 Labs introduces advanced threat intelligence resources, aiming to help enterprises assess AI...