In 2025, enterprise technology strategies are being shaped as much by global politics as by innovation. From cybersecurity threats tied to international conflicts to shifting trade policies and tariffs, IT decision-makers are recalibrating their priorities to stay resilient. ETR’s Macro Views Surveys from January, April, and July 2025 reveal how organizations are adapting and where they see the biggest risks.

Geopolitical Cybersecurity Risks Dominate

Across the April and July surveys, cybersecurity risks linked to geopolitical tensions were cited as the top external driver of IT strategy changes. By July, 42% of respondents said they were actively adjusting or had already implemented changes in response to these risks. That is up from 40% in April, underscoring that geopolitical cyber threats are not just a concern but a catalyst for concrete action.

Industries like IT/TelCo reported the highest sensitivity to these risks, while Global 2000 organizations placed cybersecurity and AI at the top of their resiliency priorities with 54% and 64%, respectively.

Trade Policy and Supply Chains Spark Strategic Shifts

Trade restrictions, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions are another growing pain point. In April, only 5–6% of respondents had already made changes to address these challenges, but a third were actively planning adjustments. By July, 8% had implemented changes and 42% were planning or adjusting strategies, which represents a meaningful uptick in just one quarter.

The most common responses included:

• Delaying hardware purchases (up from 33% in April to 40% in July)

• Diversifying vendors to spread risk (38%)

• Switching to suppliers with fewer geopolitical risks (37%)

• Increasing reliance on software and cloud to reduce hardware dependence, particularly strong in Financials/Insurance (49%) and among Global 2000 firms (47%)

Operational Resiliency Becomes a Board-Level Priority

When asked about overall priorities, operational resiliency emerged as a near-universal concern. By July, 78% of respondents cited it as a top or moderate priority, a figure that jumps to 86% among Global 2000 companies.

The technologies most often prioritized to strengthen resiliency were cybersecurity (59%) and AI (58%), far ahead of hybrid cloud and edge computing at 34%. For Global 2000 and IT/TelCo organizations, AI even surpasses cybersecurity as the top priority.

A Year of Recalibration

The survey data paints a clear picture: enterprises are shifting from reactive adjustments to proactive resilience. Key takeaways include:

• Cybersecurity and AI investments are converging as dual pillars of defense and adaptation

• Hardware demand is increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical risks, with many organizations delaying or reducing purchases

• Vendor strategies are in flux, with diversification and de-risking supplier portfolios becoming standard practice

• Trade policy is emerging as a critical disruptor, with July showing the broadest impact yet across IT strategies

Looking Ahead

2025 is a year of recalibration for enterprise IT leaders. Innovation remains important, but the defining trend is resilience: building flexible strategies that can withstand global shocks. The leaders will be those who view cybersecurity and AI not just as cost centers but as enablers of long-term stability in a volatile world.

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