Widening IT talent gap forces C-suites to rethink AI strategy

Insider Spotlight

• Executives are aligning long-term strategy around AI and automation amid skills shortages
• Human expertise remains critical in cybersecurity, infrastructure and application support
• Nearly all C-suites say talent gaps are slowing innovation and increasing risk
  
  

The widening gap in skilled IT talent is emerging as a key barrier to enterprise transformation, pushing executives to rethink long-term strategies around AI and automation, according to a new global survey by Rimini Street.

Boards and shareholders want faster innovation and clearer returns from AI investments, but companies are struggling to balance automation goals with the need for experienced human talent to keep systems secure, stable and running.

The survey of nearly 4,300 C-suite leaders worldwide shows executives face rising pressure to modernize while navigating shrinking budgets, heightened cybersecurity threats and persistent shortages in skilled IT professionals.

Michael Perica

CFO, Rimini Street

What they’re saying

Rimini Street CFO Michael Perica said leaders are becoming more disciplined about where they invest, favoring strategies that deliver measurable outcomes while freeing resources for higher-value initiatives.

“A business-driven enterprise software roadmap—not one dictated by vendors—puts leaders in control of where and when they invest,” Perica said in a press release on Dec. 22, 2025.

By the numbers

• 44 percent of leaders identify AI and automation as the top capabilities needed to support both short- and long-term IT initiatives
• 36 percent say skills gaps are already limiting growth opportunities
• 98 percent report IT talent shortages are affecting their ability to execute technology strategies

Between the lines

While AI and automation dominate long-term planning, executives acknowledge that these technologies cannot operate in isolation. Human expertise remains essential, particularly in cybersecurity, infrastructure management and application support and maintenance.

Even as 97 percent of respondents say their current enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems largely meet business needs, nearly a quarter of workforce time is spent maintaining existing systems. 

That burden pulls skilled employees away from innovation and intensifies demand for external support.

The shift

To cope, organizations are increasingly outsourcing key IT services to supplement internal teams. 

Nearly all respondents report relying on third parties to address gaps in cybersecurity operations, infrastructure support and application maintenance, helping reduce risk and stabilize core systems.

Rimini Street Global CIO Joe Locandro said executives want flexibility to modernize without being trapped in costly, vendor-driven upgrade cycles.

“By stabilizing and maximizing the ERP foundation already in place, organizations can redirect time and resources toward strategic AI-driven initiatives that generate more meaningful results,” Locandro said.

What’s next

The findings suggest AI and automation will remain central to long-term strategy, but success will depend on how well organizations balance technology investments with sustained investment in human talent.

For C-suites, the challenge is clear: automation may accelerate transformation, but people remain indispensable to securing, supporting and scaling the digital enterprise. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma

Click on the link to download the full report https://www.riministreet.com/resources/research-report/gcsea-censuswide-report/