AI-Driven Platforms Strengthen IT Foundations, ISG Says

Integrated software platforms are becoming increasingly strategically important for AI-enabled modernization of hybrid, multicloud enterprise IT estates, according to new research from global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III).

The 2026 ISG Buyers Guides for Platforms provide the rankings and ratings of 97 software providers and their products to streamline integration while improving delivery speed, automation and governance throughout enterprise IT environments. The Buyers Guide for Application Platforms covers established providers of platforms for the development, deployment, integration and lifecycle management of business applications. The research series also includes Buyers Guides for AI-Driven Development Platforms and Intelligent Automation Platforms, with separate guides for established and emerging providers in each of these areas.

The research finds that enterprises are seeking more consistent integration, governance and operation of heterogeneous application portfolios deployed across complex hybrid and multicloud estates. They are turning to platforms with standards-based connectivity, unified governance and lifecycle management as they consolidate software stacks and formalize API- and event-driven architectures. Generative AI and machine learning are now embedded across application development, DevOps, process intelligence and automation platforms, with agentic AI likely to emerge in platforms later in 2026.

“Platform consolidation is no longer an efficiency play. It is now a structural necessity,” said Jeff Orr, director of research, IT and technologies, at ISG. “Enterprises are replacing fragmented toolchains with platforms that combine AI-assisted execution with strong governance.”

Cloud-native application platforms, designed for interoperability, have replaced monolithic application servers as enterprises adopt microservices, containers and multicloud environments, the research finds. Development platforms incorporate AI components across developer and operational workflows, including AI-assisted code generation, testing, documentation and runtime optimization, along with release analysis, anomaly detection and performance tuning.

AI functionality has become a core component in all platform categories, ISG finds. AI-driven AppDev platforms increase the efficiency and visibility of application delivery while reinforcing governance. DevOps platforms, which support ongoing operations for enterprise developers, are incorporating AI to improve delivery speed, reliability, security and cost efficiency without reliance on outsourced services. Process intelligence platforms, which enterprises increasingly rely on for efficiency and risk reduction in complex enterprise workflows, are accelerating a shift from static documentation to continuous, data-driven visibility and sustained optimization.