From performance and cost containment to regulatory compliance and AI enablement, here are the drivers of AI modernization
An IT modernization strategy that begins with a deep understanding of business needs and is driven by strategic goals is no longer an option, but a necessity.
Businesses should never adopt technology for its own sake. Those captivated by the latest shiny tools risk spending endlessly without achieving the results needed to stay competitive, profitable, and scalable.
Recent surveys indicate how businesses are scrambling to incorporate new AI advances in their workflows. McKinsey & Company, for example, conducted a 2025 global survey on “The State of AI” that points out:
“Organizations are beginning to take steps that drive bottom-line impact—for example, redesigning workflows as they deploy gen AI and putting senior leaders in critical roles, such as overseeing AI governance. The findings also show that organizations are working to mitigate a growing set of gen-AI-related risks and are hiring for new AI-related roles while they retrain employees to participate in AI deployment.”
To properly align infrastructure, security, and AI maturity with long-term business goals, it is essential to build a comprehensive strategic roadmap. This article examines the drivers behind IT modernization, encompassing performance and cost containment, regulatory compliance, and AI enablement.
Drivers of IT Modernization
One of the key drivers of IT modernization, including infrastructure, security, AI maturity and more, is the expense of maintaining outdated and unreliable legacy systems. Outdated technology can cause performance gaps and inefficiencies, burdening organizations with platforms that are no longer supported and cannot handle the latest applications. Soaring maintenance expenses, increased security vulnerabilities, and compliance risks (regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA mandate strict handling of data, with severe penalties for non-compliance), and a dwindling talent pool for old technologies are other drawbacks.
Organizations recognize that they must incorporate artificial intelligence into their workflows, but the question becomes how to utilize the technology and reduce the potential pitfalls of well intended, but not ideal leveraging of this amazing technology.. Corporations need AI solutions that transform how they interact with their data. The right solutions not only deliver instant insights for faster, smarter decisions, but also generate new content, ideas, and efficiencies while keeping private data secure.
And, of course, there is the financial imperative: an investment in technology must more than pay for itself and play a major role in creating a stronger bottom line. IT modernization is a lever for improved EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization).
Innovative technologies like generative AI can unlock real business value by enhancing both human capability and operational efficiency. Once you’ve identified your key economic challenges and opportunities, the right AI solution can help streamline processes, automate routine tasks, generate new content, and organize workflows while supporting smarter decision-making, cost optimization, scenario forecasting, and improved risk management.
The NRI Approach: From Vision to Execution
At NRI, we can help you build a comprehensive strategic roadmap for IT modernization, bridging the gap between visionary goals and tactical execution. We help clients avoid common pitfalls and maximize both immediate value and long-term success.
Key to this success is a holistic alignment between business strategy and technology adoption. To put a Business Strategy & Roadmap into place for a client is typically a five-step process:
- Clients approach us with a vision, goals, challenges, or a technology project for their businesses, or we help them define these
- During our strategy engagement, we uncover any unforeseen business challenges potentially preventing clients from reaching their potential
- We evaluate and prioritize client needs based on business strategy and risk, identify high-impact solutions, and shape approaches that support enterprise modernization and enhance specific capabilities to deliver measurable outcomes
- We create a visual roadmap that helps prioritize which business areas and technology elements to address first, based on factors like legacy complexity, functional challenges, and alignment to strategic goals
We can improve a specific functional area of a business with a Functional Strategy & Roadmap that analyzes the people, processes, data, and technology within a specific area of operation. Once improvement opportunities are identified, we’ll develop the roadmap to build solutions that align with your overall business vision.
Our Project Strategy & Roadmap addresses specialized implementation needs, focusing on areas such as data migration, custom applications, data foundations, and infrastructure. This helps us develop an approach to implementing immediate value with long-term needs in mind.
Building an Effective Modernization Roadmap
To do this effectively requires a clear understanding of your organization’s current state, including its enterprise architecture, which combines both business and technical structures. Making IT modernization meaningful depends on closely linking these elements to measurable business outcomes.
We must also avoid pitfalls such as assuming that technology is the solution before the problem is clearly defined or underestimating hidden dependencies and cross-functional impacts.
And finally, the modernization roadmap must be phased appropriately to achieve maximum impact. Whether you’re looking to improve cybersecurity or data analytics, incorporate AI, modernize your infrastructure, or discover new ways to drive efficiencies, NRI has the proven expertise to help you identify your most important challenges and understand how to solve them.
AI Maturity: A Structural Realignment
One of the most pressing questions today is how to leverage AI expertise for business advantage. NRI can lay the groundwork for seamless data integration and management, helping clients create AI strategies that create real value. We develop comprehensive plans that align your data and AI initiatives with business objectives. We set you up on a dynamic and dependable data platform that can move as fast as your business. And we can help you establish a governance framework that ensures your data is accurate, secure, and compliant.
We are well aware of how AI can disrupt centralized IT models, with the dangers of siloed data or a lack of adaptability when it comes to diverse regional and cultural needs. The right AI solution can overturn the traditional approach with something that is far more resilient and scalable. It can improve operations, enhance customer experiences, and unlock new business opportunities.
Finally, it’s important to remember that just because you can apply AI to something does not always mean you should. A well-placed screw holds better than a misplaced nail. The value lies in knowing when to use each.
Why NRI North America?
The answer to why is what. At NRI North America, we are leaders in digital transformation, bringing visionary and tactical strategies to life with actionable roadmaps. We turn complex datasets into clear, interactive visuals that highlight key trends, patterns, and opportunities. Our certified experts can help clients uncover unseen patterns and opportunities that help them kick things up a notch (or three).
Modernization is not just about new tech. It’s about enabling tomorrow’s businesses. Contact us now to build a roadmap for your IT future.
