The start of a new year is not only a time for New Year’s resolutions (which usually fade by mid-January), but above all a moment when the boards of Poland’s leading companies set the direction for technological investments for the next twelve months. And while many IT managers might wish that a 2026 strategy would simply appear on its own—ideally as a ready-made deck with polished visuals—the reality looks quite different.

In 2026, IT departments in Polish enterprises face challenges that can be summed up in one sentence: more efficiency with less money, all while complying with new regulations. Sounds like a mission impossible? Not necessarily. It is enough to base the strategy on four pillars that actually work.

Pillar 1: Artificial Intelligence – From Buzzword to Business Value

AI has ceased to be a conference buzzword that generates applause but ends on slides. In 2025, we already saw real implementations—from PZU introducing an AI assistant for 12,000 employees, through Orlen’s partnership with Microsoft in AI, to Allegro’s experiments with AI agents in e-commerce. These are no longer pilot projects—they are scaled solutions delivering measurable ROI.

In 2026, the key question will no longer be “AI or not?”, but “how AI?”.
How do you deploy GenAI to reduce customer service time by 40%?
How do you use machine learning to predict failures in production lines?
How do you automate analytical processes that previously required weeks of analysts’ work?

Market leaders are those who can connect technology with concrete use cases—and speak the language of numbers, not just vision. Because the finance department would rather hear “PLN 2 million in annual savings” than “business process transformation through the implementation of advanced machine learning algorithms.”

Pillar 2: Cybersecurity – NIS2 Is Only the Beginning

The NIS2 Directive, whose provisions have become binding and enforceable since October 2024, is changing the rules of the cybersecurity game. For companies in sectors such as energy, heavy industry, healthcare, or transport, this means not only new reporting obligations, but above all the need to genuinely secure critical infrastructure.

In practice? Companies must conduct IT risk assessments, implement threat detection systems, secure OT (operational technology) environments, and prepare for potential financial penalties for non-compliance.

But NIS2 is only one side of the coin. The other side is real threats: ransomware, supply chain attacks, and phishing that is becoming increasingly sophisticated thanks to… AI. A paradox? Yes. And that is precisely why a cybersecurity strategy must be alive, flexible, and based on continuous team education.

Market leaders are those who treat cybersecurity not as a cost, but as the foundation of business continuity. Because even a temporary production stoppage at a company like JSW or Bogdanka is not just lost revenue—it is also reputational damage that is difficult to rebuild.

Pillar 3: The Return to Data Sovereignty – Hybrid as the New Normal

After years of enthusiasm for migrating “everything to the cloud” (cloud first), the market is clearly revising its approach. Organizations in key sectors (energy, industry, finance) are increasingly turning away from full dependence on global cloud providers and moving toward hybrid solutions or strengthening on-premise infrastructure.

This shift is driven by four key factors that undermine traditional assumptions about public cloud:

• Rising Costs: Ever-increasing data egress fees and subscription costs mean that workloads once considered cheaper are becoming unpredictable and growing budget burdens.
• Security and Data Access (Sovereignty): Growing awareness of regulations (such as NIS2 and the Data Act) and concerns about where data is physically stored force organizations to keep key systems on their own, controlled infrastructure.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Global instability and the risk of sanctions make infrastructure diversification and independence from a single foreign cloud provider critical for business continuity and resilience.
• Control and Optimization: Market leaders understand that full control over a hybrid environment—allowing precise workload allocation between on-premise and cloud—is the only path to true operational and cost efficiency.

In 2026, the competitive edge will not depend on whether an organization uses the cloud, but on how effectively it manages hybrid infrastructure, prioritizing sovereignty and operational resilience. The IT department stops being a beneficiary of a fashionable trend and becomes the architect of optimal, secure, and cost-effective IT environments.

Pillar 4: Sustainability → OSG – Operational Resilience and Energy Efficiency

Sustainability is no longer just an ESG metric reported once a year. Increasingly, we are talking about OSG—operational sustainability—which has a real impact on organizational resilience, operating costs, and the ability to function in crisis situations. It is the difference between “having indicators” and actually controlling the company’s key resources.

For IT departments, this means moving beyond thinking solely in terms of “green energy” toward system efficiency: optimizing energy consumption in data centers, making conscious choices about infrastructure locations and operators, and integrating energy management with OT/IT systems. Renewable energy is no longer an add-on—it becomes an element of business continuity strategy and cost stability.

An example? Industrial and food companies such as Mlekpol or Mlekovita invest in photovoltaics and energy management systems not to improve their image, but to increase cost predictability and reduce dependence on energy market volatility. The result is hundreds of thousands of złoty in annual savings and a tangible impact on EBITDA—without any PR narrative.

In 2026, market leaders will be organizations that understand sustainability not as ESG reporting, but as OSG—the ability to operate resources efficiently, responsibly, and sovereignly. Because customers, partners, and regulators increasingly look not at declarations, but at whether a company is prepared for long-term operation under energy, regulatory, and geopolitical pressure.

Summary: Four Pillars, One Strategy

An IT strategy for 2026 is not a collection of slides that look good in a boardroom meeting. It is a concrete action plan that connects technology with business outcomes.

AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and sustainability—these four areas will define market leaders in the coming months. The key to success is not the mere implementation of technology, but the ability to orchestrate it in a way that supports the company’s business objectives.

And remember: the best strategy is the one that lives not only in PowerPoint, but in the everyday work of teams. Good luck in 2026!