The state of custom software development 2026: AI meets reality

Custom software is no longer a luxury. It gives you a strategic advantage in today's AI-driven world. We spoke to 850 senior IT decision makers to create a report that outlines both the future of custom software development (CSD) and how it will impact your business over the next 12 months.

A must have resource for CTOs, CIOs and senior technology leaders who are considering building custom software.

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About the research

AI is accelerating change across every industry. Many organisations are increasingly turning to custom software to leverage advances in AI to scale effectively and meet complex business needs.
To understand how organisations are responding, NashTech commissioned independent research firm Vanson Bourne to conduct a comprehensive global survey. The findings provide a unique perspective on how enterprises and ISVs are leveraging custom software to succeed in an AI-first world.
This report delivers practical insights, benchmarks and strategic guidance for leaders navigating digital transformation.
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What you’ll discover

By downloading this report, you’ll discover:
  • How enterprise organisations are using custom software to support AI adoption
  • The key drivers behind investment in custom-built solutions
  • Challenges and risks organisations face in an AI-driven environment
  • Differences in priorities across regions, industries and leadership levels
  • What this means for future technology, innovation and operating models

Key findings

70%

43%

50%

would choose custom software over COTS and integration is the top reason
of enterprise businesses have insufficient in-house skills for agentic AI
of participants say managing data is their biggest compliance challenge in CSD

Survey respondents

  • 850 enterprise IT decision-makers surveyed globally
  • Organisations with 500 – 9,999 employees
  • Regions covered: EMEA, North America and APAC
  • Leadership level: Board members, C-suite executives, senior management and mid-level managers
  • Departments: IT, DevOps, data and analytics, engineering and project management
  • Industries: Manufacturing, logistics and supply chain, hospitality, consumer packaged goods, retail trade, insurance, IT and technology and educational services
  • Additional insights from independent software vendors (ISVs)
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Get the complete findings, charts and practical recommendations.

Download the report now