Businesses are eager to invest in artificial intelligence and app development, but many are finding their budgets tied up in software subscriptions and cloud services they no longer fully need, according to new research by Forscope.
The European software management and resale company presented the findings during Infoshare 2026 in Gdańsk, Poland, one of the leading technology conferences in Central and Eastern Europe. The survey, carried out among more than 300 participants, highlights a growing tension between companies’ digital ambitions and the rising cost of their existing IT infrastructure.
According to Forscope, 56% of respondents said they were seriously concerned about price increases in the software products they use daily. At the same time, 52% of companies said their top priority for 2026 was to implement AI solutions or develop their own applications.
That creates a difficult trade-off. To free up money for new technology projects, businesses are increasingly looking for savings in standard IT spending, including operating systems, office suites and cloud-based software packages.
The survey found that 33% of participants ranked IT cost optimisation as their second most important priority. Forscope said the findings suggest that many organisations have reached the limit of what they are willing, or able, to absorb from repeated subscription price rises.
One response is a renewed interest in perpetual licences, which allow companies to pay once for software rather than remain locked into recurring subscription models. Forscope said 8% of companies are already using such licences as a way to reduce long-term cost pressure.
The study also points to growing demand for software audits. These reviews help businesses identify licences that were purchased but are no longer used. Instead of leaving them idle, companies can resell them and turn unused software into cash that can be redirected towards new investment.
Forscope said the wider lesson from Infoshare 2026 is that digital transformation will depend not only on adopting new tools, but also on gaining tighter control over existing software assets.
For many companies, the challenge in 2026 will be finding the right balance between cloud services, subscription products and permanent licences, while avoiding the drain of recurring costs that no longer support their business goals.e
