Here, Prashant Ketkar, CTO at Parallels, takes a look into the future of the IT landscape and shows how artificial intelligence, automation and new delivery models will fundamentally change the way companies manage their digital infrastructures.
Ketkar analyzes the key trends and challenges that await organizations in the coming years – from the increasing complexity of IT environments to new data security requirements, the evolution of VDI and the role of SaaS.
Prediction #1: The more complex IT landscape requires AI and automation in IT management
Table of Contents
- Prediction #1: The more complex IT landscape requires AI and automation in IT management
- Prediction #2: The increasing use of AI will redefine the topic of data security
- Prediction #3: The Future of VDI – Deploying Apps and Agents
- Prediction #4: SaaS is not dead – but it is fading into the background.
Today, the average IT department already manages around a hundred applications. But in 2026 this number will rise dramatically again. Building apps and AI-powered agents will become so quick and easy that IT teams could soon be managing thousands of them – some long-term, others only available for hours or days.
This explosion of tools in use makes IT environments significantly more complex and thereby increases the risks for IT security, compliance and data management. To stay ahead, organizations need automation and intelligent tools. They enable IT managers to simplify the deployment, securing and management of applications and agents across any platform or cloud.
The future of cybersecurity and IT management will depend on this balance between rapid innovation and strong control.
Prediction #2: The increasing use of AI will redefine the topic of data security
In the coming years, one of the biggest concerns for companies will be what happens to their data within AI. GenAI models operate in public cloud environments with virtually infinite storage and computing power – they can process anything and remember anything, unlike humans who have limited capacity and natural forgetfulness.
As AI becomes more deeply integrated into business systems, cybersecurity must evolve beyond traditional boundaries. In addition to protecting data through secure application delivery models, organizations need clear policies and guardrails on how users can use and share data.
Users should not assume that information entered into these systems will be forgotten. Therefore, companies must make very conscious decisions about what data goes into models, how it is managed within applications, and how to prevent sensitive information from leaking to the outside world.
In the future, cybersecurity will no longer be limited to protecting perimeters or endpoints. Rather, it will aim to prevent AI systems from gaining access to sensitive, personal or business-critical information.
Prediction #3: The Future of VDI – Deploying Apps and Agents
AI is accelerating the change in the tech world at a rapid pace – to a degree that we have not seen in this form in decades, significantly faster even than the cloud revolution.
That’s why traditional VDI is changing and it’s becoming increasingly clear that secure and easy deployment of not only applications but also agents is becoming increasingly important.
This makes it increasingly critical to make publishing, deploying, and managing these applications and agents as easy as possible using scalable automation. The crucial questions are: How easy is migration? How easily and quickly can new applications, agents and desktops be integrated – with fewer human touchpoints but greater control?
IT and developer agility, security and management will play an increasingly critical role in this next phase of application and agent delivery.
Prediction #4: SaaS is not dead – but it is fading into the background.
SaaS isn’t going away – but it is changing. System of record and mission-critical applications such as customer relationship management (CRM) and databases remain essential. But there’s a real change happening: People won’t spend as much time directly in their apps anymore.
Instead, they write agents through APIs that connect to these applications. These agents may not be perfect, but they handle 70 percent or more of the work that users used to do manually. In many cases, users don’t even have to open the apps themselves.
As a result, some systems become less relevant in daily workflow – in the backend they are still important, but no longer the focus. SaaS is not dead, but applications are becoming the invisible backbone that powers agents. The less people think about their apps, the more seamless they will work.
“In the coming years, it will be crucial for companies to prepare for a dynamic, AI-driven future. The IT world is becoming more complex, more flexible and at the same time more security-critical,” says Prashant Ketkar. “Automation, intelligent agents and new delivery models will increase efficiency, while clear policies and innovative security concepts must ensure the protection of sensitive data.”
Ketkar’s outlook makes it clear: Those who recognize and actively shape the opportunities and challenges of this development will be at the forefront of the digital transformation competition.
