Artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud convergence can open up new and efficient ways for companies to do business. But few leaders are fully leveraging agentic AI tools to transform their cloud computing strategies, according to a new report from PwC.
“Cloud is the foundational layer that turns AI experimentation into enterprise-wide intelligence,” PwC’s 2025 EMEA Cloud Business Survey said. The leaders of today “must treat cloud as a strategic platform, not just infrastructure”.
AI has moved from the periphery to the core of cloud innovation for companies — and agentic AI is leading the charge, the report said. But while most organisations (86%) view agentic AI technologies as fundamental to driving cloud decisions and strategy plans, only 29% are currently implementing and scaling those tools.
Furthermore, 38% are still in the early stages of piloting and testing those systems. Leveraging AI capabilities (38%) is the main reason organisations are changing, or planning to change, their cloud infrastructure, the report found, followed by cost optimisation (35%) and risk mitigation (31%).
The potential of cloud and agentic AI solutions is vast when intertwined. “Cloud provides the scale, connectivity, and compute power that agentic AI requires — so organisations can deploy autonomous systems at scale and unlock new efficiencies,” the report said. “Without cloud, agentic AI would remain experimental; with cloud, it becomes enterprise-ready and scalable across geographies.”
PwC surveyed more than 1,400 business and tech leaders in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa between June and September.
Costs exceed growth expectations
Cost constraints are one barrier holding some companies back from expanding cloud platforms. “Organisations increasing cloud spend are also those expecting the strongest revenue gains,” the report found. “Yet many still struggle to realise returns, as costs often exceed expectations.”
Despite cost concerns, investment momentum is building. Eighty-six per cent of organisations plan to increase cloud budgets in the year ahead, compared with 73% in 2023. Leaders looking to progress and maintain sustainable cloud strategies need to work towards managing the cost and complexity of those plans, the report said.
Forty-three per cent of leaders name leveraging AI as one of their top priorities for cloud investment over the next 12 months. But, the report said, “those that link AI investment to cloud strategy will not just adopt new tools; they will reshape how business intelligence, decision-making, and resilience are built for the future.”
Recommendations for leaders
PwC recommends four ways companies can innovate their approach to cloud strategy for a competitive advantage:
Treat cloud as the foundation of enterprise strategy. Cloud acts as the digital backbone for innovation, customer experience, and market differentiation, the report said. Embedding cloud into strategic planning enables organisations to scale agentic AI, connect ecosystems, and accelerate transformation.
Embed robust governance models to cut costs. “[Finance operations] frameworks and robust governance models ensure that agility does not come at the expense of control,” the report said. Balancing speed and discipline is essential for scaling digital capabilities responsibly and making sure investments translate into measurable business outcomes.
Link cloud and AI strategies. “The convergence of cloud and AI marks the next frontier of enterprise transformation,” the report said. Combining those tools allows organisations to automate complex processes, enable data-driven decision-making, and enhance human capabilities.
Strengthen trust to boost resilience. Trust is now a cornerstone of digital competitiveness, the report said. Building architectures that safeguard data, ensure compliance, and support operational continuity is essential to mitigating systemic risk.
— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.
