Most Large Organisations Question Full Digital Sovereignty, Capgemini Survey Finds
Sovereignty has reached the board in 93% of large organisations, but only 14% have end-to-end visibility into their technology dependencies, according to a Capgemini Research Institute survey of 1,300 business and technology executives.
Key Findings:
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Digital Sovereignty Perception: 59% of organisations believe full digital sovereignty is not a realistic goal. Two-thirds define it as resilient interdependence rather than complete control. This definition is more prevalent in Europe (75%) compared to the United States (50%).
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Regional Differences: European and Asian firms prioritize risk mitigation and resilience-building (56% and 52%, respectively) while US organisations view it primarily through a compliance lens (52%). European companies also express greater concern about geopolitical disruption.
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Self-Knowledge Gaps: Only 14% of organisations understand their complete technology ecosystem dependencies, making it challenging to assess exposure discussed at board level.
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Switching Challenges: Over a third (36%) of organisations say transitioning away from critical technology providers takes over twelve months, and 10% have no viable alternatives.
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Disruption Preparedness: While 42% of recently disrupted organisations have contingency plans, this rises to almost two-thirds in the US compared to less than a third in Europe and Asia-Pacific.
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Sovereignty Drivers: Operational resilience against geopolitical volatility is the top priority (75%), followed by AI technology (73%). Sectors heavily investing in sovereignty include aerospace, defence, and transportation.
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Cost Considerations: Almost half of executives are willing to pay a "digital sovereignty premium," averaging 23%.