Today's companies not only rely on information technology, they can't compete without it. IT is integrated into products, it pulls priceless information from customer data, and it is the force behind online shopping. As digital becomes even more prevalent, the demand for IT will continue to rise, which in turn will place a heavier burden on IT organizations. Driven by the further digitization of business and increasing market competition, IT is becoming even more indispensable.

What will IT 2020 look like? A new A.T. Kearney study reveals that over the next seven years, two-thirds of companies expect to invest more in IT in all areas along the value chain, but especially in sales and customer interactions. The moral of this story is that as IT gets a bigger slice of the corporate budget, expectations will rise, and even the smallest miscalculation about IT priorities will put the whole company at risk.