The Shift
IDC projects by 2026, nearly half of new CRM-related investment goes to data architecture, AI infrastructure, and analytics — not additional licenses. The seat-based growth era of CRM slowed; the infrastructure era began.
What It Means
Your CRM budget in 2026–2027 probably buys fewer new seats and more Data Cloud capacity, vector infrastructure, AI observability tooling, integration platforms. Procurement mix changes materially.
Strategic Implications
Vendors that grow on seats (traditional CRM licensing) face pressure. Vendors that grow on infra/data (Data 360, vector DBs, observability) have tailwinds. ISV and partner priorities follow the money.
Buying Advice
Model 3-year TCO including the infra shift. A CRM that’s cheaper per seat but more expensive on data/AI infra can be costlier overall. The winners are the stacks that deliver infra without reinventing procurement friction.