According to new research from Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, 86% of Canadian organizations have deployed (or are planning to deploy) AI/generative AI to their mainframe environments, and more than a quarter (27%) are projecting a cost savings of more than $25 million as a result.
Today, Kyndryl released its 2025 State of Mainframe Modernization Survey, which revealed shifting priorities when it comes to the modernization of one of IT’s oldest and most trusted innovations. Mainframes aren’t just surviving the AI era; they’re powering it and unlocking billions in ROI.
Report Highlights:
- AI ROI: Globally, organizations anticipate $12.7B in cost savings and $19.5B in new revenue over the next three years as a result of using AI and generative AI in their mainframe environments.
- In Canada, companies are applying AI for fraud detection, security testing, and performance optimization. Instead of replacing the mainframe, AI is enhancing its capabilities.
- Shifting strategies: Over the past year, 73% of Canadian organizations shifted their modernization strategies, and half have increased usage or made new investments.
- Growing skills gaps: Mainframe modernization requires a multi-skilled organization. 64% faced challenges in finding skills talent to effectively modernize the mainframe, with mainframe security skills the most in-demand skill for Canadian organizations.
- Regulatory influence: 88% of Canadian organizations agree that regulatory compliance is influencing decision-making regarding mainframe modernization, and 43% say it’s increasing collaboration between IT, security and compliance teams.
Why this matters: More than half (61%) of Canadian organizations have at least half of their mission-critical applications residing in the mainframe – its operability is crucial to more than three-quarters (82%) of Canadian businesses. As a result of rapidly changing geopolitical environments, market forces, and regulatory pressures, mainframe modernization has become more challenging and urgent than ever before, and AI could be a catalyst for secure, cost-effective mainframe modernization.
The full report can be found here.
About The State of Mainframe Modernization Survey
Kyndryl commissioned Coleman Parkes Research to survey 500 enterprises that rely on mainframes, in order to gather their insights into how they view mainframe transformation and application modernization. In addition to this online survey, Coleman held a number of qualitative surveys. The study was executed in Q1 FY 2026.
The 500 leaders we surveyed included senior IT decision-makers and line-of-business leaders working in enterprise and mid-market organizations with an average global revenue of USD $3.6 billion. They shared insights into their strategic approach to mainframe modernization projects.
The respondents work for organizations based in North America (26%), Europe (25%), Latin America (25%) and the Asia-Pacific region (24%). They work across 12 industries – including high-tech, banking & financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, insurance, telco & media, oil & gas, automotive, energy & utilities, travel and transportation, and government.
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This entry was posted on September 9, 2025 at 10:49 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Kyndryl. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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9 out of 10 Canadian organizations bring AI to the mainframe and project billions in increased revenues as a result
According to new research from Kyndryl, the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, 86% of Canadian organizations have deployed (or are planning to deploy) AI/generative AI to their mainframe environments, and more than a quarter (27%) are projecting a cost savings of more than $25 million as a result.
Today, Kyndryl released its 2025 State of Mainframe Modernization Survey, which revealed shifting priorities when it comes to the modernization of one of IT’s oldest and most trusted innovations. Mainframes aren’t just surviving the AI era; they’re powering it and unlocking billions in ROI.
Report Highlights:
Why this matters: More than half (61%) of Canadian organizations have at least half of their mission-critical applications residing in the mainframe – its operability is crucial to more than three-quarters (82%) of Canadian businesses. As a result of rapidly changing geopolitical environments, market forces, and regulatory pressures, mainframe modernization has become more challenging and urgent than ever before, and AI could be a catalyst for secure, cost-effective mainframe modernization.
The full report can be found here.
About The State of Mainframe Modernization Survey
Kyndryl commissioned Coleman Parkes Research to survey 500 enterprises that rely on mainframes, in order to gather their insights into how they view mainframe transformation and application modernization. In addition to this online survey, Coleman held a number of qualitative surveys. The study was executed in Q1 FY 2026.
The 500 leaders we surveyed included senior IT decision-makers and line-of-business leaders working in enterprise and mid-market organizations with an average global revenue of USD $3.6 billion. They shared insights into their strategic approach to mainframe modernization projects.
The respondents work for organizations based in North America (26%), Europe (25%), Latin America (25%) and the Asia-Pacific region (24%). They work across 12 industries – including high-tech, banking & financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, insurance, telco & media, oil & gas, automotive, energy & utilities, travel and transportation, and government.
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This entry was posted on September 9, 2025 at 10:49 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Kyndryl. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.