CI&T REPORT

WHO'S WINNING THE AI RACE

CI&T Report

What’s driving, slowing, and accelerating AI legacy modernisation across UK businesses

AI is no longer optional. But modernising legacy systems — the foundation of meaningful AI adoption — remains one of the toughest challenges UK organisations face.

To understand what’s really happening, CI&T partnered with eLife to analyse more than 35,000 data points across public industry conversations, leaders’ priorities, and real-world initiatives between June 2024 and July 2025.

The result? A sector-specific view of how Financial Services, Telecommunications, and Retail organisations in the UK are confronting the “legacy paradox”: the urgent need to modernise in order to unlock the benefits of AI, balanced against the cost, risk, and complexity of transformation.

In this report, you’ll discover:

The key drivers pushing organisations to modernise - from compliance and fraud prevention to customer experience and competitiveness.

The common barriers slowing adoption, including skills gaps, data security, and integration challenges.

The sector-specific strategies that are accelerating transformation.

Case studies from CI&T and leading organisations and lessons learned from our client work.

Download the full report

Explore what’s driving, slowing, and accelerating AI modernisation in the UK, and how leaders are turning legacy into a competitive advantage.