Ynvolve, a circular systems integrator with over 15 years of experience in the field of information technology (IT), has released the findings of its 2024 Ynvolve Barometer report based on responses from 294 IT professionals in Spain. The results show that artificial intelligence, optimization, and sustainability are the main challenges in the technology sector in Spain. In this context, 4 out of 5 IT professionals (82%) plan to increase their IT spending in the coming months. Of this total, 31% anticipate a “significant” increase in their company’s investment, while 51% expect a “certain” increase.
“One of the main challenges facing organizations worldwide is to adapt their IT infrastructure with agility to the growing and changing market needs. Digital transformation and process optimization now add the integration of artificial intelligence and sustainability as a transversal value. The challenge for Spanish companies is to strike a balance between all criteria so that technological innovation and the circular economy align and drive the economic growth of organizations,” comments Martijn Niessen, CEO, and founder of Ynvolve.
The circular economy gains prominence in the IT sector
In technology, opting for the circular economy means optimizing and prolonging the hardware’s lifecycle in a cost-effective manner. IT infrastructure can be maintained, reused, refurbished, remanufactured, or recycled to optimize and maximize the resources used for its manufacture, which are finite and increasingly scarce. In this sense, more and more organizations are opting for circular solutions when buying or disposing of IT equipment.
According to the 2024 Ynvolve Barometer, 53% of IT professionals purchase refurbished hardware to meet their needs: 16% buy “as much” refurbished equipment as they can, while 37% buy “only for specific uses.” When it comes to disposing of hardware, 48% of IT managers sell obsolete equipment to other companies for refurbishment, and another 46% send it for recycling.
However, 47% of professionals do not buy refurbished equipment. In fact, only 16% of companies prioritize environmental impact before making a purchase decision, ranking it as the sixth criterion below performance (56%), price (45%), warranty (40%), delivery speed (28%), or having the latest model (25%).
“Faced with the challenge of balancing cost and performance while considering sustainability, the circular economy is emerging, perhaps somewhat silently. Old habits are hard to break, but the use of circular IT hardware and services is now more than ever the best solution for many companies, as refurbishment ensures an effective balance between performance, warranty, and price while contributing to building a more sustainable world,” comments Martijn Niessen, CEO, and founder of Ynvolve.
Integrating artificial intelligence
According to the findings of the 2024 Ynvolve Barometer, artificial intelligence has affected or will affect the IT infrastructure of 69% of companies. In this sense, nearly half of IT managers (45%) admit they have had to update their infrastructure due to the rise of artificial intelligence, while 24% say that although AI has not yet affected their infrastructure needs, it will soon.
“By adopting AI-based solutions, companies can improve the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of their services, paving the way for a more responsible future for their customers and the world. Managed service providers (MSPs) play a key role in ensuring energy optimization to strengthen companies’ competitiveness in the years to come,” concludes Andrew Walker, Regional Team Lead at Ynvolve in Spain.