IBM Digital Sovereignty Index: In the AI Era, Control Is No Longer Enough. Enterprises Must Prove it.
Key Highlights
- ➤94% of enterprises faced a sovereignty challenge in the last three years
- ➤81% of affected enterprises had to provide formal evidence of control
- ➤AI-related issues were the most common challenge, reported by 44%
- ➤Only 26% of enterprises reached IBM’s Leading Digital Sovereignty tier
- ➤Leading enterprises resolved challenges without material disruption at 52%, versus 22%
Expert Statements
Jonathan Adashek, IBM Senior Vice President and Chief Global Affairs Officer
“Sovereignty should expand future choices, not restrict them. When a business issue turns into a sovereignty risk, boards need to show real control: how they can adapt, change strategy or critical provider – where freedom to act lies. The choices they make today matter, and the stakes are high. Getting this right can help them minimize shocks, keep their options open and stay competitive.”
Emmanuel Frenehard, Chief Digital Officer at Sanofi
“Digital sovereignty is not a compliance checkbox, it's a business reality. As AI becomes embedded across the enterprise, thinking through the many layers of sovereignty is a matter of business continuity in an age where technology is essential to run an enterprise and continue building trust.”
Jonathan Adashek, IBM Senior Vice President and Chief Global Affairs Officer
“Companies prioritizing sovereignty are rightly planning for control, but the leaders plan for proof too. The next step is not simply more governance or regulation. It is stronger evidence that the governance works: testing exit capabilities, understanding critical dependencies and focusing efforts where a loss of control would have the greatest impact.”
IBM Digital Sovereignty Index: In the AI Era, Control Is No Longer Enough. Enterprises Must Prove it. PR Newswire
ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 11, 2026 * Proof of sovereignty is now expected: Most enterprises surveyed (94%) faced at least one sovereignty challenge in the last three years, and 81% of those had to provide formal evidence of control. * AI is the sovereignty stress test: AI-related issues such as provider or governance failures were the most common sovereignty challenge (44%) among respondents, ahead of data-access issues, government restrictions, or formal audits. * Confidence runs ahead of proof: An average of 82% of respondents are very or extremely confident they can provide evidence of sovereign control, but only 26% of enterprises reached the Index's Leading Digital Sovereignty tier, while just 33% regularly test their capabilities. ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from IBM (NYSE: IBM), Proof, Not Promises: The Digital Sovereignty Index, reveals an "overconfidence gap": leaders believe they can prove sovereign control of their technology, but the evidence often falls short of the Index's highest standards. As AI adoption accelerates, that gap is becoming a business risk.
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