Interest in artificial intelligence continues to surge, now topping the list of healthcare organization priorities in most major markets outside the U.S. The percentage of organizations naming AI as a strategic initiative grew 15 percentage points, according to a new KLAS Research report.
The fourth annual KLAS Research report drew insights from 182 healthcare organizations across 43 countries and territories outside the U.S. AI was named the top healthcare IT investment priority among 57% of respondents, followed by electronic health record (EHR) and digitalization (44%); IT and infrastructure (26%); cybersecurity (25%) and imaging (23%).
Among AI solutions being implemented, 57% of respondents also cite ambient AI as the most “exciting emerging technologies,” alongside other clinical AI (17%), operational AI (16%) and general or unspecified AI (16%).
AI strategy, governance and adoption is a top priority among organizations in all regions (37%), followed by clinical documentation (19%), imaging (13%), AI platforms and integration (11%), advanced capabilities (10%), clinical decision support (4%), operational efficiency (3%) and patient engagement and experience (3%).
Of the ambient AI offerings that organizations are excited about, most are provided by third-party vendors. Microsoft Dragon Copilot continues to see the highest cross-regional mindshare, while interest in Heidi Health has increased in Europe and Oceania in the past year. Many regional ambient AI vendors are likewise considered, with Augnito garnering interest in the Middle East and TORTUS in the UK.
Cloud adoption continues to accelerate as organizations move from planning to deployment. Nearly three-quarters of respondents are leveraging the cloud in some capacity as part of their IT
strategy. While only 26% of organizations report moving a core system (e.g., EHR, PACS, ERP) to the cloud, organizations around the world are increasingly operationalizing their cloud strategies and moving beyond evaluation toward meaningful adoption, according to KLAS data.
EHRs are a central focus of cloud strategies, with more than one-third of cloud users—especially in the Middle East and Canada—having moved all or part of their EHR to the cloud, while nearly one-fourth have partially or fully migrated imaging applications such as PACS.
AI is increasingly shaping organizations’ cloud strategies, and respondents early in their cloud journey most frequently report leveraging specific AI tools in the cloud or moving their data infrastructure to cloud environments for enhanced analytics and computing capabilities.
For respondents that report EHR and digitalization investments, nearly one-third are either actively implementing an EHR or deciding on EHR replacements or consolidations—mainly in Europe, the Middle East and Oceania, the report notes.
“Those not involved in such projects are largely focused on increasing digital maturity and optimizing existing EHRs to improve workflows and strengthen the foundations needed for AI and analytics, which is a consistent priority across regions; Latin America in particular has a focus on increasing digital maturity,” the report said.
Analysts note global interest in consulting firms has declined between 2025 and 2026, noting 42% report no plans to hire firms—and only 25% of respondents report “concrete plans” to seek out firms for upcoming IT initiatives. Moreover, 2025 had the lowest EHR purchasing activity level in years.