Written by Richard Evans, UK&I Country Manager, WSO2
In 2025, the UK’s technology landscape has been defined by three powerful forces: artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and organisations increasingly taking an API first approach. Despite global economic and geopolitical challenges, optimism in the UK tech sector remains strong. A major survey by techUK revealed that more than 250 business leaders view the UK as one of the most attractive places to start and grow a technology business, ranking it ahead of both Europe and North America. This confidence demonstrates the nation’s agility in embracing new technologies and its dedication to innovation. However, organisations are now expected to achieve greater results with fewer resources and at a faster pace.
The Era of Agentic AI
This is one of the reasons why AI continues to be the most transformative force shaping UK technology. AI has entered what many are calling the era of “agentification.” Instead of functioning as single task tools, AI systems are evolving into interconnected agents capable of orchestrating complex workflows. Businesses are embedding these agents into customer service, healthcare, and finance, while government agencies are exploring their use in public services and national security.
At WSO2, we see this shift as both an opportunity and a responsibility. While companies are racing ahead with adoption, we are focused on bringing governance and safeguards to agentic AI. Our goal is to ensure that customers can deploy these agents responsibly, with the right controls in place to deliver outcomes safely and effectively.
Cybersecurity: The Other Side of AI
As AI adoption accelerates, AI enabled threats have become a pressing concern. Deepfakes, automated cyberattacks, and adversarial AI are forcing organisations to invest heavily in resilient cyber defences. The UK, in particular, has become increasingly security focused following several high-profile breaches this year. Yet this focus comes with trade-offs: when budgets are consumed by defensive technologies, less remains available for innovation.
Many are turning to open-source solutions, with adoption accelerating globally in 2025. However, the recent spate of attacks has caused many local governments, for example, to move from free open-source models to proprietary commercial models which are viewed as less risky. Here at WSO2 we have embedded security into our open-source offerings, ensuring that organisations can innovate without compromising resilience and safety.
Partnerships with Hyperscalers and GSIs
Another defining trend is the deepening partnership between enterprises and hyperscalers. Many organisations have already committed significant spend to cloud providers such as Microsoft, AWS, and Google. To maximise discounts and contractual benefits, they must hit certain usage targets, which is where providers like WSO2 can really help ensure they gain maximum benefit from those hyperscaler licenses and commitments. Additionally, hyperscalers are API-friendly, making it easy for them and the customer to work with WSO2.
Global System Integrators (GSIs) also play a pivotal role. By tapping into open source and highly competitively priced options like WSO2, GSIs can offer alternative enterprise solutions that are particularly attractive in an era where companies are tasked with doing more with less. This combination of hyperscaler partnerships and GSI collaboration is creating a more flexible, cost-efficient ecosystem for UK enterprises.
Integration and the Rise of Low Code
Looking ahead to 2026, integration will remain a central theme. The rise of low code and procode environments is enabling more business users to participate in integration projects, reducing reliance on technical specialists. This democratisation of integration is expected to accelerate adoption, particularly as organisations seek to connect agents, APIs, and legacy systems into unified workflows.
The market opportunity is significant. For example, the iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) market is projected to grow to $15.8 billion by 2035. At WSO2 we offer solutions that combine flexibility, scalability, and embedded AI capabilities. By integrating AI directly into our products, customers avoid the need for costly addons, gaining automation and intelligence as part of their core infrastructure.
API First Strategies and Customer Experience
As we move into 2026, we will see more organisations adopting an API first strategy, which is fast becoming the default approach for enterprises seeking to modernise. Companies that have grown through acquisition often struggle with fragmented systems and disconnected customer experiences. WSO2 has been instrumental in helping organisations aggregate data, provide a single view of the customer, and deliver consistent experiences across channels.
Identity plays a critical role in this transformation. Too often, identity solutions are sold in silos, failing to provide a holistic picture of the customer. WSO2’s approach to API, integration, and identity enables organisations to deliver seamless experiences while unlocking opportunities for upselling and cross selling.
Monetisation of APIs
Beyond integration, the monetisation of APIs is emerging as a major priority. Many companies already use APIs to pass information and customers through their ecosystems. The next step is to charge for access, creating new revenue streams. This requires robust analytics, cost models, and reporting capabilities.
To strengthen our position in this area, WSO2 acquired Moesif in 2025, a San Francisco based API analytics and monetisation company. By integrating Moesif’s capabilities, WSO2 customers can now access advanced analytics and monetisation tools without the need for months of custom development.
Compliance and Data Sovereignty
Compliance is another area that will continue to evolve. With regulations such as DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) gaining traction, organisations must ensure that their integration strategies meet stringent compliance requirements. Here at WSO2 we offer both SaaS and on premise solutions, giving customers choice and flexibility to manage data sovereignty requirements and transition at their own pace. This hybrid approach is particularly valuable for organisations modernising legacy systems while balancing risk, migration costs, and compliance obligations.
Looking Ahead
The UK tech sector enters 2026 with strong momentum. AI, cybersecurity, and API first strategies will continue to dominate, but the emphasis will shift toward governance, monetisation, and integration. WSO2 is committed to working with the GSIs, ISVs, hyperscalers, and channel partners in the UK, ensuring that we remain part of the total solution for enterprises navigating this complex landscape.
By embedding AI into our products, enabling secure open-source adoption, and driving innovation in API monetisation, WSO2 is helping UK businesses not only adapt to change but thrive in it. The future of technology in the UK is agentic, integrated, and API driven and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this transformation.
