GenAI, Features, Are the Top Criteria for Future Enterprise Software Purchases

Austin, Texas, USA, September 23, 2025

While Capability-Focused Criteria Topped the List of Criteria For Making a Software Purchase, Vendors Can and Should Compete on a Wide Range of Factors

The presence of generative AI technology and the breadth and depth of core features and functionality were the top two key purchase decision criteria named by software purchase decision makers in July 2025, according to Futurum Research’s 1H Enterprise Software & Digital Workflows Decision Maker Survey. Generative AI capabilities were named as a key purchase criteria by 40.6% of respondents, while the breadth and depth of features/functionality were cited by 39.6% of respondents.

Figure 1: Top Criteria for Future Application Purchase

Keith Kirkpatrick, Research Director at Futurum, said, “Organizations are actively seeking software applications and platforms that can support their digital transformation efforts, while simultaneously driving benefits to the business, which include increased efficiency, productivity, accuracy, and time-to-value. Generative AI and a robust feature set, which can include smart automation capabilities, the ability to harness and use data from across the business, and the capability to easily interact and leverage data from other applications and systems within the flow of work, are top of mind for enterprise buyers and users.”

That said, enterprise buyers consider a wide range of other top criteria when evaluating software, from pricing models used (39.6%) to flexibility/customization (38.5%) to the presence of agentic AI capabilities (37.8%), so vendors will need to ensure their offerings check many boxes.

“Enterprise software is increasingly being viewed as the central catalyst for improving efficiency and productivity for human workers, while also serving as a control center for digital labor, including AI agents,” Kirkpatrick said. “Vendors must ensure that their offerings are reliable, powerful, and flexible enough to adapt to the rapidly changing demands of buyers and workers to remain on the shortlists of enterprise buyers.”

Subscribers can read more in the “1H 2025 Enterprise Software & Digital Workflows Decision Maker Survey Report” on the Futurum Intelligence Platform. Non-subscribers can click here for inquiry and access.

About Futurum Intelligence for Market Leaders

Futurum Intelligence’s Enterprise Software & Digital Workflows IQ service provides actionable insight from analysts, reports, and interactive visualization datasets, helping leaders drive their organizations through transformation and business growth. Subscribers can log into the platform at https://app.futurumgroup.com/, and non-subscribers can find additional information at Futurum Intelligence.

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