Verizon Business IoT market survey: IoT a smart bet, AI a major accelerator

Survey of 500 companies finds soaring enthusiasm for the Internet of Things (IoT), with multiple emerging technologies acting as catalysts.

Efficiency and productivity gains demonstrate return on investment, while excitement for AI and AI video, 5G and 5G RedCap, network slicing, private wireless, eSIM and more fuels forward optimism.

The AI factor: Survey respondents across industries say AI is significantly accelerating IoT demand -- especially as IoT sensors fuel AI-video capabilities -- but some cite cybersecurity as a challenge.
The industry-specific POV: Insights abound from respondents in automotive, manufacturing & warehousing, healthcare, retail, logistics & supply chain and more, with cost savings and customer/user experience and retention frequently cited as IoT-driven benefits.
The technology driving enterprise transformation: 5G, private networks, and eSIM are cited as cornerstones of enterprise IoT infrastructure. RedCap, slicing, and satellite are priorities for many.

NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Verizon Business survey of 500 companies that use IoT services in their operations found considerable optimism around return on investment (ROI), growth potential, and ongoing use of the technology. Respondents are U.S. based companies in varied industries who gave feedback on IoT market accelerators (AI), challenges (cybersecurity), and use cases benefitting their businesses.

Respondents indicated that while measurable ROI is within grasp and emerging technology is fueling further optimism, there is a need for strong network foundations and well-managed IT integration to deploy IoT at scale. Integrating novel technologies with legacy systems, updating network foundations, and securing and operationalizing the full ecosystem at scale often benefits from partnership and outside expertise.

“The Internet of Things is a data powerhouse. A business’s connected machines, IT systems, and overall operations produce an enormous amount of data -- location, condition, anomaly, threat, operational progress and continuity, and so on. IoT is how that data gets collected and parsed to provide businesses with insights about how things are going and how they can be improved,” said Daniel Lawson, Senior Vice President, Global Solutions and IoT, Verizon Business. “This survey tells us that IoT is highly valuable and scalable when implemented correctly, benefits from a full connected ecosystem, and is about to get a lot more interesting and dynamic with AI and other emerging technologies.”

Select statistics and key findings are presented below. Click here to open an infographic with more information, and sign up to receive the full report at verizon.com/business/iot.

Top Themes and Key Findings

AI is a driver:

84% of enterprises consider AI a key technology for IoT, while 70% say it has accelerated their IoT deployments.
82% report that combining AI with video/camera data can deliver valuable insights for real-time decision-making.

Adoption and enthusiasm are up:

More than 50% of organizations cite efficiency and productivity gains as the primary driver for IoT investment.
98% of enterprises surveyed expect real benefits from their IoT deployment within two years, with most anticipating returns in less than 12 months.
IoT deployments of 10,000+ devices are expected to more than triple next year, according to respondent data.

Partnership and complementary technologies are foundational

87% say systems integration support from a mobile network operator is important or critical for successful IoT deployment.
52%intend to use private wireless networks for their IoT projects in the next 12-24 months, a 24% increase over current usage.
81% of organizations surveyed in the midst of an IoT deployment see value in 5G

Emerging technologies will fuel the future

74% of companies plan to adopt 5G RedCap, and 74% expect to integrate satellites into their IoT roadmap.
78% see network slicing as essential to customizing IoT performance, especially in Logistics & Supply Chain (60%).
43% say cybersecurity is their biggest challenge in IoT deployment.
eSIM adoption is surging. ThingSpace data shows 240% growth in the YoY monthly average for eSIM connectivity. Personal mobility (non-auto), energy & utilities, and logistics & supply chain industries are leading the pack in prioritizing eSIM.

Industry-Specific Insights

Manufacturing & Warehousing

59%: A majority (59%) in manufacturing & warehousing cite cost savings as the key driver for IoT deployments.

Retail

83%: Personalized customer experience is the leading IoT application in retail, currently or soon to be deployed by nearly 83% of respondents.

Logistics & Supply Chain

58%: A majority of respondents in logistics & supply chain are currently deploying real-time shipment tracking (58%), and significant percentages plan to leverage IoT for warehouse automation (44%) and predictive maintenance (44%) in the next 12-24 months.

Automotive

94%: Almost all automotive original equipment manufacturers (94%) agree that 5G delivers the speed and bandwidth they need.

Transportation

72%: a large majority of transportation respondents (72%) currently use IoT for fleet management.

Healthcare

56%: Remote patient monitoring is the leading IoT use case in healthcare, deployed by 56% of respondents.

Energy & Utilities

Smart meters (60%) and smart grids (48%) are the most common energy use cases today, with renewable energy management (40%) and energy storage optimization (38%) cited as use cases that respondents intend to explore in the next 12 to 24 months.

To learn more about Verizon Business’s IoT and connectivity solutions, including 5G Video Insights, Verizon Sensor Insights, connected vehicle, and more, visit verizon.com/business.

Media contact:
Matthew Conte
matthew.conte@verizon.com

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