Introduction
Chief Information Officers (CIOs) have been leading their tech transformation chess match for decades. For years, they’ve played by traditional rules, making strategic moves to navigate the complex landscape of technology and data. But now, there are new players — artificial intelligence (AI) and its advanced counterpart, generative AI (GenAI). This shift doesn’t involve just a minor rule change; it’s an entirely new game, with intuitive grandmasters that can see moves ahead, predict opponents’ strategies and adapt in real time.
The role of the CIO has evolved materially over the last several years. Gone are the days when being a technology leader simply meant managing IT infrastructure and ensuring smooth operations. In fact, 68% of CIOs today are responsible for the creation of revenue-generating initiatives.¹ CIOs now must traverse an unprecedented technology revolution where AI is the wildcard that can reshape the entire playing field. While the current AI market is sizeable, it’s set to grow by more than 13x over the next decade.² This meteoric rise demands that the CIO strategically reevaluate how AI’s careful adoption could be central to their organization’s competitiveness and innovation.