There’s a new chapter in the unfolding story of artificial intelligence (AI) use within enterprises: IT executives no longer look at it as an experiment.
Chief information officers all agree production deployment and cloud strategy has matured into a deliberate process of optimization. At the same time, pressure to simplify platforms and secure scarce talent is redrawing the IT investment map this year, according to a survey of 203 CIOs across North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America by The Futurum Group released Monday.
“Enterprise IT is shifting from ambition to discipline,” said Dion Hinchcliffe, vice president of CIO Practice at The Futurum Group. “AI is in production. Cybersecurity is the non-negotiable. Cloud is no longer a vision — it’s a system under constant recalibration. And CIOs are now treating platform spend like a surgical investment.”
The survey’s findings capture a moment of strategic clarity in a volatile digital economy, driving home the urgency of AI adoption and execution across all industries.
The report, which summarizes findings from a CIO Insights Global Survey in the second quarter, offers compelling evidence:
AI is ubiquitous: Every CIO surveyed has AI systems running in production, with deep use in sales (68%), operations (67%), and marketing (64%). Strategic outcomes like automation (69%) and productivity (67%) are top priorities.
Cybersecurity is topic A: Some 59% of CIOs say it is the most influential factor in tech investments, and 81% rank it among their top strategic priorities.
Talent crisis exceeds technology gaps: Nearly three-fourths (72%) of CIOs say hiring and retaining skilled talent is their top issue, eclipsing cyber threats (49%) and tech integration (31%).
AI/ML dominates tech agenda: A staggering 86% of CIOs are prioritizing AI/ML technologies across departments.
Platform investments realign: CIOs are doubling down on ServiceNow Inc. (41%), Salesforce Inc. (38%), and Microsoft Azure (35%), while AWS, Cisco, and legacy vendors see cuts and consolidation.
Governance and risk management rise with AI: Concerns over data privacy (79%) and bias (57%) are prompting 68% of CIOs to implement formal AI governance strategies.
The findings come against a backdrop of unbridled AI-driven demand that has both captivated and confounded IT professionals who face pressure to adopt AI technology at a time when ransomware and data breaches are on the rise.
