
A new global study underscores a growing disconnect between corporate leaders and their technology chiefs—a divide that could slow enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence.
According to a survey commissioned by cybersecurity vendor Netskope, Crucial Conversations: How to Achieve CIO–CEO Alignment in the Era of AI, nearly four in ten CIOs (39%) say they are misaligned with their CEOs on strategic decisions. Another 31% admit they aren’t confident they know what their CEO expects of them.
The result: one-third of CIOs feel disempowered to make long-term IT strategy decisions, even as organizations press forward with ambitious AI agendas.
The Expanding Role of the CIO
The study paints a complex picture of the CIO’s expanding role in 2025. Once confined to back-office technology operations, today’s CIOs are expected to act as co-strategists—shaping workforce policy and innovation frameworks. But this broader responsibility often comes without a matching level of executive support.
“CIOs are being asked to lead the AI charge while managing costs and risk,” said Mike Anderson, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Netskope. “But technical mastery isn’t enough anymore. To succeed, CIOs must navigate complex stakeholder relationships and communicate in the language of business outcomes.”
A Strategic Gap at the Top
The tension between CEOs and CIOs is particularly visible around investment priorities. Only 36% of CIOs say their organizations are investing enough to modernize IT infrastructure, while 41% believe spending needs to rise. A further 26% report difficulty convincing their CEO to fund modernization or transformation projects.
This investment lag carries consequences. Many AI initiatives rely on advanced, cloud-ready infrastructure capable of handling massive data flows. Without it, AI projects risk remaining prototypes rather than revenue drivers.
CEOs, meanwhile, are cautious of overspending and are pushing CIOs to integrate AI responsibly—focusing on measurable business value rather than chasing hype. The report suggests this dual mandate can easily lead to friction: CIOs are encouraged to innovate yet constrained by cost controls that limit experimentation.
Six Conversations That Define the Relationship
Netskope’s research identifies six “crucial conversations” that determine whether the CEO–CIO partnership fuels progress or stalls it. Each area reveals a flashpoint of differing expectations:
- Cost: CEOs often rely on their CIOs to act as reality checks, assessing whether tech investments truly deliver value.
- Risk: Executives expect CIOs to serve as trusted lieutenants who can gauge when to flag emerging threats.
- Innovation: CIOs must translate bold ideas into manageable, safe pilots that yield fast learnings without jeopardizing operations.
- People: With AI reshaping workflows, CIOs are now co-owners of workforce strategy alongside HR leaders, using automation that augments rather than replaces human capability.
- Measurement: CEOs confess difficulty evaluating the ROI of technology strategy—a challenge intensified by fast-moving AI developments.
- IT Estate: Many CEOs still see IT systems as an opaque “black box,” emphasizing the need for transparency around modernization plans.
As Louise Leavey, a CIO in the financial services sector, noted, “Trust is currency. CEOs must understand not just that we’re secure, but how security supports resilience and reputation.”
From Technologist to Strategist
The report’s data shows that 37% of CIOs now consider business strategy and stakeholder management more important to their role than technical expertise. Many have taken ownership of operational functions beyond IT, ranging from digital innovation to ethical AI governance. Yet without consistent CEO engagement, even highly capable CIOs risk being sidelined in crucial corporate decisions.
Industry veterans agree that alignment requires continual dialogue. “The more proactive and consistent the CIO and their teams are, the less ‘air gap’ exists between IT and the business,” said Paola Arbour, EVP and CIO at Tenet Healthcare.
The Stakes for AI Strategy
As organizations race to scale AI, this leadership divide has real consequences. Misalignment at the top can cause strategic drift, such as projects that lack clarity of purpose, inconsistent funding, or poor integration with core business priorities. Conversely, firms where CEOs and CIOs operate in lockstep tend to move faster, adopt AI more responsibly, and achieve clearer returns on investment.
Netskope’s report frames the moment as both a warning and an opportunity. For AI transformation to succeed, technology leadership must be seen not as a cost center, but as a cooperative effort aimed at competitive corporate strategy.
“AI is forcing companies to rethink what partnership at the top really means,” said Netskope’s Anderson. “Those that master that conversation will lead the next wave of digital growth.”