EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
HOW CAN THE CIO ROLE ADAPT TO ADVANCES IN AI ?
We had a strong response to this question and one theme ran clear – the need for CIOs to serve as ‘ educators ’ in keeping AI real where so much of its application is defined by perception .
That leaves CIOs treading a fine line between promoting the business potential value of AI without fuelling accompanying fears .
One slip sends the CIO sprawling into that pit where paranoia feeds off . . . perception .
But the truth is , we ’ ve been here before . Lisp . . . Deep Blue . . . Watson . . . .
The savvy CIO shouldn ’ t be pushed into a rush toward AI adoption .
They ’ ll be working with peers on AI business plans that can keep pace as the tech advances rather than trying to get ahead .
Janelle B . Hill , Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner , was pitching this very point back in 2017 , when AI was still thought of being at the breakthrough stage .
In an article The CIO ’ s Journey to Artificial Intelligence , Hill said AI requires new skills and a new way of thinking about problems – with CIOs ensuring that IT owns the strategy and governance of AI solutions . AI has not just broken through now , it ’ s off and running . Taking the role of the CIO with it .
Hill ’ s 2017 summation is still worth thinking on as new horizons turn heads . Here ’ s the final two responses to our question .
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