Unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence

Joel Carusone at Ninja One explores a challenge and an opportunity for CIOs

 

CIOs find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. The rapid advancement of AI has reshaped the operational landscape for businesses. According to a recent McKinsey report, the adoption of AI is happening nearly twice as fast as it did for the internet and personal computers over the same timeframe.

As AI adoption grows, it places new demands on IT departments. To fully unlock AI’s potential, CIOs must ensure their company’s underlying technology environment is robust, secure, and scalable. This means not just integrating AI but also continuing to manage the complexity that comes with an expanding tech stack, IT skills gaps, and a distributed workforce. 

 

This already represents a challenge, with 75% of CIOs reporting difficulty balancing AI usage in the enterprise with existing IT operational excellence demands. These issues will only increase with more scrutiny on IT budgets.

While demands constantly evolve, some realities have become clear. CIOs cannot solve these issues on their own. They must empower IT leaders and teams, streamline critical processes, and provide the resources and strategic guidance needed to achieve their goals. Success hinges on three key takeaways:

 

 

AI strategy is a C-level responsibility

AI is no longer an isolated technology. It is now deeply embedded into the foundation of modern business operations. With this integration, CIOs and other leaders will increasingly be held accountable for AI-driven outcomes, both positive and negative. 

 

Since AI is no longer a niche concern delegated to IT specialists, the responsibility also falls on executive leadership to understand AI strategies and ensure they are both robust and impactful.

 

CIOs must move beyond fragmented approaches and instead champion AI initiatives that unify various departments. AI implementation should break down silos, foster interdepartmental collaboration, and align with overarching business objectives. 

 

From governance frameworks to ethical considerations, a well-structured strategy will be instrumental in ensuring responsible and effective AI deployments. CIOs who proactively address AI complexities will not only mitigate risk but also position their organisations for sustainable innovation.

 

 

Balancing differentiation with resilience

While technological advancements provide a competitive advantage, innovation must not come at the cost of security and stability. The urge to use AI everywhere should be balanced with a commitment to fundamental IT and security best practices.

 

In a fast-evolving digital ecosystem, strong data management underpins resilience. Backups, cloud storage, rigorous data audits, and automated device management are the foundation of a sustainable technology strategy.

 

However, they must be incorporated with an understanding of the current and future technology landscape. For example, the growth of SaaS applications and connected devices means IT teams must implement solutions that support not just these endpoints but also the users behind them.

 

With the right strategies in place, CIOs can drive innovation while safeguarding their organisations from potential vulnerabilities such as unpatched systems, shadow applications and unauthorised access. A balanced approach – one that fosters both technological curiosity and operational stability – will be key to long-term success.

 

 

Addressing IT team challenges

IT teams remain stretched thin, and this strain will only intensify over the next months. With IT managers often expected to oversee thousands of devices and applications, CIOs must act as advocates for their teams to senior leadership.

 

The fact is, introducing AI or any other technology into the mix will not single-handedly solve IT’s challenges. However, the strategic implementation of automation can alleviate much of the burden associated with routine, time-consuming tasks.

 

Automation, particularly in areas such as configurations, installations, monitoring, endpoint management and network operations, has the potential to improve consistency, reduce human error, and free up IT professionals to focus on strategic work. With these automation-driven efficiencies, CIOs can enhance productivity, reduce burnout, and create a more agile IT environment. 

 

 

The road ahead

Over the near future, CIOs and their peers should focus on empowering IT managers, allowing them to integrate AI capabilities into broader business objectives where appropriate, while also maintaining stability and security of critical systems.

 

By taking a proactive, strategic approach to AI, these months can be a time of business transformation, efficiency and long-term company success.

 

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Joel Carusone is SVP Data and AI at NinjaOne 

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and Thinkhubstudio