Closer alignment between Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Information Officers (CIOs) will be critical to driving enterprise-wide artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and ensuring long-term digital transformation success, according to a new global study by cloud security and networking firm Netskope.
The research report, “Crucial Conversations: How to Achieve CIO–CEO Alignment in the Era of AI,” highlights that while CIOs are increasingly assuming broader strategic responsibilities beyond technology, many continue to face challenges in securing CEO buy-in and empowerment for key decisions.
Nearly two in five CIOs (39%) reported being misaligned with their CEOs on decision-making, and 31% said they were not confident they understood what their CEO expects from them. In addition, 34% said they do not feel empowered by their CEO to make long-term IT strategy decisions — a gap that risks slowing progress on AI and digital modernisation initiatives.
The research also found that modernisation funding remains a major hurdle. Only 36% of CIOs believe their organisation is investing adequately in updating IT infrastructure, while 41% said investment is falling short and 23% were unsure. About 26% of CIOs admitted they still struggle to get CEO support for transformation strategies.
“The CIO role is evolving faster than many organisations are prepared for,” said Mike Anderson, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Netskope. “Technical expertise alone is no longer enough. CIOs must now navigate complex stakeholder relationships, communicate in the language of business outcomes, and act as strategic partners at the top of the organisation.”
The study, based on interviews with 12 global CEOs and quantitative research with over 200 CIOs across the US and UK, shows that CEOs increasingly expect CIOs to balance innovation and cost efficiency — particularly when it comes to AI adoption. While CEOs are enthusiastic about AI’s potential to deliver measurable value, they want CIOs to take a rationale, outcome-focused approach rather than chase “shiny new technologies.”
According to the findings, CEOs are giving CIOs a “double-edged mandate” — integrating AI to drive measurable business value and operational efficiency, while simultaneously acting as gatekeepers against overspending. CIOs are also expected to ensure strong governance, compliance, and ethical oversight as AI becomes more deeply embedded in business processes.
The research reveals that CIOs’ responsibilities now extend into human capital planning and workforce strategy, as organisations increasingly deploy what the report calls “agentic AI workforces” — digital agents that augment or replace certain human functions. CIOs are now involved in overseeing AI performance, productivity, and ethical governance.
In this context, 37% of CIOs said that business strategy and stakeholder management have become more important than technical expertise in their role, underscoring the profession’s transition from operational management to strategic leadership.
The report also identifies six crucial conversation areas where better CEO–CIO dialogue can strengthen enterprise strategy: cost, risk, innovation, people, measurement, and the IT estate. It suggests that conversations around these themes will define how effectively organisations can modernise and leverage AI in the coming decade.
Experts quoted in the report noted that the most successful CIOs are those who can “speak the language of business value,” act as rational innovators, and bring transparency to how technology investments align with growth, resilience, and shareholder priorities.
“AI has accelerated the convergence of business and technology leadership,” Anderson added. “The organisations that get this partnership right will be the ones best positioned to innovate responsibly and maintain competitive advantage in the years ahead.”
Netskope’s Crucial Conversations report draws on expert validation from technology and business leaders, including current and former CIOs of AstraZeneca, Bayer AG, Commonwealth Bank, Heathrow Airport, and Tenet Healthcare, among others.
