With the expansion of AI, CIOs will be even more crucial from now on

Artificial intelligence is already redefining the role of CIOs and 2025 will be no different. In the coming year, technology will challenge these leaders in new ways while amplifying their relevance given the rapid pace of AI adoption – both internally and in the marketplace.

By 2025, I believe we will see two movements: organizations will apply artificial intelligence to an even greater number of areas – such as finance, customer service, logistics and manufacturing – and AI-driven decision-making will be adopted on an unprecedented scale across the economy.

With these expectations rising, it is no surprise that a recent survey from Salesforce revealed that more than half of CIOs (61%) feel they are expected to know more about artificial intelligence than they currently do, and 9% believe they know less than their peers at other companies.

However, the knowledge and confidence gap is not the only challenge. CIOs also need to focus on bridging the gap between data and insights – and this is where AI-based decision making becomes key.

AI GOVERNANCE: A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

In 2025, CIOs will face a central question: how to balance the power and potential of artificial intelligence with the need for regulation and compliance?

In this increasingly strategic role, these leaders will be at the center of the integration of AI systems, balancing innovation with governance, and taking a position even closer to the business areas.

Data and AI governance will be essential to ensure systems operate ethically and effectively, protecting both businesses and consumers

With artificial intelligence influencing decisions that affect everything from health outcomes to financial projections, companies need to ensure that the data feeding these systems is explainable, unbiased and compliant with regulatory standards. This is where governance becomes indispensable.

Data and AI governance will be essential to ensure systems operate ethically and effectively, protecting both businesses and consumers in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

The rise of CIOs as strategic, data-driven leaders, especially when dealing with the complexity of AI, reinforces their relevance in the future of technology governance. As decision automation advances, the big challenge will be to implement transparent and responsible practices.

For example, imagine an artificial intelligence-based hiring assistant designed to help recruiters find candidates and speed up interviews. Under the European Union's AI Law, such a system would be classified as high risk, due to the potential for biased decisions and the need to meet privacy and transparency regulations.

The challenge for CIOs is to manage the governance of complex AI systems while aligning them with the organization's objectives and regulatory requirements.

Now, imagine this on a large scale: thousands of similar systems operating on different cloud platforms within an organization, each with bias, operating with opaque algorithms or improperly handling sensitive data.

Without proper governance, this could result in legal breaches, reputational damage and operational chaos. The challenge for CIOs is clear: how to manage the governance of diverse and complex AI systems while aligning them with the organization's objectives and regulatory requirements?

RESPONSIBILITY: A CHALLENGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY

Companies that prioritize transparency, accountability and collaboration will be better positioned to seize the opportunities of artificial intelligence while mitigating risks. For CIOs, the real challenge – and opportunity – is achieving this balance: driving business results through AI while maintaining a solid foundation of governance. But how does this translate into practice?

With the rapid evolution of technology and the risks associated with unregulated use, governance has become an undeniable necessity

First, CIOs need to understand that by 2025, internal company pressures will accelerate the mandatory adoption of AI governance. This trend reflects the current scenario. With the rapid evolution of technology and the risks associated with unregulated use, governance has become an undeniable necessity.

Just as cloud adoption and data security have been regulated over the past decade, we are seeing the same pattern with artificial intelligence, driven by both regulatory advancements and internal pressures within organizations. Globally, regulatory structures aimed at technology governance are already emerging.

Companies that proactively implement data governance and AI, in addition to prioritizing decisions driven by these technologies, will not only stand out, but also ensure the success of their CIOs. In this way, these leaders will ensure a future in which transparency, accountability and governance are the foundation of the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. This is something we should all look forward to.