Chief information officers (CIOs) have put the priority on cybersecurity investments, with 80% emphasizing this area, according to a new survey from Gartner.
Gartner’s annual global survey, which collected responses from 2,457 CIOs spanning 84 countries, highlighted a notable trend: 45% of CIOs are collaborating with their CxO peers to unify IT and business staff, aiming to jointly spearhead digital projects across their organizations.
Closely following cybersecurity investments are business intelligence/data analytics (78%), cloud platforms (73%), and AI/machine learning (73%). Other areas of priority include application modernization (68%), integration technologies/APIs/API architecture (67%), and total experience solutions (58%).
Additionally, while 40% of respondents anticipate a decrease in their investment in legacy infrastructure and data center technologies, 27% are considering increasing their investments.
Digital Delivery and GenAI
The survey data underscores the growing influence of Generative AI (GenAI) in democratizing digital delivery.
While only 9% of CIOs have currently implemented GenAI technologies, 55% plan to do so within the next two years. This progression follows the trend of 64% of CIOs who have adopted or aim to adopt low-code platforms within the same timeframe.
Empowering Business via Franchising
Gartner’s findings segmented CIOs into three distinct profiles based on their approach to scaling digital delivery:
- Operators (55%): CIOs who retain digital delivery control and partner with CxOs for business digital initiatives.
- Explorers (33%): CIOs beginning to involve CxO and business staff in digital projects.
- Franchisers (12%): CIOs who share leadership, delivery, and governance of digital projects with CxOs.
Notably, the "franchiser" model appears to have the upper hand in delivering successful digital outcomes. In the franchise framework, both CIOs and CxOs are accountable for technology governance.
Gartner VP and analyst Janelle Hill noted:
“Franchisers who develop a co-governance mindset work alongside CxOs to manage cybersecurity and data privacy – two areas that have traditionally been part of the CIO’s oversight.”
