Artificial intelligence is changing the priorities of technology leaders in companies. Aligning IT strategy with business goals has become the top priority for CIOs, surpassing even cybersecurity. This is reflected in the CIO Outlook 2026 report by Experis, based on a survey of 1,930 CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and other technology leaders from 12 countries conducted between January 28 and March 4, 2026.
The key points of the new CIO role in 20 seconds
- 48% consider alignment between technology and business a priority, up from 34% in 2025.
- 54% state that their AI investments are already generating positive returns.
- 44% cite the pace of technological change as their main barrier.
- Cybersecurity, AI, and cloud computing are the most demanded technical capabilities.
- 81% see digital sovereignty as a priority, although there is increased reliance on offshore and nearshore services.
This shift does not mean that cybersecurity concerns have diminished. In fact, it continues to attract investment and remains one of the top technological skills sought by IT leaders. What is changing is the expectations of the CIO: maintaining infrastructure, protecting systems, or managing tech projects is no longer enough. Every investment must be connected to results that can be explained to the rest of the leadership team.
The arrival of AI is accelerating this transformation. Companies have moved from experimenting with pilot projects to evaluating how much money they generate, how much they save, and which processes can truly be changed.
AI enters the phase where results must be demonstrated
The most telling statistic in the report is likely related to the return on AI investments.
54% of technology decision-makers state they have already achieved positive returns from their AI investments. At the same time, 51% believe their current level of investment is appropriate, while 31% think organizations are spending too much and 18% have yet to establish a clear stance.
There is also an apparent contradiction: only 17% consider delivering AI solutions one of the CIO’s main responsibilities.
The explanation lies in how this technology is starting to permeate organizations. AI is increasingly moving from isolated projects within the tech department to being integrated into customer service, operations, software development, data analysis, and automation processes.
Six out of ten respondents are already implementing AI technologies within their current systems. The 34% point to automation and AI-based solutions, including chatbots and robotic process automation (RPA), as the technologies with the highest returns in production.
However, traditional infrastructure still holds significant weight. 41% continue to view cloud computing and scalable digital infrastructure as the main drivers of return on investment.
Therefore, AI is not replacing existing tech priorities but adding new workloads, integration needs, and expectations for an infrastructure capable of supporting them.
The main challenge is now keeping pace with technology
The speed at which new technologies emerge is creating difficulties within companies.
44% of tech leaders identify staying up-to-date with change as their primary business barrier, ten percentage points higher than the 34% recorded in 2025.
Geographical differences are significant. According to the chart included in the report, this concern reaches 63% in Israel, 57% in Sweden, and 56% in both Switzerland and Norway. Spain appears with 43%, nearly aligned with the global average.
Other issues include justifying the value of tech initiatives, mentioned by 26%; managing internal resistance, at 25%; dealing with legacy systems, and cybersecurity incidents, both at 22%.
This combination helps explain part of the CIO’s transformation. Tech leaders need to understand new tools but also decide which make sense for the organization and which might just be costly projects without sufficient outcomes.
The pressure is increasing because this role is not always well understood at the executive level. 61% of tech leaders believe other senior executives lack sufficient awareness of the CIO’s role and responsibilities, compared to 49% in 2025.
Cybersecurity, AI, and cloud drive demand for professionals
The rise of AI, according to the study, is not leading to a widespread disappearance of traditional tech roles.
Experis notes that the reduction in staff associated with AI has decreased since 2025. Companies are mainly opting to incorporate AI skills into existing roles, combine technological expertise with a more strategic perspective, and increase versatility among certain profiles.
Human oversight remains part of this model.
The challenge is finding professionals with the necessary skills. Cybersecurity emerges as the most demanded tech skill, mentioned by 46% of respondents. It’s followed by artificial intelligence and machine learning at 37%, and cloud computing at 31%.
Next are collaboration and teamwork, and software development, both at 22%, DevOps at 20%, adaptability and continuous learning at 17%, and problem-solving at 16%.
These percentages also show that demand is not limited to specialists capable of developing AI models. Organizations need to protect, integrate, run AI on appropriate infrastructure, and find professionals capable of working across different areas.
The paradox of digital sovereignty
The report highlights another relevant tension for tech departments.
81% of IT leaders consider digital sovereignty a high priority, understood as the ability to maintain control over data, infrastructure, hardware, and software.
However, 67% expect to increase their reliance on offshore or nearshore services in 2026.
Companies want greater control over their technology and data but simultaneously need access to professionals, infrastructure, and services outside their immediate environment. Balancing these needs is not always easy.
Security remains a budget concern. 72% say their risk strategy aligns with cybersecurity preparedness, down from 77% in 2025. Additionally, 72% conduct regular security training, compared to 74% previously.
The message from CIO Outlook 2026 is less technological than a report driven by AI innovation might suggest. The challenge is no longer just accessing AI, cloud, automation, or new platforms but making those investments work within real companies and produce measurable results.
This requires CIOs to occupy a space increasingly close to the business side. Deciding what technology to buy remains part of the role. Explaining why a technology is purchased, what problem it solves, how it’s integrated, and what return it produces is becoming just as important.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main priority for CIOs in 2026?
According to Experis, 48% see the main contribution of the CIO as aligning the technological strategy with business objectives. In 2025, that figure was 34%.
Are companies getting ROI from their AI investments?
54% of surveyed tech leaders state their AI investments are already yielding positive returns, although 31% believe they are currently investing too much.
What tech profiles are most sought after by companies?
Cybersecurity leads the demand with 46%, followed by AI and machine learning at 37%, and cloud computing at 31%.
What worries Spanish CIOs the most?
The report indicates that 43% of Spanish tech leaders see keeping pace with technological change as one of their main challenges.
via: CIO Outlook 2026
