Gartner report AI must be a top priority for CIOs

During Gartner’s IT Symposium/Xpo 2023, analysts affirmed that AI and the emergence of generative AI (GenAI) are shifting how humans and machines interact and this is resulting in two key focus areas for CIOs as AI becomes an enterprise initiative, not just an IT initiative.

Gartner predicts that by 2025, GenAI will be a workforce partner for 90% of companies worldwide. Analysts confirmed that CIOs and IT executives have a major role in how they shape AI and how AI shapes us.

The IEEE recently conducted a study, finding that 65% of CTOs and CIOs believe AI will be the most important technology next year and will be used in diverse ways across the global economy. Leaders also reported that they will be focusing on AI applications and algorithms that can optimise data, perform complex tasks and make decisions with human-like accuracy. Potential applications include: 

• (54%) real-time cybersecurity vulnerability identification and attack prevention
• (35%) automating customer service
• (34%) speeding up candidate screening, recruiting and hiring time
• (32%) accelerating disease mapping and drug discovery
• (31%) automating and stabilising utility power sources

Survey participants were also asked what percentage of jobs across the global economy in 2024 will be augmented by AI-driven software, and 26-50% of jobs was cited by 41% of those surveyed. 28% cited 1-25% of jobs, another 26% cited 51-75% of jobs, and 5% cited 76-100% of jobs.

Eleanor Watson, AI ethics engineer and AI Faculty at Singularity University and IEEE member commented: “Presently, businesses cannot adapt quickly enough to new developments, and any initiatives they launch in AI are liable to be eclipsed by new releases in capability that render them meaningless. It's clear that there has been a growth in demand for machine learning and AI professionals in the last decade, which has accelerated greatly in the past year now that the power of generative AI is clear to the public.

“As ethical considerations surrounding AI become more prominent, it is important to take stock of where the recent developments have taken us, and to meaningfully choose where we want to go from here. The responsible future of AI requires vision, foresight, and courageous leadership that upholds ethical integrity in the face of more expedient options. Explainable AI, which focuses on making machine learning models interpretable to non-experts, is certain to become increasingly important as these technologies impact more sectors of society, and both regulators and the public demand the ability to contest algorithmic decision-making. Both of these subfields not only offer exciting avenues for technical innovation but also address growing societal and ethical concerns surrounding machine learning.”

Ayesha Iqbal, IEEE senior member and engineering trainer at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre added: "AI has significantly evolved in recent years, with applications in almost every business sector. However, there are some barriers preventing organisations and individuals from adopting AI, such as a lack of skilled individuals, complexity of AI systems, lack of governance, and fear of job replacement. With AI growing more rapidly than ever before, and already being tested and employed in education, healthcare, transportation, finance, data security, and more, it’s high time that the Government, tech leaders, and academia work together to establish standards and regulation for safe and responsible development of AI-based systems. This way, AI can be used to its full potential for the collective benefit of humanity."