AI saddles CIOs with new make-or-break expectations

CIOs and other IT leaders are experiencing a make-or-break moment as they face major new expectations in their roles, including the ability to lead change and build AI-ready teams . IT leadership experts have been talking for years about the need for CIOs to focus on business results, in addition to providing technical expertise and keeping IT systems running. Those expectations remain, with 79% of IT leaders surveyed by Deloitte listing driving business outcomes as their top priority, a change from back-office upkeep to creating enterprise value. But the 2026 Global Leadership Technology Study from Deloitte, based on surveys of more than 660 senior IT executives, finds new and expanding expectations for CIOs and other IT leaders, including AI and data fluency, change leadership capabilities, and the ability to build AI teams. To fulfill those growing expectations, IT leaders also face significant headwinds. While 81% of those surveyed say they’re confident in their organization’s abil