Business leaders expect AI to work miracles within their security teams, adding to the pressure on already under-skilled and understaffed security professionals, a new study says.
A report from IDC and Expereo found that 60% of CIOs say including AI in their security strategy has improved their personal reputation, but 47% also say their board has unrealistic expectations of the technology.
However, while improving their personal reputation could be a positive, 39% of respondents said their high profile made their job more stressful.
Anxiety about AI
Some companies are considering introducing a “Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer” to manage the implementation of AI technologies and the opportunities and benefits they offer, but 40% of respondents believe the CAIO role would gradually absorb many of the CIO’s responsibilities within two years.
A further 38% also fear that AI could potentially replace their role, or a role within their team, and is not just reserved for IT roles, with 46% saying jobs outside of the IT sector are at risk of being replaced by automation.
“Technology leaders are at the forefront of driving innovation and transformation across their organizations, but they also face significant challenges and pressures from the business and the board,” said Expereo CEO Ben Elms.
“It is critical that CIOs align with their CEOs to ensure they receive the right support from their stakeholders, teams and external partners, to help them make the most of a challenging but exciting technology landscape.”
AI presents positive opportunities and business leaders remain optimistic about the future of the technology. 68% of business leaders said this is the most exciting time to be in their role, and an additional 71% believe their current technology strategy will support growth and efficiency gains.
But with these opportunities, the role of technology leaders is expected to expand to encompass more responsibilities within businesses, such as orchestrating digital transformation and discovering ways to generate digital revenue to justify the return on investment (ROI) of budget increases. The report also found that currently, only 7% of respondents have to justify the ROI of budget increases, but this figure is expected to rise to 12% within two years.
