By Holt Hackney
As CIOs look toward 2026, the mandate is getting sharper, and heavier. Technology leaders are being asked to deliver AI-driven innovation, enterprise resilience, and measurable growth at a time when budgets and headcount are not expanding at the pace many expected. A newly published study from Info-Tech Research Group makes clear that the era of experimentation is ending. What comes next is execution, discipline, and proof of value.
Info-Tech’s CIO Priorities 2026 report draws on survey data, diagnostic benchmarks, and in-depth interviews with IT executives to outline the capabilities CIOs must strengthen to succeed in a technology-first organization. While AI remains central to enterprise strategy, the report finds that CIO success in 2026 will hinge less on adoption and more on disciplined value delivery, proactive risk management, and stronger data and financial foundations.
“CIOs are no longer being judged on whether they can adopt AI, but on whether they can prove its value,” said Brian Jackson, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group. “In 2026, credibility will be earned through execution discipline.”
Specifically, the report identifies five priorities shaping CIO agendas in 2026:
- Maximize AI Investments With a Focus on Value Streams
Info-Tech’s data shows that more than three-quarters of CIOs expect their organizations to have invested in agentic AI by the end of 2026, with adoption highest among higher-maturity organizations. However, enterprise architecture remains one of the largest capability gaps, with IT leaders rating its importance at 8.7 out of 10 while effectiveness lags at 6.3. The report emphasizes that AI value realization depends on redesigning operating models around business value streams, strengthening enterprise architecture, and aligning people, processes, and governance to support scalable AI deployment. - Prepare for the Unknown With a Proactive Risk Practice
CIOs rank AI and emerging technologies as the top disruptor to their organizations over the next 12 months, followed closely by cybersecurity incidents and regulatory change. Despite this, only 6% of CIOs report that accountability for enterprise governance, risk, and compliance is shared across multiple executives. Nearly three-quarters of higher-maturity organizations have fully integrated enterprise risk management practices, compared to just one-quarter of lower-maturity peers. Info-Tech’s report highlights the need for CIOs to shift risk management from reactive, siloed processes to foresight-driven, cross-functional practices. - Empower Domain Experts With Data Accountability
Data governance is the single largest capability gap identified across Info-Tech’s IT Management and Governance Diagnostic, with a 2.8-point gap between importance and effectiveness. While 72.5% of IT leaders report current investment in data management solutions, governance maturity continues to lag. The report calls for federated data operating models that assign accountability to domain experts while maintaining centralized standards, enabling AI readiness, improving data quality, and unlocking cross-domain insights without sacrificing control. - Don’t Lose the Cyber Arms Race
As cyber threats scale with AI, the firm’s survey data shows that IT security is the most common area where IT organizations are acquiring or considering AI solutions. IT leaders who prioritize AI in cybersecurity report significantly higher confidence in their ability to detect and respond to AI-powered attacks. However, the report cautions that overreliance on automation without observability, governance, and human oversight can introduce new risks, reinforcing the need for balanced, intelligence-led security operations. - Run IT by the Numbers
Info-Tech’s CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic reveals a growing optimism gap between CIOs and their executive peers. While 34% of CIOs expect large IT budget increases, only 27% of executives share that expectation. This disconnect underscores the need for stronger IT financial management, including cost attribution, transparency, and value-based funding models. The report positions financial discipline as essential for funding high-impact digital and AI initiatives without relying on assumed budget growth.
“These priorities reflect a shift in how IT is expected to operate,” Jackson said. “CIOs can no longer function as service providers. They are being asked to act as value architects, making outcomes visible, measurable, and repeatable across the enterprise.”
For CIOs heading into 2026, the message is clear: adoption is no longer enough. Execution, credibility, and value will define the leaders who earn continued trust and investment.