The technology outlook for the year suggests CIOs will be able to retain their status within the board of directors. The role technology leaders play in strategic decision making has become determinant for enterprise success.
One of the ways CIOs counsel their organizations is through vendor selection. Just a few weeks into 2026 providers have already expanded their roster of AI and cloud services, including a targeted focus on sovereign cloud with offerings from IBM and AWS. The blitz of new services is sure to land on CIOs’ desks as companies look for automation use cases across workflows.
Skills, too, are top of mind. The influx of AI tools is raising questions about the longevity of current IT titles and job responsibilities, opening up a critical role for upskilling to help fill key gaps. Infrastructure that can power AI, including the rise of neoclouds, are also on the docket in 2026.
CIO Dive will spend much of the year covering these and other critical areas for technology decision-makers. Here are three stories that highlight key agenda items for CIOs in 2026:
