CIOs report growing gap between business leadership and technology strategy

A new report, the Experis 2026 CIO Outlook by ManpowerGroup, reveals a widening gap between business executives and technology leaders. According to the study, which surveyed nearly 2,000 technology leaders across 12 developed economies, 61% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) admit their administrations do not fully understand their roles or technical requirements, an increase from 49% the previous year.

For the first time, aligning technological strategy with corporate objectives has surpassed cybersecurity as the primary priority for CIOs, cited by 48% of respondents. However, the perception of effective alignment has dropped to 77%. The rapid pace of technical change is now identified as the largest management barrier for 44% of those surveyed.

Experts suggest that while top leadership does not need to master technical details, they must understand strategic potential, analyze risks, and create conditions for technology to generate value. This is particularly critical in small and medium-sized enterprises where decision-making is often concentrated among a few managers. Furthermore, data indicates a disconnect between individual productivity and organizational results: while 80% of participants in a McKinsey survey reported individual productivity gains from AI, only 37% identified a positive contribution to their organization's operational results.