Tech Executives Face Shifting Roles Amid AI Adoption

A new Akkodis report shows chief technology officers’ confidence in scaling artificial intelligence has fallen to 48 % for 2026, down from 82 % in 2024, even as AI adoption accelerates. Executives cite integration complexity, governance and workforce trust as major barriers, with only 44 % believing leadership understands AI and 46 % having responsible‑AI frameworks. Innovation, not efficiency, now drives digital investment, and “agentic AI” – systems that plan, decide and execute tasks – is identified by 40 % of CTOs as the top impact trend.

In a separate Softtek study, chief information officers are moving from back‑office operators to strategic partners directly accountable for business value. CIOs are now measured on digital revenue, margin improvement and cost reduction, with AI acting as the catalyst that forces them to co‑design business models, reshape talent, and integrate governance from the design stage. The report emphasizes close collaboration with CEOs and CFOs and the need for CIOs to make economic decisions rather than merely manage technology.