FEATURE: CIO PRIORITIES
FOR CIOS, THE FIRST STEP MUST THEREFORE BE TO BUILD A ROBUST AI-READY DATA FOUNDATION.
trusted data platform as the foundation. High-quality, governed data with clear lineage is what enables AI-driven solutions to deliver meaningful, accurate outcomes. This is critical to avoiding the risks of‘ hallucinations’ or poor recommendations. A trusted data ecosystem is also key to operational resilience in a landscape where speed can easily outpace control.
Beyond that, CIOs are finding real value in scalable, modular, API-driven architectures. These enable organisations to innovate rapidly while maintaining flexibility to adapt as technologies and regulations evolve.
Especially here in the Middle East, where government AI strategies, Vision 2030, and evolving customer expectations are creating tremendous momentum, that architectural agility is proving critical to staying relevant.
The next level of maturity beyond this would be financial modelling and DevSecFinOps practices. By embedding financial discipline, security, and governance into every innovation programme from the start, they ensure resources are allocated wisely, risks are minimised and resilience is baked in.
The CIO today is more than a technology custodian. They’ re a key enabler of the business, orchestrating cross-functional collaboration, keeping the customer at the centre, and ensuring innovation doesn’ t come at the expense of resilience. p
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