CIOs Resist AI Hard Sell as Adoption Tactics Shift

While AI’s potential is immense, the rush to adopt it has often led to unrealistic expectations. As the fever over artificial intelligence and generative AI (GenAI) begins to break, CIOs are taking a harder look at vendor claims of AI cure-alls.  

The release of ChatGPT generated a huge amount of industry and consumer hype around the technology as a game-changer for almost every industry, resulting in many vendors hawking it as the only solution to every problem. 

This may lead to CIO’s worrying they are being pulled in the direction of the latest trend, rather than investing in and pursuing the solution that is best for their specific organization and problem. 

Caroline Carruthers, CEO, Carruthers and Jackson, says the most important thing CIOs can do before jumping into AI is to have a strategy in place where they understand where they are now, and where they want to go.  

“It’s easy to feel like you need to act quickly, but taking the time to reflect and make your decision is important,” she says via email. “If the solution isn’t essential for your company, it won’t be a good deal.” 

She explains that some AI technology vendors will create a sense of urgency, making it seem like there is a need to decide immediately. “However, if a vendor is pressuring you, it’s important to step back and question why you’re being rushed,” Carruthers says. 

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She adds that leaders should always consider the purpose of what they’re going to use the technology for, and what they are hoping to get out of it. 

Then they must determine what metrics will demonstrate that it’s working, which means examining the starting point and where they are trying to get to. “Without answering these questions and having a clear strategy in mind, organizations risk rushing into the wrong decisions,” Carruthers says.  

Fernanda Doria, tech lead at Indicium, points out that CIOs are also focused on vendor reliability and support, wanting evidence of a vendor’s track record, consistent maintenance, and timely updates. 

“The cost and return on investment are crucial, as the financial implications must be justified with clear metrics demonstrating the AI solution’s business value,” she explains via email.  

Another concern is integration with existing systems: Organizations often rely on legacy systems, and CIOs worry about how well new AI solutions will work with their current IT infrastructure, as compatibility issues can result in disruption and increased costs. 

Assessing AI Clarity, Transparency  

Rob Harlow, chief innovation officer at Sopro, explains via email that CIOs should emphasize the importance of a solution that meets immediate needs and aligns with long-term strategic goals. “This clarity helps manage vendor expectations and underscores the importance of compliance and efficiency over just innovation,” he says.  

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To assess the transparency of an AI solution, CIOs must understand the details around how a model arrives at its results and how the quality of these are maintained -- both from internal sources from the vendor and case studies and conversations with other real-world users.  

Factors including an explanation of the AI’s decision-making process, the origin and quality of the training data, and the measures taken to prevent bias are crucial, as is compliance with legal and ethical standards. “I can’t think of a time where ‘hallucination’ -- basically making things up -- has been an accepted part of technology, and while AI is very exciting, it still needs to grow up before becoming truly commonplace,” Harlow says.  

Ram Ramamoorthy, director of AI research at ManageEngine and Zoho Labs, adds that companies should focus on specific, measurable outcomes rather than being persuaded by broad, ambitious claims. 

This means asking the right questions, such as: How will AI tools integrate with existing systems, what kind of data will it require, when will the AI system start delivering meaningful results, and what is the expected ROI? 

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“Transparency and clarity from vendors can help ensure that AI deployments are successful and sustainable in the long term,” Ramamoorthy says via email.  

He adds that it is important for CIOs to approach AI with a balanced perspective as they begin implementing it into their businesses. “The hype surrounding AI, fueled by aggressive vendor marketing, can obscure the reality that AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Ramamoorthy says. 

From Doria’s perspective, balancing vendor pressure with the need for thorough evaluation requires a structured approach. “Firstly, I establish a clear evaluation framework that outlines our objectives and criteria for the assessment, ensuring we maintain focus and consistency throughout the process,” she says.  

Engaging cross-functional teams allows her to bring diverse perspectives into the evaluation, ensuring all aspects are thoroughly covered. “This collaboration ensures all relevant stakeholders have input, reducing the influence of any single vendor,” she explains.  

Conducting proof-of-concept trials helps validate vendor claims in real-world scenarios -- a hands-on approach enables Doria to assess the solution’s fit for the company’s needs before making a commitment. 

“I communicate transparently with vendors about our evaluation timeline and criteria, reinforcing that our due diligence is in the organization's best interest,” she says. 

Lastly, by emphasizing continuous improvement, the company can remain flexible to new partnerships while still adhering to necessary evaluation standards. 

Engaging With Peers, Anticipating Challenges  

According to Carruthers, it’s important to engage with peers and network to gain insights into real-world developments and trends. 

“CIOs need to maintain a balanced perspective, with input from various sources to avoid being too swayed by the AI hype,” she says.  

She cautions that being at the forefront of adopting any new technology can lead to some negative consequences. 

When introducing new technology, there will inevitably be a period of change, adoption, and transformation, which can bring its challenges. 

“However, the goal is for the positives to outweigh the negatives, and it’s important to recognize that adopting any new technology, including AI, involves balancing the potential benefits with the inherent risks and adjustments,” Carruthers says.