Thinker, strategist, enterprise architect, keynote speaker, analyst, book author, futurist on IT, #cloud, #digitalworkplace, #cio. The Futurum Group and SDA Bocconi
How to plan for a new business technology operating model
https://www.cio.com/article/3961083/how-to-plan-for-a-new-business-technology-operating-model.html
As orgs look to reinvent themselves for the AI era, business leaders report moving toward tech operating models.
Just recorded Ep. 78 of Infrastructure Matters w/ my terrific co-hosts Camberley Bates +
@ctoadvisor
We talk major new blanket tariffs hitting most countries + dramatically altering tech budgets.
Also: My new CIO tariff playbook, IBM Cloud, Intel Guadi 3:
https://futurumgroup.com/webcasts/infrastructure-matters-webcast/
I've been tracking shadow IT since 2000, when it was 10%. Now it's over 50% of IT.
But shadow AI, which has grown like wildfire, is the most disruptive unsanctioned IT yet.
Organic adoption of AI now far out paces security + safety considerations.
https://www.ciodive.com/spons/the-rise-of-shadow-ai-and-regaining-control-of-software-spend/743265/
How Experian’s innovation lab fueled gen AI adoption.
A 15-year-old innovation lab enabled the credit reporting company to build hot new AI capabilities.
Was able to rely on an established research practice, which accelerated prototyping.
https://www.ciodive.com/news/experian-innovation-lab-generative-AI/743385/
Analytics and AI from Google Cloud will help Kyndryl drive mainframe modernization.
The partnership will help enterprises translate COBOL code to Java.
Despite a rush to the cloud, mainframes remain an integral part of the enterprise IT ecosystem.
https://www.ciodive.com/news/kyndryl-google-cloud-mainframe-modernization-gemini/743632/
Just recorded Ep. 77 of Infrastructure Matters with my co-hosts Camberley Bates and
@thectoadvisor.com
.
An off-beat news week, so we explored the latest shifts in the global tech scene including SAP, CoreWeave, private cloud, AI GPUs, and more!
All episodes: https://futurumgroup.com/webcasts/infrastructure-matters-webcast/
Hearing persistent but low-level reports of potential oversupply in AI infrastructure.
For example, Microsoft has recently canceled some data center leases.
But so far, I don't see any major pullback. It just unlocks badly needed capacity for AI firms.
CIOs today are beset by their legacy IT baggage. It's holding back cloud migration + AI transformation.
They must rigorously modernize old IT by migrating workloads cleanly to new platforms or properly upgrading to modern versions of existing systems.
https://www.cio.com/article/3853663/a-strategic-approach-to-legacy-platform-modernization.html
In an era of lightning fast change, Hiring for promise instead of skills can as much as double work effectiveness says research.
CIOs and CHROs must rethink hiring for those with the most adaptive potential as orgs undergo rapid AI transformation.
3 in 5 retail firms have deployed AI to prevent theft, fraud, errors.
Gap is scouting avenues where AI can boost its revenue, including CX and productivity enhancements.
Colgate is pursuing AI in revenue growth.
WestElm uses AI to curb headcount.
https://www.ciodive.com/news/williams-sonoma-AI-curb-headcount-growth-cost-savings/743203/
Interesting: 2 in 5 tech workers resigned last year due to hardline work policies
https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/24/2_in_5_techies_quit/
Large sample of tens of thousands of workers in 35 markets. For now, many tech workers can still write their ticket.
Implications for return-to-office.
At The Futurum Group, I regularly collect the latest #CIO insights in our Futurum Intelligence portal.
Here's the latest snapshot of the main concerns that CIOs have on executing well with AI.
Compliance rules the roost, then privacy, leaks, trust!
Retailers are deploy AI in pursuit of CX gains, loss prevention and personalization.
Many big names executing increasingly ambitious AI strategies.
But they grapple with integration, skills, and customer trust.
https://www.ciodive.com/news/retailer-ai-strategy-loss-prevention-customer-experience-data/742856/
Just recorded the latest episode of Infrastructure Matters with Camberley Bates and @ctoadvisor.
Naturally, #GTC25 was the big topic of discussion, along with Blackwell Ultra, the Token Economy, Mistral Small3.1, AWSCloud Trainium news, VC AI investment, and more.
Link soon!
New AI models from NVIDIA aim to ease AI agent development for enterprises.
The Llama Nemotron family is designed to provide enterprises with a foundation to create agentic capabilities.
And use hot new reasoning methods.
https://www.ciodive.com/news/Nvidia-gtc-llama-nemotron-model-family-ai-agent-development/742994/
The post-quantum cryptography countdown clock as has been started.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/20/ncsc_post_quantum_cryptogrpahy/
My take: The whole question on if there will be a quantum apocalypse in tech + IT is if there is a major qubit or other quantum capacity breakthrough. Then all bets are off.
“Being a CIO today has never been more powerful and energizing” - CIO Bryan Wise, who notes that the the influence of the role in the boardroom has never been higher.
Speaking of CUDA, at #GTC25, NVIDIA is clearly showing it has an AI stack for every major industry.
- NVIDIA is the rare tech giant great at hardware + software
- Most mature + complete AI offering
- Experts at developer mindshare
- Strongest network effect
With Windows 10 nearing end-of-support, CIOs must now decide whether to update their existing hardware or upgrade completely when shifting to Windows 11.
Investing in AI PCs now could get AI into the hands of workers faster, but at significant cost.