EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

However , we are at an inflexion point on the adoption curve where the application of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) has changed things rapidly and will demand more changes .

Firstly , it requires the entire business leadership to start thinking about the digital element of their business at the same time as they think about the underlying business . AI is not a technology that can be tacked on , it is just too expensive and unless leadership starts thinking digitally as they build their business plan , such an approach is doomed to failure .

The entire board needs to consider the digital portion of the business , in terms of expertise to deliver , the factory , production , the supply chain – the entire digital programme to deliver the product or service .

If the business isn ’ t looking inside asking ‘ how do we incorporate digital technology into the fundamental key ingredient of our product ’, then it ’ s always going to deliver late , underperform and be problematic .

needed vertical stacking to accommodate the engines and the rising drive belts for machinery . Electricity literally flattened the factory floor and allowed people like Henry Ford to develop modern production lines . Similarly , AI will have some unexpected impacts as it rolls out with mass adoption and development , and businesses must be ready for some friction along the way .

It is down to the CIO to deliver on that programme .

The CIO is no longer the arbiter of digital technology . The CIO role has evolved to become equal to the CFO and the CHRO and represents at its core – the money , the people and the technology that allows the executives to build whatever product or service they envision .

And businesses must be ready for failure . Looking back into previous industrial revolutions , few foresaw the impact of electrification on industry . Steam

The domain of the CIO , under the executive vision and decision , is actual core infrastructure realisation . The CIO will make informed decisions about the mix of on-premises , cloud services and Edge Computing , insourcing and outsourcing , with AI layers , making digital infrastructure choices that are resilient and yet flexible , that are future-proof and scalable .

Now , we are moving beyond the fourth industrial revolution . The CIO must become adept at deploying advanced technologies in the right form factor to achieve the strategic vision . p

Michael Winterson ,

Managing Director , European Data Centre Association ( EUDCA )

www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO EUROPE 33