IT will disappear from companies. They will be replaced by ET. Forecast for 2026 by the former head of IT at JP Morgan
The modern Chief Information Officer (CIO) will use AI not only to evaluate tools, but to design and implement results that actually strengthen the organization. Instead of relying on single SaaS providers, CIOs will integrate multiple LLM models, building solutions that address current challenges and anticipate future needs.
Their role in IT will no longer be limited to infrastructure management – it will become a key pillar of organizational intelligence, providing a competitive advantage in every area of activity. Artificial intelligence will define the CIO's role as a strategic business innovator, not just a technology operator.
Today's scattered SaaS solutions will be replaced by a coherent and optimized architecture supported by AI.
In the coming year, AI-powered platforms will significantly reduce the glut of SaaS tools and services by integrating dozens of specialized applications into unified, intelligent ecosystems. CIO (Chief Information Officer) and CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) they will stop managing a distributed collection of individual tools. Instead, they will run a smaller number of AI-first platforms capable of supporting multiple areas of the company's operations. This change means lower costs, less integration effort and greater security, but it will also require new governance models to ensure that consolidated systems do not become single points of failure.
CIOs will be required to apply the principles of responsible AI
Just as security and regulatory compliance have become mandatory elements of technology management, a responsible approach to AI will no longer be a choice but will become a necessity. CIOs will no longer be expected to merely declare AI implementation – they will be responsible for ensuring that models are transparent, understandable and free from harmful biases.
A governance framework that satisfies regulators, boards and customers will become a strategic priority, not just a legal requirement. They will cover the entire AI lifecycle – from data acquisition, through model training, to implementation and ongoing monitoring – with clearly defined responsibilities, regular audits and documented risk assessments.
Such a requirement will expand the CIO's role beyond technology to include ethics, trust and risk management, making responsible AI one of the key items on the CIO's 2026 agenda.
CIOs will become the main responsible for sustainable development in organizations
In 2026, CIOs will be responsible for technology-driven sustainable development. As organizations face increasing pressure from regulators, investors and customers to meet climate targets, CIOs will need to deliver AI-powered data, platforms and analyticsthat will make sustainable development measurable and achievable.
From optimizing cloud workloads to reduce energy consumption to applying advanced analytics that reduce supply chain emissions, CIOs will increasingly be at the center of corporate sustainability strategies. It's not just about compliance reporting, but about using technology so that sustainable development determines efficiency and competitive advantage.
