Global business has never been more complex. Tariffs, regional regulatory differences, and ongoing supply chain disruptions continue to pose challenges for companies with international operations. At the 2025 Forbes CIO Summit, leaders from AMD, Cisco, and other companies shared how CIOs can keep their organizations nimble, compliant, and competitive in a landscape that shifts faster than ever.
Across multiple panels, one message stood out: infrastructure, AI, and talent strategy are now inseparable from business success.
Infrastructure as a business value engine
A recent MIT study found that only around 5% of agentic AI initiatives are successful – a clear signal that organizations need strategic partnerships, governance frameworks, and a path from experimentation to scale.
AMD sees a consistent pattern: start small, prove value, then scale. Success depends on alignment across stakeholders, especially when ethics, security, and compliance are involved.
“You need to bring the key stakeholders along, especially when you’re rooted in ethics, security, and compliance,” said Philip Guido, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer at AMD.
Building the workforce of the future
Speed matters. But so does having the right skills to manage new technologies. IT teams are shifting toward a builder culture, with deeper specialization and stronger cross-functional collaboration.
CIOs at the Summit discussed the importance of aligning strategies, workloads, and talent models – not just for today, but for what the workforce needs to look like in the years ahead.
“Buckle up; it’s going to be a fascinating ride,” Guido commented.
Answering CIO questions about agentic AI
Agentic AI took center stage as one of the most widely discussed opportunities and challenges in enterprise technology. Panelists defined agents as “digital workers” who are already integrating into workflows across various industries.
From healthcare to financial services, the potential is enormous – but only if governance scales along with adoption. The consensus: governance isn’t a blocker; it’s what enables safe and accelerated innovation.
Practical strategies for enterprise AI success
While enthusiasm for AI remains sky-high, most organizations are still struggling to translate pilots into impact. According to MIT research highlighted at the Summit, more than 90% of generative AI pilots have yet to deliver measurable returns.
To flip that statistic, panelists emphasized the need to connect data strategy directly to technology strategy. Trustworthy, well-governed data is foundational to the success of AI.
Preparing for what comes next
Forward-looking CIOs can’t just focus on the “now” problems. They must plan for the next wave of disruption – from the next generation of AI to quantum networking. The biggest lessons from the 2025 Forbes CIO Summit came down to a unified set of priorities:
- Scale infrastructure to match transformation ambitions
- Invest in governance to ensure safe and responsible innovation
- Strengthen the talent model and cross-team collaboration
- Treat data as a strategic asset, not just an operational one
Today’s CIOs aren’t just technology leaders – they are business transformation leaders. And in this era of rapid change, the groundwork they lay now will determine whether their organizations thrive tomorrow.