Atera, the top AI platform for IT management, has unveiled its latest research on the evolving role of CIOs in the AI era. The Leading Enterprise IT with AI report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. enterprise IT leaders, highlights a seismic shift: CIOs are no longer just system overseers—they are central architects of enterprise transformation.
“AI may be transforming operations, but it’s IT leaders who are transforming the enterprise,” said Gil Pekelman, CEO of Atera. “The CIO mandate is now to lead enterprise IT with AI—driving measurable business value across the organization.”
CIO Roles Are Evolving at Warp Speed
According to the report, 63% of IT leaders say their roles have fundamentally changed due to AI. Traditional metrics like uptime or ticket resolution are no longer enough. Today, CIOs are measured by their ability to generate business value: 49% cite shaping strategy and translating AI into revenue and growth as a top responsibility, while 47% focus on orchestrating human-AI collaboration.
This evolution is not just strategic—it’s operational. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74%) believe AI could automate at least 41% of Tier-1 support tasks, freeing IT staff from repetitive troubleshooting and enabling faster, smarter decision-making across the enterprise.
AI’s Reach Extends Beyond IT
CIOs are increasingly stepping into enterprise-wide leadership roles. Survey participants reported their decision-making now encompasses customer experience (41%), HR (41%), finance (39%), ethics and compliance (39%), and operations (38%). AI is transforming IT from a cost center into a strategic hub that drives measurable outcomes across departments.
The adoption of AI outside IT is also surging: 71% of IT leaders report AI is now integrated into functions such as HR, operations, and finance. The impact is clear: respondents flagged operational efficiency (91%), employee productivity (91%), customer impact (92%), business growth (92%), and governance (90%) as key outcomes influenced by AI adoption.
Challenges in Ownership and Execution
Despite adoption gains, clarity and execution remain hurdles. Only 12% of organizations report fully standardized AI ownership, while 37% describe it as unclear. IT departments often share oversight with finance, HR, legal, and cybersecurity teams, creating fragmented initiatives without unified goals.
Execution complexity is another barrier: 67% of IT leaders find it moderately to extremely challenging to manage cross-functional AI initiatives while maintaining core IT operations. Organizations with vision often struggle to move beyond pilot projects due to gaps in structure, resources, or coordination.
Atera’s AI Solutions Lead the Charge
Atera is helping CIOs meet this new mandate through its AI agents, including AI Copilot, a technician-facing assistant, and IT Autopilot, an autonomous end-user support agent. The company reported a staggering 500% sales growth for these solutions in 2025 alone, underscoring the growing demand for AI-powered IT transformation.
The report paints a clear picture: AI is not just a tool—it’s a leadership revolution. CIOs who embrace cross-functional collaboration, clarify ownership, and integrate AI into both strategy and operations are poised to drive enterprise-wide impact, leaving reactive IT management in the rearview mirror.
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