9. Commit to innovation
In 2025, a CIO’s top priority should be leveraging emerging technologies — particularly AI — to drive organizational agility, innovation, and resilience, advises Tim Barnett, CIO at payments and data security firm Bluefin.
The pace of change in the global market and technology landscape demands organizations that can adapt quickly. “Agility and innovation are no longer competitive advantages — they’re necessities,” Barnett states. AI, in particular, is poised to redefine how businesses operate, compete, and grow.
“On the positive side, AI is what the military would call a force multiplier,” Barnett says. “It amplifies capabilities across the board, enabling automation of complex processes, deeper insights from massive datasets, and real-time decision-making at a scale and speed previously unimaginable,” he explains. “However, increased reliance on AI also necessitates modernized cybersecurity and resilience strategies, as these systems become vital — and attractive — targets for sophisticated threats, including AI-enabled phishing and other advanced attack vectors.”
