CIOs Must Build People Strategy to Scale AI, Executives Say
Technology leaders are shifting focus beyond infrastructure. CIOs at major companies say scaling artificial intelligence depends less on systems and more on workforce skills, culture, and how organizations prepare employees for change.
The message came through clearly at the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where executives discussed the interconnected demands of people, process, and technology as AI reshapes business operations.
"AI is going to scale with people, systems and workflows," said Mojgan Lefebvre, chief technology and operations officer at Travelers.
The 1:3 Spending Ratio
Monica Caldas, executive vice president and global CIO at Liberty Mutual, pointed to research suggesting a specific investment model: for every dollar spent on AI technology, companies should allocate $3 to people-related initiatives.
Caldas saw this ratio play out in her own organization. "In the areas we've deployed AI that are most successful are where we've spent a lot of time on the culture, the skills, the people, the championing of the work," she said.
This mirrors earlier technology transitions - mobile, cloud, digital transformation - but carries different weight. AI operates as a digital workforce, directly affecting how departments function and how executives make decisions.
Redefining Skills and Hiring
PwC identified 15 human-centric skills needed to advance AI: coaching, agility, judgment, and empathy alongside technical capabilities.
Rod Adams, principal for Advisory People & Inclusion Leader at PwC, said the consultancy now works closely with its CIO to build an AI-native organization. This collaboration didn't exist a year ago.
The firm overhauled recruiting and development strategies for 70,000 U.S. employees. With 5,000 new hires annually, PwC redesigned learning platforms and strategies to build these skills from day one.
Performance Measurement Remains Unclear
How to measure AI adoption and hold employees accountable is still undefined. Adams acknowledged the uncertainty: "We're figuring it out."
Some companies measure token usage - a metric one conference attendee called "an insane way of motivating people." PwC moved beyond that, adding quantitative measures like productivity and qualitative ones like client experience.
The firm hasn't yet tied AI fluency to performance reviews. Instead, it's being transparent about measurement methods while managing employee concerns about becoming obsolete. "We are trying to avoid fear but also motivate people to get involved," Adams said.
Change Requires Buy-In
Irene Oh, CIO at Network Distribution, stressed that employees must support organizational change for it to stick. CIOs need to work with C-suite peers to ensure teams have proper tools and training.
This also helps leaders spot uncertainty and resistance early. "Technology is evolving quickly and it's affecting the entire organization, not just IT," Oh said.
For CIOs accustomed to managing systems, this shift to people leadership represents a fundamental change in the role itself.
Related: Explore the AI Learning Path for CIOs to develop skills in balancing technology implementation with organizational change management.
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