Check-In & Badge Pickup

Informal networking and welcome, setting the tone for a strategic day.

Welcome Remarks from IDC

Our hosts welcome you to the CIO Summit New York. Setting the stage for the program, they’ll provide an overview of the strategic insights and tech trends you can expect to hear about during the day.

Allice Shandler

Sr. Director, Events – Americas, IDC

Navigating the CIO Agenda – Strategy, Risk, and Growth

Navigating the CIO agenda requires a dynamic blend of strategic vision, risk management, and growth orientation. As organizations accelerate digital transformation, CIOs must align IT strategy with business objectives, proactively manage risk and foster a culture of agility and continuous improvement. This multifaceted approach empowers enterprises to capture new opportunities, mitigate threats, and deliver sustainable business value in an environment defined by rapid change and disruption.

AI-Powered Analytics: Accelerating Enterprise Decision-Making in the Cloud

Cloud-native, AI-powered analytics platforms are transforming enterprise decision-making by delivering real-time, actionable insights at scale. In this context, strategies for integrating advanced analytics into existing IT environments are needed to drive measurable business outcomes and competitive advantage.

Networking Break

AI for the CIO Agenda – From Experimentation to Enterprise Value

AI is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the CIO agenda, evolving from isolated experiments to a driver of enterprise-wide transformation and measurable business value. IDC research shows that while 45% of organizations are investing in or piloting GenAI initiatives and 40% are already investing in agentic AI, only a small percentage of AI proofs-of-concept progress to full production. To unlock the full potential of AI, CIOs must lead with strategic vision, embed robust governance, and align technology initiatives with business outcomes. By operationalizing AI across the enterprise, CIOs can accelerate innovation, enhance decision-making, and deliver sustainable competitive advantage in a digital-first economy.

From Hype to Reality: Delivering Impact with Agentic AI​

Agentic AI is rapidly moving beyond hype, as organizations seek to translate its promise into tangible business impact. Delivering real value with agentic AI requires robust governance, clear business alignment, and a focus on operational outcomes. By prioritizing responsible adoption, upskilling talent, and modernizing IT architectures, CIOs can bridge the gap between experimentation and enterprise-wide transformation, ensuring agentic AI delivers measurable results and sustainable competitive advantage.

Cloud, Edge, and Everything in Between

Cloud and edge computing architectures are converging to enable distributed, scalable, and low-latency data processing, with AI models increasingly deployed across both centralized and decentralized environments. This integration allows organizations to optimize workload placement, leverage real-time analytics at the edge, and orchestrate intelligent decision-making across the entire compute continuum.

Networking Lunch & Exhibits

Responsible AI Leadership – What Every CIO Needs to Know

Responsible AI leadership is emerging as a critical mandate for CIOs as organizations accelerate their adoption of advanced technologies. IDC research shows that over 95% of business leaders globally rank responsible AI as a top strategic priority, underscoring the need for robust governance, ethical frameworks, and transparent practices. CIOs must navigate complex regulatory landscapes, address data quality and bias, and ensure AI systems are aligned with organizational values and societal expectations.

Digital Sovereignty and Data Responsibility

Digital sovereignty and data responsibility are emerging as strategic imperatives for CIOs as organizations face evolving privacy regulations and rising stakeholder expectations. IDC research highlights the importance of embedding robust data governance, transparency, and ethical stewardship into technology strategy. By proactively managing data localization, privacy, and security, enterprises can build trust, mitigate risk, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Cybersecurity in the Boardroom

Cybersecurity has become a boardroom priority as organizations confront increasingly sophisticated threats and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Boards and executive teams are now directly engaged in cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and governance, recognizing that cyber resilience is essential for business continuity and stakeholder trust. By embedding cybersecurity into enterprise risk frameworks and aligning security investments with business objectives, leaders can proactively address vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and safeguard reputation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Measuring Digital Success

Measuring digital success requires organizations to move beyond traditional IT metrics and focus on business outcomes, operational efficiency, and innovation. IDC research highlights that CIOs are increasingly adopting frameworks that link technology investments to measurable value, such as revenue growth, customer experience, and agility. By leveraging data-driven KPIs and aligning digital initiatives with strategic objectives, enterprises can track progress, optimize performance, and demonstrate the impact of digital transformation. This approach enables leaders to make informed decisions, drive continuous improvement, and ensure that digital investments deliver sustainable business advantage.

The CIO Talent Agenda

IDC research shows that talent shortages remain the leading constraint for CIO-led modernization initiatives. To address this, CIOs are prioritizing workforce development through upskilling, reskilling, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Aligning talent strategy with business objectives and emerging technology needs enables organizations to accelerate transformation, bridge execution gaps, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital economy.

Technical Debt as a Strategic Lever

Technical debt, often viewed as a barrier to innovation, can be transformed into a strategic lever for enterprise modernization and growth. IDC research highlights that nearly 40% of CIOs expect to overspend on digital infrastructure due to technical debt, yet organizations that actively manage and prioritize technical debt are better positioned to accelerate transformation, optimize IT investments, and reduce long-term costs. By systematically identifying, quantifying, and addressing technical debt, CIOs can unlock resources for innovation, improve operational resilience, and align technology initiatives with business outcomes. Leveraging technical debt strategically enables enterprises to turn legacy challenges into opportunities for agility, scalability, and sustained competitive advantage.

Networking Break

Responsible AI Leadership

As AI adoption accelerates, CIOs must lead by embedding ethics, governance, and transparency into enterprise AI strategies to ensure responsible innovation and regulatory compliance. Robust frameworks and clear accountability not only mitigate risk but also foster trust and unlock sustainable business value.

Closing Remarks

Hear a full summary of the days’ takeaways and what’s to come during these final remarks from our Event Director.

Allice Shandler

Sr. Director, Events – Americas, IDC

Networking Reception

Wrap up the day with delicious food & drinks with your new connections and our fantastic partners.