The AI revolution is here, and it’s racing across industries. From chatbots to demand predictors, AI is no longer a lab experiment, it’s running businesses. A whopping 88% of UK tech leaders agree that AI will be crucial for business success in the next year. But hold on, because the ground beneath our feet is shaky.
Network outages and poor performance are costing organizations millions annually. A recent Expereo study found that a third of UK businesses lose up to £4 million a year due to these issues, with nearly one in five losing even more. These aren’t just IT hiccups; they’re multimillion-pound problems affecting growth, customer experience, and competitiveness.
The message is clear: act now. AI adoption is speeding up, but so are the consequences of inaction. Without robust digital foundations, even the most promising AI strategies will stumble.
As AI moves into customer-facing operations, the margin for error shrinks. Infrastructure must catch up, or risk becoming the barrier to transformation. AI adoption is fast, but infrastructure readiness is lagging behind. Half of UK organizations have had to re-evaluate their tech stack due to recent IT disruptions. Meanwhile, investment priorities have shifted, with networking and connectivity overtaking AI.
For too long, businesses have chased innovation without strengthening the foundations. That’s finally changing, but not a moment too soon.
The network is no longer background tech; it’s the frontline. None of AI’s data, models, or computing power is possible without real-time data movement, processing, and response – a capability that relies heavily on the network. Networks are no longer just support systems; they’re critical business performance enablers.
To close the infrastructure gap, CIOs must think beyond siloed upgrades. They need a unified digital fabric where data, connectivity, telemetry, automation, and orchestration work together. This platform-first mindset transforms networks from a cost center into an intelligent driver of customer experience, innovation, and digital business models.
But few businesses are ready to support AI without barriers. Only 5% of UK businesses believe their networks are fully prepared. Modern workloads demand intelligent, flexible, and resilient infrastructure that adapts to shifting demands, routes data efficiently, and protects sensitive flows.
The skills shortage is also acute. According to the research, 40% of organizations are struggling to hire or retain networking professionals, second only to cybersecurity. This is why over 40% of businesses plan to increase their reliance on external partners. But not all partners are equipped for AI-era environments.
CIOs must shift from transactional vendor relationships to strategic partnerships that bring technical depth, operational resilience, and a shared commitment to long-term transformation.
The AI conversation has elevated the CIO’s role. More than three-quarters of tech leaders report having greater visibility and influence at the board level. With greater visibility comes greater responsibility. CIOs must be realists and orchestrators of change, reshaping systems, partnerships, and governance models to make AI sustainable.
AI can’t thrive on hope alone. It needs structure, governance, and infrastructure that’s fit for purpose. The CIO’s job is to ensure these basics aren’t overlooked in the rush to deploy high-profile solutions.
In the end, the organizations that win the AI race won’t just be the most ambitious. They’ll be the ones that took the time to lay the groundwork first. So, CIOs, it’s time to reframe the conversation, shift attention from chasing AI outcomes to enabling them through resilient, scalable infrastructure. Because in the AI era, the most effective CIOs won’t just defend budgets or deliver infrastructure; they’ll shape how their organizations think, build, and grow.
