In a business world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence (AI), IBM has published a revealing study entitled "6 Blind Spots Tech Leaders Must Reveal." This report, conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in collaboration with Oxford Economics, surveyed 2,500 senior technology leaders and offers critical insights into the challenges and opportunities facing tech leaders in the era of generative AI.
The report highlights that the advancement of generative AI has changed the role of technology in business. What was once seen as a tool is now considered core to business success. 72% of CEOs of leading companies state that competitive advantage depends on who can implement the most advanced generative AI. This technology has the potential to redefine products and services, improve operational efficiency, and unlock new sources of innovation.
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Blind spots
Despite the enthusiasm for AI, the IBM study identifies six "blind spots" that are preventing companies from taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by generative AI:
1. Technology as an enabler, not a support: Many organizations still view technology as a tool to solve isolated problems rather than an integral part of their innovation strategy. IBM challenges leaders to rethink technology approaches to transform their organizations and gain competitive advantage.
2. Superficial collaboration between teams: Although tech and business departments collaborate theoretically, the report shows that this collaboration could be more superficial and better aligned with strategic goals.
3. Over-reliance on AI as a magic solution: Many executives believe that generative AI will solve all organizational problems without considering the internal changes needed to leverage this technology fully.
4. Lack of confidence in infrastructure: 43% of tech leaders express concerns about whether the current tech infrastructure can meet the demands of generative AI.
5. Risks associated with data: While data is seen as the new "digital gold," IBM warns that poor data management can become a huge liability, exposing organizations to security and compliance risks.
6. The war for talent: Tech leaders face a critical talent shortage in key areas such as AI and cloud computing. This skills shortage threatens to stunt companies' growth and competitiveness.
IBM's recommended strategies
The report suggests several practical measures to overcome these "blind spots." Firstly, IBM calls on companies to put technology at the heart of everything they do and to encourage intensive and continuous collaboration between IT and business teams. This means that technical leaders must work closely with CFOs and other business leaders to ensure that investments in technology are aligned with expected business outcomes.
In addition, IBM emphasizes the importance of eliminating accumulated technical debt. Transforming infrastructure is key to enabling generative AI to operate at scale. Investment in hybrid cloud platforms and application modernization will be essential to meet growing data and compute demands.
As AI becomes an increasingly central driver in business operations, tech leaders must adapt to new expectations. According to IBM, the most successful leaders will be those who can overcome these challenges and make the most of the opportunities AI presents. The report concludes that by identifying and overcoming these six "blind spots'," organizations will be better able to thrive in a technology-driven business environment.
This IBM study underscores that the role of leaders in the technology industry is not just to manage systems but to lead organizational change toward a future where AI is the key success factor.
