The firm’s Best of 2026 Mid-Year Report identifies a clear trend: organizations are moving away from isolated AI pilots to prioritize the operating discipline necessary for long-term value. As AI embeds itself into daily business processes, leaders are increasingly concerned with the technical and organizational bedrock required to prevent complexity from overwhelming their systems.

"AI is no longer at the edge of the CIO agenda as an experiment," said Gord Harrison, chief research officer at Info-Tech. "It is becoming part of how organizations plan, operate, secure, and deliver value."

Key areas of investment now center on data governance, cybersecurity resilience, and infrastructure modernization. CIOs are not merely chasing innovation; they are actively strengthening data accountability and risk management protocols to ensure that AI deployments remain manageable. The report highlights a heightened demand for resources that assist in vendor evaluation and contract negotiation, reflecting a broader effort to align technology spending with measurable business outcomes. By treating these technical foundations as a core element of their strategy, IT departments aim to foster innovation that is both scalable and secure, rather than creating new technical debt.