Companies are facing the most complex business environment of our lifetimes, driven in large part by regulatory churn from global tariffs, dramatic shifts in government policy and leadership, AI-driven cybersecurity attacks, geopolitical risks disrupting global supply chains and labor forces, and evolving customer demands. On top of it all, there is the monumental spectre and opportunity AI represents. The role of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) has never been more crucial. The CTO of an organisation helps determine, develop, implement, and monitor technology solutions that serve customers, internal stakeholders, and other key partners.  Amidst the relentless pace of change in AI technologies, we posit that CTOs of the future need to be business enablers first and technology integrators second.

Traditionally, CTOs are tasked with staying informed about technological advancements and integrating them effectively into their organisations. Often, CTOs may not only implement new technologies but also actively contribute to their development, particularly when identifying unmet needs or gaps. CTO responsibilities have included managing technology vendors, leading engineering teams and ensuring system reliability and performance. Increasingly, CTOs have been expected to engage directly with boards, customers, and key stakeholders about critical matters such as cybersecurity readiness and business continuity. Their performance has typically been measured by variables such as delivery timelines, productivity, and system security and reliability.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, CTOs must elevate AI from a tactical curiosity to a cornerstone of their organisation’s central business strategy. The CTO role is no longer simply technological — now more than ever it’s about enabling business transformation. They need to guide organisational leaders toward viewing AI not as a passing trend or isolated tactic, but as a foundational element of long-term growth and innovation. Futuristic CTOs actively embed themselves and their teams within the broader business, helping to drive strategic goals. Ultimately, they should be measured and held accountable like any other business leader: by tangible business outcomes and the value they help create.

CTOs play a pivotal role in guiding their organisations toward AI architecture, automation, and intelligent systems. Beyond the technology itself, their responsibility includes ensuring AI adoption happens thoughtfully and ethically, proactively addressing concerns around IP compliance and bias mitigation. To truly lead, CTOs must see themselves as product leaders, where their core product is their organisation’s successful evolution into an AI-first enterprise. They should be prepared to regularly discuss this ‘product-market fit’ with their fellow C-suite executives, framing AI not just as technology, but as a strategic enabler for sustained competitive advantage.

AI can support data-driven decision-making and drive significant operational leverage across teams and departments. As AI becomes embedded into strategic processes, the line between technology and business strategy blurs, drawing the CTO and their team to a more central position in decision-making. Thus, the CTO and their team should collaborate seamlessly with the COO, potentially even integrating their teams to ensure that technological capability and operational execution remain fully aligned. Such alignment can reshape traditional roles and team structures.

Furthermore, CTOs must become strategic communicators, articulating to CFOs and CEOs that AI technology costs are a mere fraction of the broader transformation cost. Lasting impact will require substantial investment in talent development, operational restructuring, risk management, and cultural adaptation. CTOs must extend their role beyond technical leadership, becoming transformational partners who actively guide their organisations through change, manage AI resources, anticipate associated costs, and champion a culture that’s ready for continuous evolution.

AI adoption may introduce new security risks, including adversarial attacks, deepfakes, and automated threats. CTOs must anticipate these emerging challenges and play a large role in enterprise-wide AI governance and compliance, going beyond engineering responsible AI systems. When designed thoughtfully, guardrails should empower the organisation by enabling departments to take on greater roles in strategic AI innovation and implementation without presenting roadblocks. The CTO’s critical responsibility, then, is to provide secure, integrated infrastructure, tools, guidelines and governance frameworks that empower business units to move quickly and confidently with AI. CTOs should be measured by how well they enable the business to accelerate with AI while confidently managing risk.

Even greater shifts lie ahead with the anticipated arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). AGI won’t just assist, it will handle complex tasks, make nuanced decisions, and will even innovate and improve itself, closely mirroring human cognitive abilities. To thrive, CTOs need to craft and implement a two-phased AI strategy. The first phase, Pre-AGI, focuses on building agility into how humans work with AI tools and agents. The second phase, Post-AGI, represents a point at which AGI begins to undertake much of the work of roles and departments. This is a seismic shift where the preparations made in the first phase will make or break organisations, individual careers, and potentially entire professions.

To successfully help their organisations navigate these profound shifts, CTOs must take on an expanded, strategic role. They must proactively guide their organisations through AI’s evolving landscape, anticipating risks while seizing its extraordinary potential. Rather than merely managing technology, tomorrow’s CTOs will serve as transformational leaders – developing business strategy, driving innovation, and embedding AI responsibly throughout the organisation. They’ll need to invest in business relationships, agile infrastructure, talent development, and robust governance frameworks. Ultimately, their effectiveness will be measured by their ability to help the organisation embrace AI’s immense potential while thoughtfully managing its inherent risks and complexities.

Cover Image: Jamillah Knowles & We and AI / Better Images of AI / People and Ivory Tower AI / CC-BY 4.0