Why Hidden Friction Is Holding Back AI in the Enterprise and How CIOs Can Fix It
CIO Influence, Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
Organizations must identify and eliminate workflow friction before implementing AI to avoid underdelivering on automation initiatives.
The article argues that 88% of employees lose time daily to hidden inefficiencies and fragmented workflows that erode productivity and limit AI effectiveness. Most leaders lack visibility into where work actually slows, as traditional tracking systems only measure reported issues while employees work around broken processes silently.
CIOs must expand their line of sight by directly observing workflows, quantifying friction costs, and redesigning processes before layering AI on top of dysfunctional systems. By addressing underlying operational friction first and implementing AI incrementally in low-stakes applications, organizations can build trust and unlock AI's true potential to support rather than disrupt employee work.