How CIOs Can Build an Agentic AI Framework
CIO Dive, Tuesday, June 9th, 2026
Info-Tech CEO Tom Zehren offers a four-step framework for CIOs to deploy agentic AI while balancing value and governance.
Organizations struggle to deploy agentic AI due to tensions between maximizing value and managing risk and governance. Zehren recommends a four-step approach: establishing AI foundations with literacy and budgets, using clean data and smart architecture to identify viable projects, creating safe experimentation through sandboxes, and measuring results to decide whether to scale or stop.
Success requires teams with strong business acumen and technical knowledge, and organizations should repurpose IT staff rather than cut capacity. The CIO role is broadening toward business outcomes and digital transformation, positioning leaders for advancement-67% of CIOs aspire to CEO roles per Deloitte research.