Many organizations are discovering an uncomfortable truth: AI expectations are rising much faster than internal processes can keep up. And no one feels that tension more than Chief Information Officers.
New research from Salesforce shows that CIOs are increasingly being held responsible for everything AI touches, from ethics to risk to ROI, often without clear ownership structures or the resources needed to support them. In other words, the people actually responsible for making it work are getting buried under a mountain of new duties.
So, what can you do to help your team succeed without burning out?
Rising Pressure From C-Suite Expectations
Leaders often expect rapid AI wins, but Salesforce findings highlight that job roles haven’t been updated to match these expectations. CIOs have an AI accountability burden that was never formally assigned but has nevertheless become part of their day-to-day reality.
That reality also includes managing the complexities of AI adoption, including spiraling implementation needs, new infrastructure demands, security, accuracy, compliance, and results. The result is leadership that expects acceleration while technology teams are fighting for stability.
Reducing this gap starts with conversations around budget, risk, and outcomes, not just excitement about AI’s potential.
Shadow AI Risk Is Amplifying CIO Stress
While leaders push for more AI, employees are often using generative AI tools informally to speed up their own work. This creates a growing shadow AI risk, as employees share protected data and expose the company to data leaks and breaches, and overburdened CIOs struggle to keep up. CIOs end up chasing down unknown tools, inconsistent data paths, and rogue processes that weren’t designed for scale.
The risks of unfettered access to AI tools are becoming increasingly apparent. Managing AI expectations means treating AI governance as a company-wide responsibility, not the job of one overburdened department.
Managing Spiraling AI Costs Nobody Budgeted For
The gap between expectations and reality becomes even more apparent when the bills arrive, as the cost of using AI tools adds up quickly. Infrastructure upgrades, model training, licensing, monitoring tools, and compliance workflows mean that CIOs face spiraling AI costs while also being held accountable for proving ROI.
IT governance pressure is growing, too. Boards are asking sharper questions, lawmakers are rolling out new regulations, and auditors expect stronger documentation. If governance grows but budgets don’t, frustration is inevitable.
How To Embrace AI Without Crushing Your CIO
If your company is leaning deeper into AI, support your CIO and improve outcomes by:
- Updating job descriptions to reflect AI responsibilities. Make AI accountability explicit via a Chief AI Officer role or formally expand the CIO mandate with matching authority and budget.
- Auditing shadow AI use. Create strict rules about which tools employees can and can’t use.
- Setting realistic expectations around cost, timelines, and performance. Close the C-suite expectation gap with quarterly conversations about what the company wants AI to do and how to measure results.
When AI becomes a core part of your operations, your leadership structure needs to reflect that shift. AI expectations aren’t slowing down, but pretending your CIO can absorb them all will burn out top talent and waste money.