Digital transformation
Digital transformation is a means of using digital technologies to innovate operations, products, services and processes and improve employee and customer experience. Here you can read news, guides and tips on how to lead digital transformation efforts. Learn how blockchain, AI, automation technologies and other tech fits into transformation projects.
Top Stories
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Tip
19 Nov 2024
Best project portfolio management software and tools in 2025
Project portfolio management software and tools in 2025 promote strategic management of projects and agile tactics. Read our PPM list for guidance on which tools do what. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Nov 2024
5 principles of change management in networking
Network change management includes five principles, including risk analysis and peer review. These best practices can help network teams reduce failed network changes and outages. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Sep 2018
How ITSM can help CIOs drive SLAs in a multi-cloud environment
How do CIOs drive service level agreements (SLAs) in a multi-cloud environment? That's an important question when at issue is an end-to-end IT service involving many cloud providers, and the goal ... Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
How Uber AI Labs used filters to fix a ConvNets deficiency
Can ConvNets learn new tricks? Uber AI Labs research scientist unpacks how her team identified and fixed a major deficiency in its convolutional neural networks. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Sep 2018
IT service delivery model: CIOs pressured to reinvent the process
Tech managers are on the hook to reinvent the IT shop, but tools like user self-service, ITSM practices and the rent vs. buy option are helping effect change. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
Microsoft CEO: Buyer beware for digital technology platform choice
At Microsoft Ignite 2018, CEO Satya Nadella issued a 'tech intensity' challenge, as the company launched or announced updated offerings in the cloud, IoT and AI domains. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
Global Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018: The value of context
Speakers at the Global Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018 confronted issues that arise when ignoring context and reality when developing and implementing AI. Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2018
6 best practices for IT pros when building a chatbot
There's a lot to consider when building a chatbot. Beerud Sheth, co-founder and CEO of Gupshup, broke down six best practices for IT pros at the Global AI Conference in Boston. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Power of AI, limitations of AI in focus at Global AI conference
What's the difference between human and artificial intelligence? At the Global AI conference in Boston, opening day featured tech experts parsing the power of AI and the limitations of AI. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
AI models could help companies overcome human bias
Human bias can be coded into AI models, but can AI models help remove human bias? Two companies make the case. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Blockchain in media: The AP explores a blockchain use case
The use of blockchain in media gathered steam with the AP's announcement that it is exploring distributed ledger technology to track content and enforce licensing contracts. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Sep 2018
4 ways to use machine learning to improve customer experience
There are many ways to use machine learning to improve customer experience. Gartner's Bill Delrieu offers four and names specific machine learning-based tools to help with each. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Sep 2018
4 factors to consider when making the shift to the cloud
For CIOs assessing their organization's cloud readiness, Andrew Larkin discusses four factors to consider before moving their applications to the cloud. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Sep 2018
Augmented intelligence: The clearest path to focused AI?
Augmented intelligence assists humans in completing tasks that artificial intelligence can't yet handle. CIOs should invest in augmented tech as a step toward AI adoption. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2018
Multi-cloud management best practices and pain points
To reap the benefits of a multi-cloud strategy, CIOs must first have the right skills and processes in place. Here are the multi-cloud management best practices to lead the way. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2018
Blockchain solutions -- and disruption -- pondered at EmTech 2018
The gathering at EmTech 2018 explored whether blockchain solutions could give the world a new model of trust. What seemed certain: Blockchain disruption is happening now. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
14 Sep 2018
Startup accelerator The Engine tackles 'tough tech'
Investment dollars continue to flow heavily into tech startups, but the majority of bets are placed on technology products -- mostly consumer apps -- that could pay dividends in three to five ... Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2018
What's in it for the enterprise at 2018 Apple event? Apple Watch, AR
The 2018 Apple event may not have wowed on the smartphone front, but the new Watch Series 4, with a built-in ECG, could be a hit in the C-suite and a life saver for remote workers. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Sep 2018
Cloud migration best practices: 4 potential problems to avoid
Andrew Larkin, from the Cloud Academy, explains why successful cloud migration strategies require more than just a 'lift and shift' approach to maximize the benefits of the cloud. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Sep 2018
Top disadvantages of cloud computing: What CIOs can do
Andrew Larkin from the Cloud Academy sheds light on cloud computing misconceptions and drawbacks -- including downtime -- and offers best practices for CIOs to address these risks. Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2018
Machine intelligence could benefit from child's play
Advances in AI have spurred high interest in the technology, but the road to making machines intelligent remains a long one, said MIT's Josh Tenenbaum at the EmTech conference. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
07 Sep 2018
Multi-cloud strategy: Determine the right cloud for your workloads
Businesses typically deploy a multi-cloud strategy to gain more agility, flexibility and choice, but Ed Featherston's advice for CIOs taking their first foray into the cloud is to pick one provider ... Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2018
3 secret virtues of a great IT practitioner
At Gartner Catalyst, Gartner's Danny Brian explained why great IT practitioners are lazy, impatient and hubristic. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Aug 2018
AI and automation will need more than a great user experience
CIOs are often inundated with vendor promises of a user experience so superb, they won't need to fret about employee training. But CIOs should be skeptical when they hear promises like these, ... Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Aug 2018
Success with automation and AI requires a high 'RQ'
CIOs should assess their 'robotics quotient,' a Forrester Research construct that measures how ready organizations are to introduce automation and AI technologies successfully. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Aug 2018
A look inside MX's flat organizational structure
At Gartner Catalyst 2018, analysts highlighted digital banking platform company MX's flat organizational structure as a model for IT pros to pull from when driving cultural change at their companies. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2018
How bias in AI happens -- and what IT pros can do about it
At Gartner Catalyst 2018, Darin Stewart detailed how AI bias finds its way into algorithms, what IT pros can do to prevent it -- and why it's sometimes OK to intentionally insert it. Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2018
The message from Gartner Catalyst 2018? Just do it
IT can no longer let organizational dysfunction get in the way of digital progress. At Gartner Catalyst 2018, IT pros were urged not to wait to be told what to do. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 Aug 2018
How do machine learning algorithms differ from traditional algorithms?
In this ask the expert, ParallelM CTO Nisha Talagala lays out the similarities and differences between traditional software engineering and machine learning. Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2018
Approaches for embedding human ethics in AI systems
Instilling ethics in AI systems is a low priority for CIOs aiming to harness the power of machine intelligence. That's a mistake, warned Darin Stewart at the Gartner Catalyst event. Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2018
Gartner Catalyst 2018: A future without data centers?
Cloud computing advancements have led some organizations to consider eliminating their data centers. Here are strategies to determine which applications are cloud-ready. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
20 Aug 2018
Building inclusive teams gets more attention from CIOs
Conversations about gender and racial equality aren't just happening in the political and social sphere, they're also happening in the C-Suite. Kristi Lamar, managing director and U.S. CIO program ... Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
16 Aug 2018
2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium: A SearchCIO guide
The 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium was all about making good on an enterprise digital transformation strategy. Explore the strategic advice, emerging technologies and big ideas from this year’s roster of CIOs, MIT faculty and experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Digital transformation in the construction industry will rock status quo
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright talks about digital transformation in the construction industry and what his firm is doing to protect clients from being disrupted. Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2018
GE rumors highlight digital culture hardship for CIOs
The rumors that GE is putting pieces of its vaunted GE Digital unit on the chopping block spread like wildfire. True or not, here's why CIOs should be taking notes. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
14 Aug 2018
MIT CIO 2018 videos: Honing a digital leadership strategy
In these digital leadership videos from the 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, IT execs share their experiences in digital transformation and in driving organizational change. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Aug 2018
Business transformation project: Dealing with legacy data
Business transformation requires a solid data foundation. Expert Dan Morris offers a near-term fix for your data-quality problems and the basis for a long-term approach to better data. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2018
Report on Alexa-enabled devices puts spotlight on voice commerce
Not many people buy things using Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices, a new report contends. What does that say about voice commerce and how the enterprise uses voice computing technology? Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2018
In a hot RPA market, the 'rule of five' keeps CIOs focused on use cases
The robotic process automation market is advancing at a rapid clip. "Market growth is exceeding our greater than 50% CAGR to get from $500 million to $2.8 billion in five years," said Craig Le ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2018
The industrialization of AI: from alchemy to chemical engineering
Artificial intelligence is modern-day alchemy, according to Qirong Ho, the CTO and co-founder of Petuum Inc., an AI and machine learning startup. "Alchemy is about chasing the most exciting ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2018
Microsoft industry focus remains priority in FY19
CIOs can expect the Microsoft industry focus to continue this year as the company seeks to boost its digital transformation business. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2018
What's driving the adoption of the CIO-CDO dual role?
As the digital revolution continues, the ideal CIO is one that possesses both technical knowledge and business acumen to help drive their company's digital transformation initiative forward. One ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jul 2018
AR headsets in the enterprise: An expert perspective
In his book, The Fourth Transformation, Shel Israel makes the argument that augmented reality -- the superimposition of digital information on the real world -- is the next technology innovation ... Continue Reading
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Podcast
31 Jul 2018
New deep learning algorithms could improve robot sight
Self-driving cars, as brilliant as they are, are not nearly as good as humans at dealing with uncertainty. David Held has an algorithm for that. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2018
6 enterprise AR use cases
Augmented reality is making its way into the enterprise. Here, experts detail six AR use cases and how AR headsets are helping boost productivity and reduce errors. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jul 2018
SAP chief security officer talks cloud, security trends
Security issues are still a top concern when moving to the cloud. SAP CSO Justin Somaini highlights the questions to ask cloud providers to make sure company data is protected. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jul 2018
Don't get caught up in the neural processing unit hype
To differentiate new chip technology from existing GPUs, mobile tech companies (along with software titans) are slapping a 'neural' label on their products. Analysts say to be skeptical. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2018
How to know if, when and how to pursue blockchain projects
Forrester Research analyst Martha Bennett gives CIOs a cogent framework for thinking about distributed ledger technology and potential blockchain projects for the enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2018
The cloud-enabled workforce: Prepping IT staff for success
Experts predict nontraditional skills will be essential for the cloud-enabled, next-generation IT workforce. To succeed, employee training and development will play a big role. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2018
Innovation leaders must learn to 'co-create' the future
Harvard's Linda Hill explains what makes leaders of innovation successful, starting with realizing their primary role is as stage setter, not top-down visionary. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jul 2018
GE: Success of AI systems tied to engineering, not algorithms
AI systems are hard to maintain and need an engineer's touch, according to Jeff Erhardt, vice president of intelligent systems at GE. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jul 2018
Symantec CIO: Digital transformation plan shaped by cloud, AI
Read about how SaaS, public cloud, AI and machine learning are driving Symantec's digital transformation in this Q&A with CIO Sheila Jordan. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jul 2018
Symantec CIO strategy: Add 'extreme value' to the business
Sheila Jordan's CIO strategy at Symantec focuses on bringing 'extreme value' to the business. Here, she discusses her top six IT priorities for achieving that goal. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Jul 2018
How is cloud influencing the CDO role?
Cloud investments create both opportunities and challenges for the rapidly evolving chief data officer role. Alation's Satyen Sangani shares his perspective here. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2018
Digital transformation process: Align business and IT, shake legacy
At the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, consultant Cathy Horst Forsyth explains which factors make for a successful digital transformation process and what slows companies down. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jul 2018
When running IT like a business, consider the bagel shop
Ciena Corp. CIO Craig Williams expounds on the importance of running IT like a business and how to identify the type of IT people who can execute on that strategy. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2018
The case for cloud storage as a service at Partners
Partners HealthCare needed storage that was secure, compliant with health regs and readily accessible to researchers. Read why it took a cloud-storage-as-a-service approach. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
02 Jul 2018
Chief data officer role today: Less on defense, more on offense
Customer experience is front and center for every member of the C-suite today -- from the CEO down. That goes for the chief data officer role, too. CDOs were once seen as the high stewards of data ... Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2018
Intuit's CDO talks complex AI project to improve finances
Intuit's latest AI project -- a digital financial assistant -- could help its customers save money, while breaking new technology ground. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Jun 2018
Embracing digital transformation: Airtel CIO discusses focus, benefits
Companies embracing digital transformation shouldn't let the fear of failure slow down their digital initiatives, Harmeen Mehta, global CIO and head of digital at Indian telecom giant Bharti ... Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2018
Building a data science pipeline: Benefits, cautions
A data science development pipeline is critical for digital business. But the sequence of the pipeline must be monitored closely to ensure the output reflects the business goal. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jun 2018
Resist 'garbage in, gospel out' doctrine -- defend data quality
The 'garbage in, gospel out' approach to business analytics may be a valid approach for doing big data projects, but CIOs should resist it for business transformation. Continue Reading
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Video
29 Jun 2018
Digital transformation journey: How to muster the troops
Gail Evans was recently promoted from CIO to global chief digital officer at Mercer. Here's how she inspires people to sign on for the firm's digital transformation journey. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2018
Enterprise digital strategy: Design use cases that create business value
Tech capabilities are certainly important, but expert panelists at LiveWorx 2018 explained why overall business needs can't be ignored when crafting enterprise digital strategy. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2018
Transformational leadership needed to pursue data-driven ethos
California State University's first chief data officer talks about why transformational leadership is needed now more than ever. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2018
How to start a blockchain project: Questions for IBM's Jerry Cuomo
A blockchain project starts with a belief that business needs to be done in a different way. Here's what happens next, including the role CIOs play in a blockchain journey. Continue Reading
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Video
27 Jun 2018
Land O'Lakes CIO strives to optimize economics of digital farming
Land O'Lakes is using AI and machine learning to help the world's food suppliers grow more food more sustainably. The next big goal: A sustainable path to income for farmers. Continue Reading
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Video
27 Jun 2018
Digital transformation strategies propelled by customer expectations
Who's leading digital transformation at Land O'Lakes? The back office is slower to get with the program, but even it will be remade by digital tech, according CIO Michael Macrie. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2018
RPA tools lead to better customer service: Three case studies
A global consumer credit reporting agency, an affordable housing lender, and a Fortune 500 insurance company bet on using RPA software. Here's what happened. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jun 2018
Digital transformation in manufacturing: Carton maker taps Predix software
Learn about a digital transformation project at Swiss manufacturer Sig Combibloc, which is using GE Digital's Predix software and IoT sensors to boost productivity and cut costs. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Jun 2018
Law firm makes case for technology-enabled transformation
Top 100 law firm Jackson Lewis redefines how it provides legal services to clients as part of a technology-enabled transformation overseen by its first-ever chief digital officer. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2018
Six barriers to digital transformation; CIO strategies to conquer them
CIOs are under pressure to help companies find their digital mojo, but challenges abound. Learn about the top six barriers to digital transformation -- and how to vanquish them. Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Jun 2018
With artificial intelligence and machine learning, KPIs are crucial
The CIO of DBS Bank and CTO of Kayak square off at the 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium on how to use AI for business success. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Jun 2018
An AI-machine learning data challenge: Predicting the unpredictable
A difficult test for companies wanting to capitalize on huge amounts of data and emerging tech is getting it to fit what they can't see, says MIT's Iyad Rahwan. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2018
2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium in photos: A SearchCIO snapshot
Explore the major sessions and themes of the 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium through the lens of the SearchCIO team. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2018
Quality, meaningful future work hinges on human-machine 'complementarity'
What AI and machine learning mean for the future of work prompts vigorous debate and gloomy headlines -- but MIT researchers see brighter, more collaborative prospects. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2018
In search of digital business models: Six questions
Old-school companies must find ways to generate digital revenue. Researchers at MIT Sloan laid out six questions that will help companies refine their digital business models. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 May 2018
CIOs: Focus on applying AI and machine learning, not defining it
For CIOs and CTOs, asking which computing approaches add up to artificial intelligence and which are simply automation or BI is probably not a very useful question. The better question to think ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 May 2018
Digital business strategy: Safe, end-to-end software development
For CIO Frederic Veron, ensuring software runs "safe and sound" is a big part of his digital business strategy role. To get there, he gets involved early in the development stages. Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
Recruiting talent for digital cultures: Tips from McKinsey, Korn Ferry
The C-suite's penchant for hiring in its own image prevents companies from creating a digital culture. Another barrier: assuming HR can find the right people. Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
The intelligent enterprise blends tech savvy, business smarts
To keep up with the ever-quickening pace of enterprise tech development, companies need the right combination of brains and brawn, says Equinix exec Ryan Mallory in this Q&A. Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
Building an intelligent enterprise: Four experts offer hard-won advice
At the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, four IT executives shared lessons they've learned from building an intelligent enterprise and paid homage to the tech that helped them do it. Continue Reading
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Guide
31 May 2018
Next-gen IT infrastructure strategy to guide digital transformation
The evolution of business tech forces companies to frequently redefine digital strategy. In this essential guide, learn best practices to manage modern IT infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2018
Blockchain as a service expected to entice CIOs to test waters
AWS' Blockchain Templates offering, along with a host of other big vendor blockchain products, will spur a 'tsunami of tests.' Blockchain adoption by business is another matter. Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2018
MIT CIO: What is digital culture, why it's needed and how to get it
Creating a digital culture is essential in the age of information, but companies must not lose sight of their core values in the process. Two tech execs show how they're doing it. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 May 2018
Early-stage company execs talk partnering with CIOs
Participants in the 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium's Innovation Showcase discuss the relationship between early-stage company execs and the C-suite. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2018
Artificial intelligence center of excellence emerges as best practice
One way for enterprises to get a grip on an AI strategy that makes sense for them is to establish an artificial intelligence center of excellence. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 May 2018
At CyrusOne, a look at the expanding role of a CIO
Being head of IT isn't the gig it used to be, says Blake Hankins, CIO of data center provider CyrusOne, in this Q&A. Today, the job of CIO is about making partnerships -- and having business know-how. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 May 2018
Data center industry growth drives expansion, cloud use at CyrusOne
More devices and lots more data is good news for the data center industry and CyrusOne, says CIO Blake Hankins. In this Q&A, he discusses the company's buildup and his department's cloud use. Continue Reading
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Video
17 May 2018
Digital transformation objectives: Streamlining data with AI
In this video, Bill Gillis, CIO at Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization, says utilizing AI and machine learning in data processing tops his digital transformation objectives list. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 May 2018
Bad data stops business process transformation in its tracks
Dan Morris introduces his new eight-part series on exploring how bad data can sabotage business process transformation and what CIOs need to do to fix it. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2018
Build a culture of innovation on PaaS platforms
Tech execs from Deutsche Bank and Experian at the Red Hat Summit in San Francisco shared their thoughts on reaping the benefits of PaaS platforms by addressing the risks head-on. Continue Reading
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Video
14 May 2018
Digital transformation program: How to drive business success
When embarking on their digital transformation journey, CIOs must first understand the problems they are trying to solve. CIO Bill Gillis explains why. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2018
Build 2018 gives the office meeting a high-tech sheen. Does it matter?
A display on the future of meetings at Microsoft's Build 2018 event was a technology tour de force. But analysts said the fanfare sort of misses the point. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2018
With machine learning models, explainability is difficult and elusive
The enterprise's demand for explainable AI is merited, say experts, but the problem is more complicated than most of us understand and possibly unsolvable. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 May 2018
Optimizing an artificial intelligence architecture: The race is on
As AI architecture improves and costs decrease, experts say enterprise adoption will go up, spurring yet more innovation and benefits for businesses and AI vendors alike. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2018
IT pros name users, GDPR as biggest cloud computing security threats
The cloud is growing faster than companies can prepare for cloud computing security threats, a quartet of tech leaders say at a Boston forum. But managing risk is within reach. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 May 2018
What's the difference between chatbots and virtual assistants?
Forrester's Thomas Husson gives his take on the difference between virtual assistants and chatbots. He says one is closer to a 'dynamic FAQ' and the other is a third-party aggregator. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2018
Artificial intelligence for social good: Big tech spins a new narrative
AI for social good is a thing. SAS touts research on tracking cheetah populations, Microsoft showcases work on precision farming at the Artificial Intelligence Conference. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 May 2018
CIO uses master data management to speed digitalization
IMA Financial Group CIO Michelle Vercellino's effort to clean up, protect and govern the firm's data is an important step in the firm's quest for 'data intelligence.' Continue Reading
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Answer
04 May 2018
Best practices for cloud security: Be cognizant of what's in the cloud
In this Ask the Expert, Booz Allen Hamilton's Anil Markose offers the cloud security best practices organizations need to protect their cloud information. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 May 2018
Tackling the 'ask me anything' challenge of a conversational interface
IBM researchers discuss the challenge of designing conversational interfaces where the potential incoming questions are limitless. The solution: narrowing the scope and training end users. Continue Reading