Gartner surveyed 2,002 CIOs and found only 13% report significant or transformational AI value. AI use cases have accelerated but success remains one-in-five. Vanguards are CIOs delivering better business outcomes with high CEO-perceived AI value. They are 2.3 times more likely to have pilot stopping rules. They are 2.6 times more likely to abandon low-value AI in production. Only 31% have pilot stopping rules and 17% have production abandonment rules. 58% of CIOs face pressure to deliver cost improvements from AI. 51% expect AI to increase total cost of ownership. Organizations with human-agent workforce redesign plans are 2.4 times more likely to be vanguards. Only 4% have such plans. 40% expect to increase IT headcount in 2027. AI lowers production costs but increases overall demand for technology work. Role boundaries are blurring as AI takes on specialized tasks.

• 13% of CIOs report significant or transformational AI value
• 2.3x more likely to be vanguards with pilot stopping rules
• 2.6x more likely to be vanguards with production abandonment rules
• 58% of CIOs face cost improvement pressure from AI