How do you encourage continuous learning and provide opportunities for employees to engage with new tech to drive organizational growth?

As a CIO, I aim to keep our organization at the forefront of innovation. However, it's challenging when an organization is resistant to change, as is often the case in higher education. To drive change, we identify early adopters or those interested in change and focus our efforts there.

Historically, people have viewed IT operationally and waited for new technologies to be introduced to them. When they finally receive the "new shiny object," they wonder where it's been all their life. However, there's rarely a proactive conversation about how we can use technology to become more effective. It's an ongoing battle, but we're trying to stay ahead by introducing technologies like generative AI and finding evangelists within the organization who can promote their benefits.

I believe in the power of peer learning. As a CIO, I interact with various groups including the Board of Directors, our internal business and IT teams, and external entities such as vendors. We're currently in a stage where a lot of value with AI or engagement is based on what your prompts are. For instance, if a scientist needs an application built, I can learn about their domain before proposing solutions. This allows us to contextualize the challenge before meeting with the business team.

However, it's important to respect the profession and ask the professional if our proposed solution makes sense. With new technology, we can ideate quicker and cater to different audiences. For example, when discussing security with the Board of Directors, we need to simplify complex concepts for them to understand. I see the adoption of AI as a competitive advantage for how we can help our employees work better, be efficient, and provide a better experience to our stakeholders.