While four-fifths of CEOs view technology as their enterprise's business strategy, more than half of executives in non-technical roles see it merely as informing strategy rather than shaping it, according to a Gartner survey published October 27, 2026. The research, which polled 251 technical and non-technical executives at companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion, reveals a fundamental divide across the C-suite on technology's strategic importance. Despite broad agreement that AI and technology are used throughout enterprises, leaders disagree sharply on how much influence these tools should have on core business decisions.
The survey found that 82% of executives believe CIOs should guide enterprise AI initiatives, yet only 54% of non-technical leaders reported having a strong partnership with their IT departments. Technology workers now make up nearly one-quarter of enterprise employees who report to functions outside IT, such as marketing, accounting, or sales. On average, nearly a quarter of other departments' operating budgets go toward technology, and nearly one-third of their time is spent personally managing tech. Technical executives were less likely to agree that the C-suite is aligned on data strategy, and leadership teams are less inclined to take collective ownership over the capabilities needed to achieve performance-related outcomes, including organizational changes.
Jennifer Carter, senior principal analyst at Gartner, said during Gartner's IT Symposium/Xpo last week that CIOs will need to remodel ownership and education of AI across departments to get enterprise workers on the same page. She added that tech chiefs are now fundamentally responsible for shaping business models through technology. "It's easy to say, 'I'll be in the hub for AI revenue generation,' but nobody's saying, 'Let me help with workforce management,'" Carter said. Most executives surveyed indicated responsibility lies with the CIO, and even when it's not clearly outlined in job descriptions, CIOs report feeling personal responsibility to manage technology's outcomes, a September report from 8x8 found.
Carter noted that several leadership strategies could vastly improve alignment, including communication and transparency, technology strategy alignment across departments, proactive communication about technology decisions, and showcasing AI use cases to create necessary buy-in across the enterprise. Most executives agreed that the C-suite is working toward becoming an AI-powered enterprise, but they disagree on how their organization will get there. Accountability and ownership over technology look different than in years past, with executive teams showing less willingness to collectively own the capabilities needed for success. However, CIOs are in a better position with AI than they were a few years ago—they no longer have to fight to prove that technology matters. The challenge now is bridging the perception gap between technical and non-technical leaders, who fundamentally view technology's role in the organization through different lenses. This divide threatens to slow AI adoption and strategic alignment unless leadership teams can find common ground on technology's place in shaping business direction.