As AI adoption accelerates, C-suites are embracing new skills, with tech leaders having greater influence over business strategies and transformation, according to new research from Deloitte.

The professional services firm’s latest Tech Exec Survey, based on insights from over 600 C-suite leaders, reveals that businesses are putting greater value on senior tech roles, with half of all companies now employing four or more tech executives, such as CTOs, CISOs, and CIOs.

However, Deloitte found that as these roles have expanded to take on more digital transformation functions, more than a quarter (26%) of tech leaders say they have difficulty in maintaining clearly defined responsibilities.

For example, both CIOs and chief data and analytics officers (CDAOs) report taking charge of some aspects of AI deployment, while CTOs and CISOs both have responsibility for ensuring good security across platforms.

Instead of butting heads, however, Deloitte’s survey reveals that tech leaders are collaborating where they can while leveraging their unique areas of expertise. More than a third (36%) of executives said that co-creating tech strategy alongside their peers was a key focus over the next 18 months. 

As well as having cross-operational responsibilities, Deloitte found alignment across the tech C-suite regarding priorities for the year ahead, including strengthening cybersecurity, privacy and resilience (36%), reducing operational and product costs (35%), expanding into new markets (32%) and attracting, retaining and engaging new customers (32%).

When asked to identify which roadblocks could impact their ability to achieve their goals, tech leaders cited talent shortages and skills gaps as the top hurdles to overcome.

Almost half (45%) of tech leaders identified the shortage of genAI skills in particular as a challenge, with these skills being the most urgently needed within their organisations.

Though the vast rollout of genAI has raised questions about what the future of work will look like, nearly seven in 10 senior tech leaders said they plan to increase their headcounts in direct response to AI, augment human teams rather than replacing them.

According to the research, the most in-demand skills over the next two years will be in cybersecurity (56%), cloud orchestration (47%), and data science and analytics (39%), with the majority of tech executives (81%) believing genAI will improve their recruiting efforts, allowing them to meet these vital headcount needs.

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One avenue being explored to address tech talent shortages is the creation of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which more than half (58%) of tech leaders currently have or plan to establish in the next two years.

These GCCs are usually offshore hubs set up by firms to provide specialised services like IT, finance, or HR, to support global operations, leveraging local talent, with the prime goals being improving quality control, driving growth and enhancing operational efficiency.

“Technology leaders continue to see significant shifts in expectations for themselves and their teams,” said Anjali Shaikh, CIO and CDAO Programs leader at Deloitte.

“The CIO, alongside their peers in the tech C-suite, operate as integrators across business strategy, talent, and innovation. 

As they strive to shape value, align cross-functional teams, and lead their organisations through rapid disruption, the opportunity going forward lies in their ability to rethink talent, operating models, ways of working, and delivery models.”