Every month, Harvey Nash’s CIO Voices brings together some of the most forward-thinking technology leaders to decode what’s happening in the world of digital transformation. This month’s discussion was especially energizing. Our contributors Roberto Galdamez, Premkumar Balasubramanian, and Joe Evangelisto brought sharp insight, candid realism, and healthy skepticism to make the conversation meaningful.
The discussion ultimately centered on a key question: Is AI actually going to rule 2026?
With adoption accelerating across industries, the question reflects genuine strategic uncertainty rather than hype. Enterprises are moving faster, risks are multiplying, and suddenly everyone wants to know whether AI will be the decision-maker, the co-pilot, or just another tool on the IT shelf.
Let’s walk through what these leaders had to say.
The New Shape of IT Leadership in 2026
If 2024 and 2025 were transitional years, 2026 is shaping up to be a redefining one. Interestingly, Galdamez sees CIO and CISO responsibilities blurring in ways that feel both natural and necessary. He described it as “two roles gradually sharing the same dashboard,” where technology decisions and security decisions can no longer be treated as separate tracks. According to him, 2026 could be the year this unified leadership model becomes standard rather than experimental.
Premkumar agreed but he added something subtle: while leadership responsibilities are converging, the skills required are actually diverging. He emphasized that leaders now need to understand not just infrastructure and cloud, but regulatory frameworks, AI model behavior, and even risk psychology. He put it simply: “A CIO can’t avoid understanding AI governance anymore.” That’s a shift many leaders still underestimate.
Joe offered a slightly different angle. In his view, leadership isn’t being restructured; it’s being stretched. He pointed out that CIOs are being asked to lead transformation, reduce cost, modernize platforms, maintain security, and now layer on top of everything oversee AI strategy. It sounded almost contradictory: leaders need to specialize more while simultaneously becoming more generalist. But Joe later clarified that contradiction: “Specialization applies to the technology; generalization applies to the mindset.” And he’s right 2026 won’t be the year of single-track technology executives. It will be the year of holistic ones.
Which Technologies Will Truly Matter in 2026?
Ask ten industry analysts what will define 2026 and you’ll hear ten different buzzwords. What stood out here was how these three leaders cut through that noise to focus on what’s influencing organizations right now
Galdamez believes 2026 will be driven not by new technologies, but by technologies that finally become trustworthy. He talked about AI systems that can explain themselves, systems where you can trace why they made a decision. “AI without explainability will be useless by 2026,” he said. It wasn’t hype; it was a warning.
Premkumar took that further. In his view, the technologies gaining traction aren’t the flashy ones they’re the ones that reduce doubt. Identity-first security, AI-driven threat detection, and automated remediation workflows will become the backbone of enterprise operations. He framed it nicely: “Technology only wins when people stop questioning its reliability.” That hit hard because it captures the emotional undercurrent behind every modernization initiative.
Joe, on the other hand, highlighted how these emerging tools will affect daily work. He specifically noted that developers and operators are going to rely on AI in a more ambient, background way. Think of it like traffic navigation you don’t notice it unless something goes wrong. “The tools won’t feel futuristic,” he said. “They’ll feel normal.”
Yet he also pointed out an important counterbalance: some technologies will remain overhyped. Fully autonomous SOCs, for example, might sound tempting, but they simply won’t replace situational judgment. And quantum? Great for research; not a 2026 disruptor.
What Trends Are We Overrating and Completely Underrating?
This was the moment in the discussion when everyone leaned in. Because trends are easy to romanticize, especially in tech but the reality behind them is usually much more grounded.
Galdamez argued that the most underestimated trend is AI governance. Not AI itself AI governance. He stressed that enterprises still aren’t prepared for the audit trail that generative AI will require. “Everyone wants models that think like humans,” he said, “but nobody wants to manage them like humans.” That line captured the contradiction perfectly.
Premkumar echoed this, but with a practical twist. He said companies are underestimating the maturity gap between experimentation and enterprise deployment. People talk about plugging AI into every process, yet they underestimate the integration friction, the security conversations, and the model validation cycles that follow. In contrast, they overestimate how fast AI can or should take over decision-making.
Joe took the relatable analogy route. He compared the industry’s view of AI autonomy to self-driving cars: “We talk about Level 5 autonomy, but we’re still living in a world that needs human hands on the wheel.” Underestimated? The role of human oversight. Overestimated? The belief that AI will magically run an entire IT operation.
You know what? He’s absolutely right. Our own findings mirror this, similar data from the DLR report shows that organizations with human-in-the-loop models outperform fully automated approaches in reliability and risk management, reinforcing that AI is an amplifier of expertise, not a replacement for it.
The Global and Economic Forces Shaping 2026
Even though AI steals the spotlight, global and economic forces are pulling the strings behind the scenes. And each of our contributors had distinct but connected perspectives.
Galdamez sees regulation as the biggest force. He talked about the EU AI Act, U.S. regulatory momentum, and the tightening requirements from cyber insurers. In his eyes, 2026 will be the year enterprises can no longer treat compliance as an afterthought.
Premkumar added that macroeconomic pressure will push organizations toward consolidation. Instead of sprawling tech stacks, companies will double down on smaller, more integrated platforms that deliver more value with fewer moving parts. He called it “economic gravity” the natural pull towards efficiency.
Joe emphasized something else: global instability. He pointed out that cyber risks increase during periods of geopolitical tension, and 2026 will demand stronger detection, faster response, and more resilient infrastructure. “Global instability and rising cyber risk,” he said, “will define 2026 more than any single technology.”
Honestly? It’s hard to argue with that. As attacks grow faster and more coordinated, organizations can no longer rely on prevention alone; success in 2026 will hinge on early detection, rapid response, and infrastructure designed to absorb and recover from impact rather than assuming it can be avoided.
Will AI Actually Make Major Decisions in 2026?
Short answer: yes and no. And here’s where the nuance matters.
Galdamez was clear: AI will handle micro-decisions risk scoring, alert triage, anomaly detection but not macro ones. He said something insightful: “AI will choose what to surface, but humans will choose what to act on.” That’s a powerful distinction.
Premkumar reinforced this by explaining how AI will evaluate threats faster, but the ethical and strategic decisions will still rest with people. He stressed that AI must support transparency. Not because it’s a compliance checkbox, but because without transparency, trust collapses.
Joe took the practical route once again. He agreed that AI will make operational decisions but not business-critical ones. He described AI as a “decision accelerator,” not a decision-maker. That framing helps leaders understand what AI will and won’t replace.
The takeaway?
AI will make your work faster, smarter, and more efficient but it won’t take your judgment away.
Will AI Rule the Enterprise or Blend into the Background?
After all the discussion, this question captured the essence of the debate.
Galdamez believes AI will become part of the fabric of enterprise operations almost invisible, yet indispensable. Like electricity. You don’t think about it unless it stops working.
Premkumar noted that what will actually “rule” isn’t AI it’s AI governance. The companies that master governance will outperform, out-innovate, and out-secure everyone else. His perspective was pragmatic, but it carried a hopeful undertone.
Joe summed it up beautifully: “AI won’t rule 2026. But the companies that learn to partner with it will.” And he’s right AI’s power in 2026 won’t come from dominance; it will come from alignment.
So… Is AI Going to Rule 2026?
After hearing from Galdamez, Premkumar, and Joe, the answer becomes surprisingly clear.
AI will be the engine, but humans will remain the drivers especially the CIOs, CTOs, and decision makers who understand that technology is only as strong as the trust that surrounds it.
A huge thank you again to our contributors for their insights. Their voices are what make Harvey Nash’s CIO Voices not just informative, but truly meaningful.
And before you go, here’s something to look forward to:
Next month’s edition will explore “Data-Driven Decisions: Choosing the Right Analytics Platform for Maximum ROI”
Stay tuned because the talent landscape is evolving faster than ever, and the strategies you build now will define your competitive edge for years to come.
