As the end of the year approaches, it’s important for technology leaders to pause and reflect on the substantial shifts we've witnessed this year and prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. 

With this in mind, I asked our new Chief Product & Technology Officer, Jeff Chow, to join me in reflecting on the changes of the past year and sharing our thoughts on the year ahead. We discussed the key technological advancements that have most impacted our work and how they will continue to influence our strategic planning for the upcoming year. We also touched on how CISOs and CPTOs can position their organizations to not just adapt to, but thrive, in these evolving circumstances.

Looking back: The role of AI in communication and productivity

Mark Strande, CISO at Miro

“The integration of AI into daily communication processes has markedly streamlined the way information is managed and conveyed. The use of AI for tasks such as video transcription and summarizing texts has significantly enhanced the efficiency of extracting essential points from meetings, facilitating quicker and more effective sharing of information for status updates and meeting notes. This shift towards AI-driven communication tools reflects a growing trend in leveraging AI technology to optimize workplace interactions.

However, with the increased reliance on AI, the need for comprehensive AI governance becomes increasingly critical, especially in terms of security and ethical usage. This evolving landscape calls for collaboration between CIOs and CISOs to ensure secure utilization of AI technologies to harness the efficiency and capabilities provided by AI, while maintaining a secure technology environment.”

Jeff Chow, CPTO at Miro

“AI has ushered in a transformative era in the technology landscape, fundamentally altering how businesses operate and interact with customers. The significant ROI from AI-driven productivity improvements is evident, demonstrating clear use cases that extend from streamlining internal workflows to enriching customer experiences. This revolution in technology has not only optimized existing processes but also opened doors to new possibilities and ways of working.

There is growing anticipation for the acceleration of AI's capabilities in the coming year, particularly in developing deeper, more personalized AI assistants and automations that operate behind the scenes. These advancements are expected to offer more nuanced and refined solutions, further integrating AI into the fabric of daily business operations. This ongoing evolution of AI promises to bring about more sophisticated, user-centric technologies that not only streamline processes but also create more intuitive and engaging user experiences.”

Looking forward: Security challenges and budget realities

Mark (CISO)

“Security organizations need to become AI security experts. As AI becomes more ingrained in various aspects of business operations, there's an increasing need for security strategies to be more proactive, experimental, and innovative. The challenge lies not only in ensuring the robustness of security measures but also in validating the accuracy and reliability of these new AI technologies. This requires a dual focus on pioneering security solutions that can anticipate and adapt to evolving AI landscapes while rigorously testing and verifying the integrity of AI systems.

To effectively and securely harness the power of AI, security organizations must transition from being restrictive barriers to enabling guardrails that foster innovation through a program of responsible AI. This shift calls for a new mindset, where security frameworks and approaches are designed to facilitate business agility and direction, rather than acting as impediments. Embracing this paradigm means developing security strategies that are as dynamic and forward-thinking as the AI technologies they aim to protect, ensuring that businesses can leverage AI safely.”

Jeff (CPTO)

“One trend that isn’t emerging but isn’t going away is tightening budgets and tool consolidation, which fundamentally drive innovation as companies are compelled to deliver more value to customers. This demand for efficiency is leading to the blurring of boundaries between different software categories, traditionally viewed as distinct silos. The necessity to do more with less is also reshaping user experiences and influencing new pricing models. These changes continue to create new lanes of innovation through tech advancements, user experiences, and pricing strategies.

As CIOs navigate the path of tool consolidation, they are encountering the challenges of change management. Employees, who have become accustomed to a wide choice of tools, may resist this shift towards a more streamlined set of solutions. Balancing the need to consolidate with maintaining employee satisfaction and productivity will be a key focus for CIOs, requiring careful strategy and communication to ensure a smooth transition while upholding high standards of quality and efficiency.”

Navigating a transformative landscape

As we step into the new year, CIOs are tasked with navigating a transformative landscape marked by rapid AI advancements and budgetary constraints. These insights underscore the importance of adaptive security strategies and creative approaches to tool consolidation. The key to success in this evolving scenario lies in balancing security and innovation while meeting the high expectations of enterprise software users. As CIOs chart their course for the upcoming year, these reflections and predictions will be instrumental in shaping their strategic direction.