Many companies are jumping into artificial intelligence (AI), but not all are clear on how it fits into their business goals.
“CIOs’ jobs have become more strategic and critical now,” said Kumar Mitra, general manager and managing director of Lenovo in Greater Asia Pacific, in an interview with Back End News during the VSTECS CXO Tech Summit 2025 in Boracay. “CIOs now have a place on the board because they are the ones who define the entire AI journey.”
This has been highlighted in Lenovo’s CIO Playbook released in February this year, which looks at how organizations around the world are managing their AI adoption. The report highlights the growing role of chief information officers (CIOs) in making sure AI investments deliver real value.
The Playbook found that AI adoption in Asia Pacific and Japan is happening in two waves: large enterprises are adopting aggressively, while smaller firms are starting to catch up. About 56% of organizations are already evaluating or planning AI investments, with many seeing its potential to boost efficiency, decision-making, and competitiveness.
However, the study also noted that many companies are still struggling with poor data quality, integration issues, high implementation costs, and a shortage of skilled talent needed to design, deploy, and scale AI solutions effectively.
As companies look to close these gaps, 46% of organizations said they plan to prioritize AI service providers that offer a clear data and AI strategy, hybrid architecture, and strong privacy and security frameworks.
Mitra said CIOs are now responsible for guiding organizations through these challenges by building governance structures that ensure AI is used responsibly and aligned with business priorities. The rise of tools like ChatGPT, he said, has shown how important it is to have a clear plan for using AI.
“Some companies rush into AI because they don’t want to be left behind,” he said. “But without understanding its purpose, you can end up wasting time and money. The current AI trend reminds us of the early Bring Your Own Device days, exciting but risky if not handled properly.”
He said the best approach is to start small, focusing on AI projects that improve customer experience or make employees’ work easier.
Even as AI takes over repetitive and data-heavy tasks, Mitra said human oversight remains essential.
“I don’t see AI replacing people,” he said. “Every decision still requires logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and sometimes gut instinct. You can’t expect that from an AI.”
He added that while AI frameworks can streamline operations, people are still needed to manage and guide these systems.
“The real demand now is for people with AI skills,” he said. “Whether they’re experienced professionals or fresh graduates, they need to be AI-trained and AI-certified. That’s what Lenovo is focusing on.”
Mitra said AI should be viewed as a partner, not a replacement.
“Humans were never meant to do repetitive tasks,” he said. “AI can take care of that, while people focus on strategy, creativity, and decision-making.”