Thoughtworks survey of 3,200 CIOs finds technology leaders are taking responsibility for workforce redesign and AI failures, while fragmented budget ownership leaves accountability and control disjointed
CHICAGO, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation, shows that nine in 10 (91%) Chief Information Officers (CIOs) say AI adoption within their organization is happening faster than governance structures can adapt.
The research, based on a survey of 3,200 CIOs across 10 countries, points to a widening gap between authority and accountability as AI tools and workflows spread throughout the enterprise. In North America, 92% of CIOs say they are now more responsible for redesigning workforce workflows and labor models than for managing core IT infrastructure. This rises to 94% among U.S. respondents, compared with 91% in Canada.
At the same time, CIOs are being held personally accountable for AI adoption outcomes they cannot fully influence. More than a third (37%) cite security incidents involving AI systems, while 35% point to data privacy breaches. Almost one-third feel accountable without sufficient authority for workforce disruption (32%), regulatory or compliance failures (32%), and demonstrating a return on AI investment (31%).
"AI governance is also a workforce design issue," said Rachel Laycock, Chief Technology Officer at Thoughtworks. "As AI changes how work gets done, organizations need to rethink roles, workflows and decision rights so people know where human judgment is still essential and where AI can take on more of the work."
Responsibility for AI spending is also divided across organizations, with no single dominant budget model. Twenty-one percent of North American CIOs say AI investment decisions and budgets are managed centrally by the IT or technology function, while an almost equal proportion, 21%, say budgets are controlled independently by business units outside IT. A further 20% say responsibility is shared between IT and business functions, 20% report that their organization's model is still evolving, and 19% say budgets are managed centrally at the executive or board level.
Despite these fragmented structures, 92% of CIOs agree that central IT will ultimately be held responsible for security breaches or compliance failures caused by AI tools purchased independently by business units. The figure rises to 94% among U.S. CIOs, compared with 89% in Canada.
"Authority over AI is distributed, but accountability hasn't always moved with it," said Mike Sutcliff, CEO of Thoughtworks. "The answer isn't to pull every decision back into central IT, or to put one executive in charge and assume the problem is solved. Organizations need clearer decision rights, and people need the skills and information to make good decisions as AI becomes part of how the business runs."
The findings also reveal an apparent confidence gap. While 91% of North American CIOs say AI adoption is moving faster than governance can adapt, 97% nonetheless consider their organization prepared to govern AI consistently across multiple business functions. Two-thirds (66%) describe their organization as "very prepared," although this confidence varies significantly by country, rising to 83% in the U.S. and falling to 49% in Canada.
Organizations are now taking steps to formalize how AI is governed. More than half of CIOs (56%) say their organization is establishing a formal AI governance and operating model in the next 12 months. Fifty-two percent are embedding a dedicated technology lead within each business unit, while 48% are expanding the CIO's role to oversee enterprise-wide AI strategy and implementation.
The lack of a consistent operating model also extends to enterprise AI leadership. More than two-thirds of North American organizations surveyed (67%) have already hired a Chief AI Officer, while a further 28% are looking to appoint one. However, among respondents whose organization either has a CAIO or is looking to hire one, there is no clear consensus on how the position should work alongside the CIO or CTO.
Thirty-eight percent say the CAIO acts, or will act, as an extension of the CIO or CTO's centralized strategy. A further 34% say the role operates, or will operate, independently with equal or greater enterprise influence, while 28% describe the relationship as a source of organizational friction or unclear boundaries.
"At Thoughtworks, our experience has been that AI transformation is a team sport, from defining enterprise AI strategy and architecture to embedding AI into internal platforms and day-to-day operations." said Xia Jie Jessie, CIO of Thoughtworks. "The question isn't who owns AI, but how leadership collaborates to create business value responsibly and at scale."
The full report, Thoughtworks Global CIO Survey: Who governs enterprise AI?, explores how organizations are approaching enterprise AI governance, leadership, workforce capability and the changing role of the CIO.
About Thoughtworks
Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation. For over 30 years, Thoughtworks has helped organisations solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator.
Methodology
The research featured in this report was conducted by Censuswide, in partnership with Thoughtworks, among a sample of 3,200 CIOs across the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Singapore.
The data was collected between July 1 and July 10 2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC) and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. They adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.
Media contact:
Marsh Abraham
Head of Public Relations, Americas
SOURCE Thoughtworks
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