Critically, though, while Canadian CEOs are embracing AI, they aren’t blind to its hazards. They recognize that AI can pose substantial risks to their organizations and that plenty of hurdles stand between them and successful implementation.
Only 40 per cent say their organization is ready to deploy generative AI with a robust governance framework, and 67 per cent believe the pace of progress on AI regulation will be a barrier to their success.
The worries are not unique to CEOs. Canadian tech leaders are also struggling to address some of these barriers as they look to operationalize technologies and deliver on their KPIs. About half (51 per cent) are concerned about a gap in technical capabilities and skills required to implement AI successfully.
That’s why Canadian tech leaders are turning their focus over the next 12 months to what they see as a key gap: data management. Fewer than half of tech leaders believe in the effectiveness of their data systems (47 per cent), their data governance (48 per cent) or their data security protocols (46 per cent).
When looking to derive value from AI and related investments, balancing the equation between data management and data hygiene will depend on pairing the right policies and protocols with the right tools and operational acumen. Once again, people will make the difference.