CIO CIO

Steering the ship as a CIO, the question often arises: “What exactly does a CIO do?” The truth is there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Today’s CIOs must be as dynamic and adaptable as the technologies they champion, navigating through an era of remarkable change within the digital landscape. My experience at Nutanix thus far has been a deep dive into this transformative journey. CIOs lead digital transformation with strategic foresight, technical expertise, and a focus on cybersecurity and customer strategies. The role now requires agility to embrace and lead with emerging technologies, ensuring IT strategies are in lockstep with broader business goals. The evolving role of the CIO is pivotal in shaping their organization’s future in the digital era. In essence, the role of a CIO has evolved to become a nexus of innovation, leveraging technologies like AI and hybrid multicloud operations to enhance efficiency and agility and deliver customer-focused solutions. A key insight from my initial 30 days at Nutanix, informed by discussions with over 30 stakeholders, highlighted the necessity of refining our strategies. We needed to ensure our IT initiatives met technical specifications and were in perfect harmony with our strategic company vision. Nutanix’s growth mindset and openness to change have influenced my leadership. This supportive environment values the diversity of thought and promotes adaptability, resilience, and continuous development. Here leveraging unique strengths to their fullest is appreciated and expected, shaping a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to leadership and innovation. By the 60-day mark at Nutanix, we focused on solidifying our IT vision and strategy. Risk assessments revealed vulnerabilities and inefficiencies, guiding our strategy to optimize, consolidate, enhance security, and align with business goals. Building on these foundational efforts our journey did not pause at the 60-day mark. We completed the 90-day plan, marked by transformative changes, including the adoption of management by objectives (MBOs). This strategic pivot has revolutionized the efficiency and focus of our IT team, aligning every member’s effort with our broader organizational goals. Implementing MBOs has enhanced productivity and effectiveness, leading to remarkable achievements and strategic advancements. This period highlighted the importance of active collaboration with our team, customers, and vendors to align our technology roadmap with the latest industry trends. Discussions led to a comprehensive review, optimization, and consolidation of our lab infrastructure, adopting models like lab-as-a-service and refining our offerings. These initiatives reinforced our customer-centric IT approach, informed budget allocation, and strengthened our responsive, efficient IT strategy. One area that has been instrumental in helping us define our future is our “Nutanix-on-Nutanix” initiative. It’s a collaborative effort across all functional teams at Nutanix that leverages our technology to optimize our internal operations and showcase the effectiveness of our solutions. This initiative has resulted in significantly optimized infrastructure, resulting in 68% greater datacenter density, translating into lower capital and operational expenses. Further, we were able to achieve increased energy savings and a simplified hybrid multicloud environment These improvements speak directly to our commitment to performance, scalability, and reliability. The insights gained from implementing Nutanix-on-Nutanix will shape our strategic direction in the next fiscal year. It informs our product development and customer engagement strategies based on the success and learnings from applying our internal best practices. My involvement in Nutanix committees helped instill a culture of security, privacy, and responsible practices. By collaborating with teams across departments, we established policies that promote adherence to industry best practices and legal standards, enhancing compliance, accountability, and our ethical, secure framework. So, what do I take from all of this? We live and breathe in an industry heavily influenced and dominated by AI and cloud computing. Our roadmap at Nutanix is clear: To stay ahead, we must harness these innovations. We’re integrating AI to streamline operations and enhance customer support, as seen with our X-Bot initiative and cross-functional collaboration within our engineering team. Our cloud computing strategy focuses on delivering flexible and scalable solutions and sets a benchmark for our customers that enables us to demonstrate the tangible benefits of our technologies. Addressing cybersecurity is paramount. I aim to fortify defenses, ensure compliance, and safeguard our data. At the heart of our efforts is a commitment to our customers. By aligning our technology solutions with their needs, we aim to boost productivity and satisfaction. This customer-first approach, combined with our strategic adoption of AI and cloud technologies, positions Nutanix as a leader in driving business growth and innovation in the digital era. Learn more about Nutanix. source

The new multi-agent system will go some way toward answering Marc Benioff’s criticism of Microsoft’s existing AI offering: The Salesforce CEO has said, “Copilot is more like Clippy 2.0,” referring to the ill-fated and irritating animated paperclip that once offered assistance on writing a letter in Microsoft Office. Magentic-One has a multi-agent architecture in which one agent, the Orchestrator, directs four other agents to solve a given task. “The Orchestrator plans, tracks progress, and re-plans to recover from errors, while directing specialized agents to perform tasks like operating a web browser, navigating local files, or writing and executing Python code,” the company explained in a blog post. source

The IT exec’s efforts to elevate digital acumen across the company have positioned the global insurer to become more data-driven and capable of capitalizing on gen AI. source

For businesses, the new platform can provide a streamlined method for addressing AI risks and ensuring compliance. “By establishing clear regulatory frameworks, the UK’s AI assurance platform can foster trust and accountability, which are critical for compliance with laws such as GDPR and sector-specific regulations,” said Prabhu Ram, VP of Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research. However, while the platform is marketed as a tool to build trust in artificial intelligence, its primary aim is to offer businesses a framework for evaluating AI in line with government standards, according to Hyoun Park, CEO and chief analyst at Amalgam Insights. source

A transformation model is a refection of an organization’s data-driven management. But for complex multinationals, it’s not easy for talent to implement new technologies, nor data scientists to grasp the big business picture. So Mitsui & Co., one of Japan’s leading general trading, investment, and service companies, is focused on growing the company-wide knowledge base to strengthen its digital ambitions. source

As the automotive industry embraces the era of connectivity, telemetry data has emerged as a game changer for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). While the technological complexity of telemetry data adds new challenges, such as ensuring data security and compliance with regulations, it also unlocks trillions of dollars in potential for manufacturers, with the promise of improving customer experiences, enhancing vehicle performance, and generating new revenue streams. However, despite the transformative potential of connected vehicle data, the industry continues to struggle in meeting driver expectations for personalized experiences and enhanced service offerings. To stay competitive, OEMs must integrate data from all sources—vehicles, drivers, services, and retail—to deliver tailored experiences and offers. The key to unlocking these opportunities lies in a comprehensive data strategy. 1. Initial assessment and evaluation The first step in unlocking the value of telemetry data for OEMs is to conduct a thorough strategic assessment of both risks and benefits. This assessment must prioritize regulatory compliance, ensuring that data collection practices align with local and global standards. Additionally, public perception plays a pivotal role; OEMs must build trust with customers by being transparent about how their data is collected and used. Any gaps in this process should be identified and addressed. Ethical concerns, such as data privacy and security, should also be top of mind, and any deficiencies should be noted during the evaluation stage, as mishandling these areas can lead to reputational damage and legal risks. Once these foundations are in place, the next step is to evaluate the maturity of telemetry data. This evaluation helps OEMs identify redundancies, address scalability challenges, and assess the feasibility of various use cases. 2. Connected data strategy and management After the initial assessment, OEMs must ensure appropriate data infrastructure and develop a comprehensive data strategy that aligns with their business goals. This step involves outlining low-risk, high-benefit use cases within the limits of the current infrastructure. Working with telemetry data requires a lifecycle approach that encompasses data strategy, data architecture, data engineering, and operations to ensure maximum value is derived from the data. A comprehensive governance framework includes key elements such as data risk management, data discoverability, and data trustworthiness. These components cover critical processes like consent management, compliance, data lineage, and privacy. By implementing these measures, OEMs can ensure not only compliance but also build long-term trust with their customers. 3. Strategic use case development for OEMs A focused approach to use case development is essential for accelerating time-to-value. By prioritizing high-impact use cases, OEMs can not only extract valuable insights from telemetry data but also ensure that future applications can be seamlessly integrated as technology and customer needs evolve. OEMs can explore key use cases in the following areas: Customer experience and safety: Telemetry data can significantly enhance both safety and convenience for drivers. Proactive maintenance alerts, real-time driver behavior analysis, and fatigue detection features can help prevent accidents and reduce vehicle downtime.  These proactive insights not only improve the overall driving experience but also create a deeper connection between the customer and the brand. Dealership enablement: Sharing telemetry data with dealerships transforms aftersales services. Dealerships can use real-time data for remote diagnostics, offering personalized service bundles tailored to individual driving habits, or optimizing used car valuations based on actual vehicle performance. Data monetization: The commercial opportunities from connected vehicles are vast. OEMs can establish partnerships with insurers to develop usage-based insurance (UBI) models, where drivers are charged based on their driving behavior. Other potential partnerships include sharing real-time traffic data with navigation providers or working with urban planners to provide insights into traffic flow and infrastructure needs. However, transparency is key—OEMs must clearly communicate who is receiving the data, how it’s being used, and for what purpose. Conclusion: A roadmap for success As the automotive industry undergoes a profound transformation driven by connectivity and telematics, OEMs stand at the forefront of unlocking unprecedented value from telemetry data. To effectively navigate this evolving landscape, OEMs should invest in infrastructure to build scalable and secure data architecture that supports the increasing volume and complexity of telemetry data. Furthermore, OEMs must embrace continuous improvement by regularly evaluating and refining data governance frameworks to ensure compliance with regulations and adapt to changing consumer expectations. Actively exploring and prioritizing innovative use cases that leverage telemetry data will allow OEMs to deliver personalized services and enhance vehicle performance. By taking these proactive steps, OEMs can meet the challenges posed by connected vehicles and lead the charge in shaping a safer, more efficient, and more customer-centric automotive future. The time to act is now embracing the potential of telemetry data will define the next era of automotive excellence. To learn more, visit us here. Nekhil Agrawal is analytics practice lead for the media and manufacturing practice at EXL, a leading data-and AI-led services, digital operations, and solutions company.  source

Inserting generative AI into workflows at critical points can maximize its effectiveness, while minimizing the cost. Some CIOs are enthusiastic; others are skeptical. source

At ADIPEC 2024 in Abu Dhabi, ADNOC, Masdar, and Microsoft signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) to advance artificial intelligence and low-carbon initiatives aimed at reshaping the energy landscape. The collaboration, which combines expertise in energy and technology, is set to support environmental and economic goals through renewable energy, carbon capture, and efficiency projects that reduce emissions and enable a sustainable future. Under the SCA, the companies will evaluate the potential to power Microsoft’s data centers with renewable energy sourced through Masdar, a key ADNOC stakeholder. In addition, they will explore using AI for carbon capture, low-carbon ammonia, and hydrogen projects that reduce the carbon footprint of existing energy systems. A core focus will also be accelerating AI deployment across ADNOC’s operations to enhance efficiency, cut methane emissions in line with the Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter, and improve biodiversity monitoring for environmental protection. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, and Masdar Chairman, spoke on the transformative impact of the collaboration. “We are at a pivotal moment, driven by the rise of the Global South, the rapid energy transition, and the exponential growth of AI,” he said. “AI is redefining productivity and progress, creating new opportunities and challenges. By collaborating on AI’s immediate challenges, we can unlock long-term benefits across the energy value chain, securing a sustainable future for generations to come.” source

The layoffs will cost the company somewhere between $11 million and $13 million for “cash expenditures for severance payments, employee benefits, and related costs” according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) form 8-K (which must be filed to reveal major events that shareholders should be aware of) that the company filed on Wednesday. In a letter to employees on Wednesday, Woodside wrote that the layoffs were needed because “we need to simplify the way we work and operate more efficiently.” “We began by combining teams focused on customer experience (CX) products, including support, sales and marketing, and reallocating people and investments to prioritize our fastest growing employee experience (EX) business. These decisions were made thoughtfully and carefully to set a strong foundation for our future,” Woodside wrote. “To add more focus on our EX, AI, and CX priorities, we are realigning our global workforce, putting us on a path to have a bigger impact for our customers. We’re making these changes while our business is profitable and our AI-powered products are providing increasing customer value. We believe this will help us accelerate our growth and simplify the way we work, so that we’re running Freshworks in a way that’s efficient and scalable.” source

Halfway through 2022, Relativity realized that managing access to its government cloud environment had become a slow and manual process for its internal teams, which increased the risk of human error and overburdened security staff. The company set out to implement automation tools to streamline access management, and by December 2023, a new automation process was fully deployed. “With this project, we saw an opportunity to use automation to save time for our experts and limit the number of people internally who needed authorization to product environments,” says Marcin Święty, CSO at Relativity. Accelerating and safeguarding access controls The main challenge for Relativity was that access to the government production environment was extremely limited. Only one person at a time with public trust certification could access and make changes to the environment, which slowed the build process.  source