Deloitte Global Technology Leadership Study Finds New Tech Mandate
Deloitte’s 2026 Global Technology Leadership Study surveyed more than 660 technology executives and found that technology leadership expectations have shifted toward delivering business outcomes. The results matter because they describe a gap between expanded leadership mandates and organizational ability to execute.
The study reported that 79% of leaders listed driving business outcomes as their top priority, and it contrasted that mandate with “low or no ROI on AI investments,” as 42% of leaders reported. It also described constraints tied to data, security concerns, talent shortages, and legacy systems, alongside operating-model and funding structures that had not kept pace.
The research framed leadership changes in three shifts: a value mandate from uptime to measurable enterprise value, a capability gap between confidence and execution reality, and a resource squeeze in which leaders were expected to run, change, protect, and grow simultaneously. It also cited talent and governance issues as part of the challenge to translate AI investments into sustained outcomes.
Deloitte Global CIO and US Tech Executive Programs leader Anjali Shaikh said, “The era of the operational technologist is over. This shift has been building for over a decade, and AI is the catalyst bringing that into focus. Today's CIO isn't just leading technology; they are being asked to redesign the very fabric of how the business runs. As operating models and investments catch up to this new reality, success will be defined by judgment and trade-offs. This is the moment for tech leaders to redefine their mandate and their organization's trajectory.” Steve Pratt, Deloitte Consulting LLP US Tech Exec Programs leader, said, “For years, we've tracked the tech leader's journey toward the center of the business. This year's study shows they have arrived, but the enterprise wasn't fully prepared for them. The challenge is significant, but the opportunity is immense. Today's leaders are defined by their ability to orchestrate across the C-suite and translate technology into measurable outcomes. Those who remain focused solely on delivering underlying systems risk being sidelined, while those who embrace this moment can lead their organizations into the future.”
Deloitte conducted an online survey of more than 660 technology leaders from December 2025 to February 2026, screened by title, company size, company revenue, and responsibility for setting the strategic direction of technology within their organization.