AI will change the CIO role more than the last decade of digital transformation ever did. It will redefine the technology stack and, more importantly, what the CIO must govern and how. As software generates software and autonomous agents execute work, the CIO’s center of gravity shifts from building systems to governing outcomes. Savvy CIOs are already using AI to reshape decisions, influence the C-suite, and claim ground that once belonged to others. Over the next five years, CIOs who treat AI as an operating shift — not pilots — will expand influence and credibility, while those who don’t risk extinction. This report helps CIOs understand AI’s impact on their responsibilities and how to avoid irrelevance.