In this episode of Tech Talks Daily I welcomed Sumit Johar, CIO at Blackline, for a timely conversation about how AI transforms financial operations from within. When we last spoke earlier this year, AI was still in the early stages of Enterprise experiments. Only a few months later everything has shifted.
Sumit shared how AI went much further than pilot programs and to a space where business leaders actively ask for implementations. What stood out in our conversation was how this change reformed the relationship between CIOs and CFOs. The skepticism fades and a stronger sense of cooperation is on the rise as both parties work together to stimulate transformation, to align strategies and the results of the re -imagine.
We have investigated the growing need for CIOs to be “multilingual” – not in a linguistic sense, but in their ability to navigate both technology and companies. It is no longer enough to speak in code or technical jargon. CIOs must understand financial workflows, end-to-end processes and the operational pressure of CFOs every day. This coordination is crucial in evaluating how and where AI to implement.
Sumit has also unpacked some of the core challenges around AI integration, including data quality, long-term sustainability, safety and ethical use. In contrast to earlier Saas waves, AI -adoption has more complex risk risks. Demos can make an impression, but Real-World implementations require rigorous checks, responsible board and the right culture.
The conversation related to the current build versus buy dilemma, why it is context -specific and how Blackline approaches that decisions with long -term scalability in mind. Sumit also shared how internal councils and cross-functional cooperation contributed to the guideline of the AI strategy throughout the organization.
If you lead the digital transformation or build the next phase of AI integration in your finances or IT teams, this episode offers clear, experienced insights.
What does your organization do to prepare for AI, not as a concept, but as a daily operational reality?
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