Navigating genAI responsibly: 3 actions CIOs can take now

Generative AI (genAI) will drive transformation across industries in the coming year. Leaders have a profound responsibility not only to harness AI’s potential but also to navigate its ethical complexities with foresight, diligence, and transparency.

I have the opportunity to speak with CIOs and others at the forefront of AI very frequently via my podcast Inspired Execution. Ethics, governance, and regulation come up in almost every conversation. The importance of these topics is clear, and leaders are grappling with the “how” – how to act responsibly with our data, how to work with governing bodies on solutions, and how to embed these values into the organizations we lead.

Here’s what three leaders are saying about responsible genAI, plus actions you can take to start moving the needle today.

At the organizational level: Keep humans in the loop

Prasad Ramakrishnan is an executive, CIO advisor, and investor. He points out that technology without strong governance is risky and uses the example of autonomous vehicles needing a human in the car (or overseeing its operation). Prasad advises leaders to keep human judgment in the loop, highlighting the need to integrate ethics into every stage of AI development. This means setting clear ethical guidelines and governance structures within their organizations. The goal is to reduce risks and ensure that AI projects deliver practical benefits to customers and improve operational efficiency.

Action for CIOs:Set clear ethical guidelines and governance for AI projects to ensure ethical alignment and operational success.

At the industry level: Advocate for industry-wide standards

Alex Mashrabov spent years as Snap’s Director of GenAI and recently founded a video AI company called Higgsfield. He believes we need to move beyond the exaggerated fears covered by the media to a more realistic view backed by practical initiatives. Specifically addressing video generation, he shares two critical challenges: detecting copyrighted content and implementing AI digital watermarks.

Alex advocates for establishing industry-wide standards led by major platforms like Google and Meta. His main concerns are the disparity in regulatory frameworks across states and the rapid adoption of AI ahead of regulatory clarity. “Governance needs proactive industry leadership,” Alex says, calling for transparency and accountability in AI outputs to minimize misuse and ensure ethical standards.

Action for CIOs: Advocate for industry-wide standards for transparent and accountable AI outputs that tackle issues like copyright and digital integrity.

At the systems level: Prioritize explainability

Jeff Frick has a background in technology and media, and interviews many of today’s most innovative leaders. He brings up the evolving nature of AI and the challenges it brings. “We must anticipate improvements over time despite current limitations,” he says, drawing parallels to historical tech advancements like the rise of the PC.

Concerns over explainability and governance stand out most for Jeff. He highlights the challenge of achieving explainable AI along with continuous learning and vast data inputs. Jeff also points out the complexity of navigating regulatory disparities (for example, differences between global and regional standards such as GDPR). His perspective is that good governance should be an accelerator, not an obstacle, for innovation.

Action for CIOs: Promote openness and invest in technologies that enhance explainability in AI systems, so stakeholders can understand how AI decisions are made and trust the outcomes.

Responsible leadership in GenAI isn’t optional – it’s essential. By setting clear ethical standards, promoting industry-wide accountability and collaboration, and having open dialogue and systems, you can steer your organization toward an AI future built on trust and innovation.

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About Chet Kapoor:

Chet is Chairman and CEO of DataStax. He is a proven leader and innovator in the tech industry with more than 20 years in leadership at innovative software and cloud companies, including Google, IBM, BEA Systems, WebMethods, and NeXT. As Chairman and CEO of Apigee, he led company-wide initiatives to build Apigee into a leading technology provider for digital business. Google (Apigee) is the cross-cloud API management platform that operates in a multi- and hybrid-cloud world. Chet successfully took Apigee public before the company was acquired by Google in 2016. Chet earned his B.S. in engineering from Arizona State University.