How CIOs can drive gen AI by rethinking work

Generative AI (Gen AI) is set to transform the workplace—boosting productivity, enhancing employee engagement, and enabling hyper-personalised digital experiences. Yet Lenovo’s latest report reveals that most organisations aren’t ready.

Our new global study, Igniting Real Workplace Transformation, the second in our Work Reborn Research Series 2025, reveals a major gap between aspiration and action. We surveyed 600 IT leaders worldwide and found that while 97% recognise the need for digital workplace transformation, over 60% haven’t even started the journey.

This delay is stalling progress on one of the biggest opportunities of our time. More than 80% of leaders see Gen AI’s potential to improve productivity, reduce costs, and streamline IT operations. But Gen AI doesn’t work in a vacuum—it must be deployed within a modern digital workplace that supports flexibility and personalisation and enhances the employee experience.

Transformation enables Gen AI to thrive, allowing businesses to operate more intelligently, automate routine tasks, and adapt tools to how people work. Yet many organisations struggle to take the first step. The report identifies three core barriers to progress—and, more importantly, recommendations for unlocking Gen AI’s full potential.

Barriers to reinvention

Many CIOs lack a clear vision for how digital workplace transformation can support their strategic goals. More than half (55%) said creating such a vision is a top challenge. Too often, organisations chase transformation trends without defining what success looks like for their business, resulting in unclear goals and stalled initiatives.

A strong digital strategy must begin with a vision rooted in both business needs and the employee experience. Rather than replicating the approach of other businesses, organisations must consider their own goals, culture, and workforce dynamics. Transformation should reflect those objectives—balancing short-term wins with long-term value—and align fully with their organisation’s broader mission.

Secondly, CIOs told us that other IT initiatives are taking precedence over digital workplace transformation, with 44% ranking this among their top three challenges. From cybersecurity and sustainability to infrastructure upgrades and Gen AI itself, digital transformation is often viewed as just another item on an already crowded agenda. This is a misconception. Transformation is not a competing priority—it’s the foundation that will enable all the other projects.

The third major barrier is that 44% of IT leaders don’t know how to begin transforming their digital workplace. Many are overwhelmed by the scale, complexity, and potential risks. However, while transformation is a significant undertaking, I believe that complexity doesn’t have to stall progress.

Key considerations

Digital workplace transformation isn’t a one-off tech project—it’s a cross-functional initiative that must bring together people, processes, and platforms.

Here are some of my top recommendations for CIOs to get started:

1. Organisational buy-in
   Success depends on input from across the business, including HR, finance, and other key departments. Engaging these peers from the outset is critical.
2. Technology integration
   Transformation often means transitioning from legacy systems to more agile, hybrid cloud-based platforms. While this can introduce risk and disruption, the right digital solutions can help navigate the change.
3. Change management
   Employees often resist change due to uncertainty or concerns over job security. A strong change management framework and clear communication are essential to easing the transition.
4. Skills and training
   New technologies require new skills—for both frontline employees and IT teams. Any transformation plan must therefore include a robust training programme to support this evolution.

True transformation takes more than new tools. It requires a cohesive strategy, a clear vision, and alignment across people, platforms, and business priorities. From leadership to frontline employees, every part of the business must be involved.

With the right alignment of skills, infrastructure, and strategy, CIOs can turn ambition into action and create a digital workplace where Gen AI accelerates performance and innovation. Those who lead this charge won’t just adapt to change—they’ll define it.

For more on realising your vision for the digital workplace, download our latest report from the Work Reborn Research Series.