CIO Priorities and Technology Trends 2026 Report.pdf

CIO Priorities and Technology Trends 2026 Report.pdf

1. 2026 CIO Priorities
and Technology
Trends
CIO Summit 2025 – AI-Driven Leadership in Action
LEAD THE CHANGE . SHAPE THE FUTURE!
Oct 2025

2. Research
Background
Technology Priorities
for 2026 outlook
Digital Leadership
& Talent
Focused areas for
CIO’s 2026 agenda -
Data & AI and
Cybersecurity
01 02 03 04
Contents
Top concerns /
Uncertainties
05
2

3. 1
Research
Background

4. Primary industry
4
Background & Coverage

Vietnam CIO Priorities and
Technology Trends Survey 2026
Following strong momentum from last
year, the 2026 survey captured broad
participation from IT leaders across
eight key industries, with particularly
high engagement from Technology,
Media & Telecommunications (TMT)
and Financial Services.
This year’s edition offers a focused
view on:
•Emerging technology trends
shaping enterprise strategy
•Short-term investment priorities
across digital and infrastructure
domains
•Execution roadmaps to translate
ambition into impact
The findings reveal how mid-sized
enterprises and large conglomerates
are increasingly adopting a “Shape
the Future with Innovation” mindset
to accelerate transformation and build
competitive advantage.
Technology budgets over 3% revenue increased 1.5×, rising from 40% to 59% – signaling growing recognition of its role in sustainable growth
Demographics: Vietnam
Primary organisation size Budget

5. 5 2
Technology
Priorities for 2026
outlook

6. 6
Top 5 IT Agenda for 2026 vs. 2025
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#2
#1
#3
#4
#5
The Top 5 priorities remain unchanged —
Data & BI, Cybersecurity, Digital CX, AI,
and Gen-AI — but their positions have
shifted in the IT Agenda for 2026 outlook,
comparing to 2025:
▪Top 1: Data Analytics & Business
Intelligence (77%) has overtaken
Cybersecurity as the leading priority, up
from #2 in 2025 (69%). Data continues to
be the “backbone” for CxOs to drive
decisions and competitive advantage.
▪Top 2: Cybersecurity (66%) – Still critical
but drops from 1st place in 2025 (71%),
showing a shift from protection to value
creation.
▪Top 3: Digital Customer Experience
(57%) – Rises from 47% in 2025,
underscoring the growing
customer-centric shift and accelerated
digital engagement.
▪Top 4: Artificial Intelligence (54%) – Up
from 43% in 2025, reflecting stronger
enterprise adoption beyond pilots.
▪Top 5: Generative AI (48%) – Slightly up
from 43% in 2025, showing steady
growth in attention and experimentation
among CxOs.


Driving 2026: Business First, Secure Always, AI in Action
NEW
Removed
from this
year survey
Compared to 2025, the IT agenda for
2026 shows a clear shift from
“Protection-first” to “Data, AI &
Customer-led Innovation.”
Observations:
1.Focus on Foundations: CIOs are
refocusing on foundational platforms such
as Cloud, RPA, and
ERP/CRM—highlighting the dual
imperative of modernizing core systems
while scaling innovation.
2.Business outcome takes center stage:
While cybersecurity remains a
foundational priority, CIOs are
increasingly shifting focus toward data
strategy and customer experience as key
levers for driving business outcome
3.AI leads in Budget growth: Emerging
technologies i.e. Gen-AI, Agentic-AI are
gaining significant interest driving budget
growth given plausible near, long-term
returns
4.Sustainability and IoT plateaued: Given
the geo-political and global supply chain
shifts**, study indicates the focus on
Sustainability and IoT have plateaued.
2026
2025
Key takeaways

7. 7
A. Significantly increase ( >= 30%)
B. Somewhat increase ( 10 to 29%)
C. Gradual / No Change ( 0 to 10%)
D. Somewhat decreased ( -10% to < 0%)
E. Decreased ( > - 10%)
2026 IT Budget: Powered by AI, Customer Experience & IT
software implementation/ modernization
IT Budget Outlook 2026
54.3%
20252026
Top reasons for IT budget growth (2026 vs. 2025)
1
2
3
4
5
69%
Cybersecurity and risk
management improvement
51%Adoption of Generative AI
49%
Digital Customer Experience
optimization
43%
IT software implementation/
modernization (ERP, CRM)
31%
AI/ML tech. investment & IT
operations scaling to support
business growth
1
2
3
4
5
60%Adoption of Generative AI
54%
Cybersecurity and risk
management improvement
51%
IT software implementation/
modernization (ERP, CRM)
51%
Digital Customer Experience
optimization
40%AI/ML tech. investment
Others Infra/App. modernization 35%
Utilization of BI & Data 35%
To scale IT ops. In support
business growth
25%
Transition to Cloud 24%
Others Process Automation/RPA 25%
Infra/App. modernization 20%
Transition to Cloud 20%
IoT / IT/OT integration 18%
IT budget growth in 2026 is shifting from
a primary focus on protection toward
unlocking value through data, AI,
digital experiences, and
modernization—while still maintaining
security as a core foundation.
IT budgets in 2026 remain positive, with over half of CxOs planning increases (54.3% vs. 53% in 2025). But the real story lies
in where the money goes. While last year’s IT investments largely focused on cybersecurity and risk management (69%), 2026
spending shows a shift toward innovation and growth.
▪Generative AI Generative AI (60%) rises to the top, up from 51% last year, supported by AI/ML investments (40%), reflecting
its move from experimentation to mainstream adoption.
▪Cybersecurity and risk management (54%), while still critical, has stepped back from the #1 spot.
▪ERP/CRM modernization (51%) and customer experience (51%) now stand alongside AI as equally important focus areas.
▪Data & BI (35%) emerges as a funded priority, echoing its position as the #1 CIO agenda for 2026.
Key
Takeaways

8. 83
Focused areas for
CIO’s 2026 agenda
- Data & AI and
Cybersecurity

9. CIOs are orienting toward a dual agenda:
pursuing transformational technologies
like GenAI and Agentic AI while
strengthening foundations in data quality,
governance, and workforce readiness.
AI is no longer just a pilot initiative, but a
core business priority demanding both
technological and organizational maturity.
99
Top 3 priorities of AI/Data strategy in 2026
From pilots to enterprise scale — AI innovation and data
quality drive the next wave of transformation
Key
Takeaways
In 2026, AI/Data strategies are expected to shift from experimentation to business-scale impact.
Generative AI (49%) and Agentic AI (45%) lead as top priorities, showing a strong move toward applied AI for content,
automation, and decision-making. Alongside this, organizations emphasize improving data quality and integration (36%) and
upskilling the workforce (35%), reflecting the need to build a solid foundation of data readiness and human capability to
support AI at scale.
“
By 2028, 33% of enterprise software
applications will include agentic AI,
replacing 20% of human
interactions at digital storefronts,
ultimately allowing 15% of
day-to-day work decisions to be
performed autonomously .

Gartner

10. Building trust in AI starts with strong data governance —
from metadata and stewardship to compliance and ethics.
1010
Data stewardship – Assigning clear accountability for data
assets
Metadata management – Maintaining clear data definitions
and lineage
Access control & security – Implementing robust role-based
permissions
Compliance monitoring – Ensuring alignment with
regulations (e.g., Vietnam Decree 13, PDPL, GDPR, PDPA)
Ethical AI guidelines – Embedding fairness, transparency,
and accountability in AI use
Trust and compliance in AI and data
do not rest on technology alone but
on strong governance foundations.
▪Organizations are moving toward a
holistic approach: strengthening
metadata and stewardship, ensuring
regulatory alignment (e.g., Vietnam
Decree 13, Vietnam's new Personal
Data Protection Law (PDPL), GDPR,
PDPA), and embedding ethical AI
principles.
▪Together, these practices show that
organizations view governance not
just as a compliance exercise but as
the foundation for secure, transparent,
and responsible AI adoption.
Key takeaways


Top governance priorities in use of Data & AI


▪Metadata management (25%) and data
stewardship (20%) emerge as the top
governance priorities, highlighting the critical
need for structured, transparent, and
accountable data practices.
▪Compliance monitoring (20%) and ethical AI
guidelines (18%) are also gaining traction,
signaling that organizations are balancing
technical governance with legal and ethical
safeguards, while access control & security
(16%) reinforces the technical backbone for
protecting sensitive data.
Organizations who
Lead with
governance
▪Understand and mitigate the risks of AI before they
materialize
▪Proactively identify high-value areas for AI deployment
▪Develop direct value generation through clear and
consistent innovation
▪Scale learnings and leading practices discovered in
early pilots
▪Accelerate ROI by protecting revenue in
addition to generating it
▪Adopt AI at scale and increase impact across
functions and BUs
▪Have a focused and consistent approach to
innovation and scaling
Organizations who
Do not lead with
governance
▪Adopt AI in silos which limits scale, ROI, and visibility
▪Create prioritization chaos, which results in fragmented
investment
▪Reactively address risks, damaging both reputation
and finances
▪Repeat mistakes across BUs throughout the AI
adoption lifecycle
▪Result in slow-paced innovation, culture
regression and reduced collaboration
Source: EY . “EY Insights Analysis - Responsible AI Solution Narrative”
By setting up the right governance
framework for AI, an organization can
amplify the positive outcomes of
innovation and mitigate potential risks,
especially considering the rapid pace
of technological innovation in this field.

11. 11
AI adoption remains early, but use cases are clear and
momentum is building toward scale
By comparison, 31% of global CxOs say
they have already achieved
enterprise-wide AI integration, it is likely
many are misunderstanding what “fully
integrated” AI truly looks like.
1

Integrating and scaling AI across an
organization requires:
▪Identifying and prioritizing use cases
based on a systematic evaluation of
the biggest value creation
opportunities
▪Reengineering business processes,
business functions and even entire
business models
▪Investing in capabilities (such as data
readiness and knowledge graphs) and
talent (acquisition or development)
Maturity of AI adoption Most relevant AI use cases in 2026
While only 8% of organizations have achieved enterprise-wide AI integration, a much larger share are still
exploring use cases (40%) or piloting (25%), with 23% scaling across units, while 4% remain non-adopters
with no AI plans. This maturity gap underscores why 2026 is anticipated to be a pivotal year, as AI/Data
strategies are expected to shift from experimentation toward delivering business-scale impact.
Despite being early in adoption, priorities are already clear: process automation (67%), customer engagement
(66%), and predictive analytics (59%) are the top use cases selected for 2026. This shows that organizations
are anchoring their AI journey in areas with the most immediate and measurable business impact.
Source:
(1)
EY. “2025 EY Responsible AI CxO
Pulse survey”
Non-Adopters
Adopters

12. 12
Redefining Cybersecurity Goals for 2026: Data, AI, Resilience,
Zero-Trust, and Cloud
Top 5 of Cybersecurity strategy priorities for 2026 vs. 2025
12
Data security remains the core focus, but
priorities are shifting toward more
intelligent and structural approaches.
The rise of AI in cybersecurity, the
strong entry of Zero-Trust architecture,
continued emphasis on cyber resilience,
and the steady role of cloud security
highlight a clear move from traditional
protection to an AI-powered,
multi-layered, and future-ready
cybersecurity strategy.
2026
2025
80 %
Data security
55 %
Cyber resilience
1
st

2
nd

3
rd

25 %
Risk Management
4
th

5
th

37 %
Cloud Security
33 %
Security Awareness
& Training
2025
77 %
Data security
51 %
AI in Cybersecurity
1
st

2
nd

3
rd

37 %
Cloud Security
4
th

5
th

46 %
Cyber resilience
40 %
Zero-Trust
Architecture
2026
AI
0
58%
agree
Source:
(1)
EY. “EY Global Cybersecurity
Leadership Insights Study”
It is difficult to articulate
cybersecurity’s value beyond risk
protection.
1

13. Confidence in Cyber Readiness: Progress Made, Gaps Remain
Cybersecurity Confidence Levels
to withstand a major cyber incident
Transformation challenge
Trend
Constant technological change in the cyber
landscape, changes to regulatory requirements
and evolving cyber threats are increasing the
cyber risk posture for organizations.
Client
Businesses need to transform and mature their
cybersecurity practices while ensuring that
regulatory compliance is met and the business
can continue to grow.
Challenge
Businesses are finding it difficult to ensure that
their cyber capabilities are future-proofed and
are able to rapidly respond and remediate
during an attack.
Ask
Help improve cyber risk posture, balancing
compliance obligations with business growth by
strengthening cybersecurity capabilities.




of companies
saw increases in
the number of
disruptive
attacks.
Source: EY. “EY Global Cybersecurity Leadership Insights Study”, EY. “EY Global Information Security Survey”
36%
of CISOs say it is only a
matter of time until they
suffer a major breach
that could have been
avoided had there been
more appropriate
investment in
cybersecurity defenses.
72%
of organizations
still consider
cybersecurity as
an afterthought.
Every year, organizations are spending more and more on cybersecurity, but they are not winning the war on cyber. Top challenges facing:
Significant risk of disruption from a
major cyber attack
Chronic underinvestment in cybersecurity Significant risk of disruption from a
major cyber attack
58%
of cyber leaders
said technology
alone can’t solve
cybersecurity
threats.
Technology shortfalls and
vulnerabilities
The majority of organizations feel only
moderately confident (40%) in their ability
to withstand a major cyber incident.
Meanwhile, just 8% are fully confident,
while 31% (24% slightly + 7% not at all)
show low levels of confidence,
highlighting confidence gaps - although
progress has been made, most
organizations are not yet at a high level of
readiness.
To move beyond moderate confidence, CIOs
will need to strengthen resilience through
advanced defense (AI, Zero-Trust), stronger
incident response, and continuous
preparedness.
Key takeaways



In a time of turbulence and uncertainty,
CIOs and senior IT leaders must discern
how IT will enable the future growth and
success of their enterprise while
ensuring its resilience.

Serge Findling
VP of Research
IDC‘s IT Executive Programs
“
77%
13

14. 4
Digital Leadership
& Talent

15. 15
CIOs step into the Boardroom
Over 50% now co-driving Business Strategy and Digital Transformation with a growing
majority reporting directly to CEOs in 2026
15
CIO Role Evolution
Direct reporting to the CEO increased from 86% in
2025 to 89% in 2026, reinforcing the CIO’s strategic
importance.
Reporting to CFO and COO declined, suggesting a
shift away from operational/financial oversight toward
direct executive alignment.
‘Other’ (i.e Chairman, Global Management) reporting
lines appeared in 2026 (5%), possibly reflecting new or
emerging organizational structures.
★
★
Half (50.6%) of CIOs are now co-driving business
strategy and digital transformation, indicating a strong
shift toward business leadership.
Nearly 30% are acting as strategic business partners,
emphasizing innovation and cross-functional
collaboration.
Only 1 in 5 CIOs remain in a traditional tech oversight
role, showing a clear decline in purely operational
responsibilities.
CIO Reporting Lines
Source:
(1)
Garner. “2024 Gartner CIO and
Technology Executive Survey”
Vietnamese CIOs are advancing faster
than their global peers in strategic
leadership. Over 50% are now co-driving
business strategy—well above the global
average of 45%—with nearly 30% leading
innovation initiatives. This evolution is
marked by a rise in direct CEO reporting
and a decline in traditional oversight by
CFOs and COOs. These shifts reflect a
broader elevation of the CIO role, as
organizations adopt more agile,
transformation-focused structures that
place CIOs at the center of enterprise
change.
▪CIOs are becoming core business
leaders, not just tech managers.
▪Organizational models are evolving,
enabling faster, cross-functional
transformation.
▪Leadership development and
innovation capabilities will be critical
to sustain this momentum.

16. 16
AI Innovation takes center stage: Nearly half of CIOs
prioritize driving AI-enabled Business Transformation
▪AI Innovation is the top priority: nearly
half of CIOs believe leading
AI-enabled innovation across
business functions is the most
important area to focus on.
▪Data Strategy matters: 19% prioritize
establishing enterprise-wide data
strategy and governance, highlighting
the foundational role of data in AI and
cybersecurity.
▪Ethics and Compliance are emerging:
Only 8% see building ethical AI
frameworks as the top priority,
suggesting it’s still an emerging focus.
▪Collaboration and Upskilling: 13% and
11% prioritize cross-functional
collaboration and upskilling IT teams,
respectively, indicating these are
important but not the primary focus.
▪Strategic implication: To lead
effectively, CIOs must champion AI
innovation while ensuring robust data
governance and preparing teams for
new capabilities.
16
CIO’s digital leadership in the rise of AI & cybersecurity risks
Data CybersecurityAI
48% IT leaders prioritize driving
AI-enabled innovation across business
functions to lead effectively amid the
rise of AI and heightened cybersecurity
risks. Other areas—data strategy,
ethical AI, collaboration, and
upskilling—are seen as important but
secondary.

CIOs see their most critical
leadership role as spearheading
AI-driven innovation, rather than
focusing solely on governance,
compliance, or internal upskilling.
“

17. Shared vision and executive support are the cornerstones of
effective CIO collaboration
Importance of factors enabling CIO Collaboration
1 2 3 4 5
•CIO collaboration is most successful when built on a shared digital vision, a customer-centric mindset, and
trust between teams. Strategic and cultural alignment far outweigh the impact of tools or platforms, while
executive sponsorship and clear governance remain essential for top-down support.
•CIOs must navigate complex regulatory environments while maintaining innovation momentum, requiring
strong alignment with business functions.
Key
Takeaways
4.08
3.87
3.87
3.94
3.67
3.73
3.61
3.88
3.84
3.95
1
2
3
1717
Source:
(1)
IDC. “FutureScape: CIO Agenda 2025”

▪By 2026, most CIOs will implement
strategic roadmaps for responsible AI,
emphasizing the need for governance
aligned with business goals
(1)
. Few
companies consider themselves
mature in AI adoption. The biggest
barrier is leadership not steering fast
enough, not employee readiness
(2)
.

▪Vietnam CIO’s survey emphasis on
shared vision, trust, and customer
focus is well-aligned — and even
ahead — of global trends. While
global peers are still struggling with
leadership alignment and AI maturity,
Vietnam CxO’s priorities reflect a
strategically mature and
collaboration-ready environment.

18. The most sought-after skill sets
18
Cybersecurity, AI, and Data Analytics dominate management’s
skill priorities with GenAI / Agentic AI surging
18
2025 2026
•Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Generative AI are now the top skill priorities for management,
each seeing a clear rise in demand over last year. This shift signals a move from experimentation
to enterprise-scale AI adoption and data-driven decision-making, while cybersecurity remains a
non-negotiable foundation.
•Traditional skills like Cloud, IoT, and Low Code are less emphasized, suggesting organizations are
maturing in these areas and reallocating focus to advanced analytics, automation, and
product-centric delivery.


Data Analytics is now the most
sought-after skill, reflecting its central role
in business decision-making.
Cybersecurity demand remains high and
has increased, underscoring ongoing risk
concerns. Generative AI/ Agentic AI saw a
significant jump (from 53% to 66%),
showing rapid enterprise adoption.
Process Automation, Product
Management, and DevOps/ DevSecOps
all rose in demand, indicating a shift
toward operational efficiency and agile
delivery. Cloud/Edge Computing and IoT
saw a slight decline, suggesting these are
now more mature or less urgent priorities.
Blockchain and Low Code remain niche,
with only modest increases.


Hence, Organizations must accelerate
upskilling in analytics, AI, and security to
stay competitive, while also evolving
operating models to support rapid digital
transformation and innovation.

Figures
Conclusion

19. 19 5
Top concerns /
Uncertainties

20. 20
CIO Survey 2026 sees escalating challenges in Strategic
planning, IT alignment, and Cloud adoption
The data reveals that organizations are
facing intensifying challenges in several
critical areas:












Organizations must address these
interconnected challenges—especially
around strategy execution, IT-business
alignment, and modernization—to remain
competitive and resilient in 2026. Failure
to do so may result in stalled
transformation efforts, inefficiencies, and
missed opportunities for growth.
20
Plan
Build
Run
Challenges facing the CIO
2025 2026
Strategic Focus: The sharp rise in
strategic planning and execution
suggests organizations are prioritizing
long-term vision and structured
implementation more than before.
IT & Business Alignment: The growing
gap here may indicate ongoing
challenges in integrating IT initiatives
with business goals.
Cloud & Scalability: Increased focus on
cloud adoption and scalability reflects
digital transformation trends and the
need for flexible, scalable solutions.
Security & Change Management: Slight
decreases here could mean
improvements or shifting priorities, but
these areas still require attention.

21. 21
Unclear ROI and Talent shortage are top Local Concerns in
AI, Data, and Cybersecurity – matching Global Priorities
21
Key takeaways
Clarify and Communicate ROI:
Develop robust frameworks to measure and
communicate the business value of AI and
cybersecurity investments. Use pilot projects and clear
KPIs to build confidence.
01
Prioritize Talent Development:
Invest in upskilling, partnerships, and talent retention
to address the skills gap in AI, data, and cybersecurity.02
Modernize Legacy Systems:
Accelerate digital transformation and integration
efforts to reduce technical barriers and unlock AI’s full
potential.
03
Strengthen Cybersecurity & Compliance:
Make cybersecurity and regulatory compliance a
board-level priority, embedding them into every
strategic decision.
04
Address Ethical & Change Management
Challenges:
Build responsible AI governance and foster a culture
of innovation to overcome resistance and ensure
ethical use.
05
Top obstacles to adopt AI, data, cybersecurity *
Note: (*) ranked by the percentage of respondents rating each as a high concern (level 4 or 5):

Lack of skilled talent in AI, data science, or cybersecurity
Unclear ROI or business value from technology
Data privacy and regulatory compliance risks
High implementation and operational costs
Ethical concerns (e.g., bias in AI, misuse of data)
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threat exposure
Resistance to change or lack of organizational buy-in
Integration challenges with legacy systems
Source:
(1)
EY. “AI Pulse Survey 2024”
(2)
EY. “Execs double down on AI: explore 5 AI
adoption strategies for success”
▪Unclear ROI or business value is a
major issue both global and local
companies. According to EY, 57% of
companies globally
(1)
struggle to
demonstrate clear return on investment
(ROI) or tangible business value from
their AI and cybersecurity initiatives.
This challenge is even more
pronounced in Vietnam, where 70% of
organizations report high concern over
the same issue.
▪Lack of skilled talent is cited as a top
barrier by 78% of organizations globally
(2)
, closely matching Vietnam 68% high
concern rate. This skills gap is the most
frequently reported obstacle in both
global and local surveys.
▪High implementation and operational
costs are primary challenges for nearly
60% of global respondents, which is
consistent with 61% high concern rates
of local survey. High implementation
costs and cybersecurity vulnerabilities
are also cited by over half of
organizations globally.

22. 22
Proactive Workforce measures and Regulatory instability
have the greatest impact on Digital Transformation
▪Proactive workforce measures: Strongest
lever for transformation success and cyber
resilience. Requires structured reskilling and
insider-risk controls.
▪Regulatory divergence & global instability:
Compliance complexity and geopolitical
volatility demand proactive governance and
architecture guardrails.

22
Importance of factors enabling CIO Collaboration
No single factor dominates – Digital Transformation is shaped by a combination of supply chain realities, policy incentives,
workforce dynamics, and external risks. This pattern closely matches global CIO priorities, where resilience, compliance,
and talent strategy are as critical as technology investment.
Top priority (High impact)
▪Increased hardware costs & supply chain:
Persistent cost and availability constraints for
AI infrastructure; needs multi-sourcing and
workload optimization.
▪Policy incentives: Government incentives can
offset costs and accelerate modernization;
integrate into financial planning.

Elevated
▪Layoffs & reorganization: Talent loss and
insider threats can delay projects; strengthen
knowledge retention and access controls.
▪Geopolitical tensions: Influences vendor
strategy and data localization; maintain
contingency plans and vendor diversification.

Watch
Key takeaways



▪Balance investments between
infrastructure, policy-driven
opportunities, and resilience
against external shocks.
▪Monitor and adapt to regulatory and
geopolitical shifts, embedding
compliance and scenario planning
into transformation roadmaps.
▪Prioritize structured workforce
management and upskilling to
protect digital assets and maintain
transformation momentum.

23. 23 23
Appendix

24. 24
References & Citations (alphabetical order)
▪EY. “2025 EY Responsible AI CxO Pulse survey”
▪EY. “AI Pulse Survey 2025”
▪EY. “Exes double down on AI: explore 5 AI adoption strategies for success”
▪EY. “EY Global Cybersecurity Leadership Insights Study”
▪EY. “EY Global Information Security Survey”
▪EY. “EY Insights Analysis - Responsible AI Solution Narrative”
▪Gartner. “2024 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey”
▪IDC. “FutureScape: CIO Agenda 2025”

25. 25
Key contacts
Shashi J
Lead
www.linkedin.com/in/jshashi/
Research & Analysis team:
CIO Vietnam contributors:
Mr. Tran Cong Quynh Lan
CIO Survey Chair
Deputy General Director cum CIO |
VietinBank & Board of Advisory CIO Vietnam
Mr. Tran Nhat Minh
CIO Summit 2025 - Conference Chair
Deputy CEO cum CIO | VIB Bank | Chairman
of BoA | CIO Vietnam
Ms. Thuy Dang
CIO Survey Publisher
Managing Director | CIO Vietnam

Ms. Nguyet Khoa
CIO Survey Assistant
Community Operations Manager | CIO
Vietnam
Dr. Huan Tran
CIO Summit 2025 – Advisory
Le Thi Vu Nguyen
Analyst, Technology Trend
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyenltv/
Vu Thi Ngoc Hang
Analyst, Digital Leadership & Talent
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hangtnvu/

26. 2026 CIO Priorities
and Technology
Trends
CIO Summit 2025 – AI-Driven Leadership in Action
LEAD THE CHANGE . SHAPE THE FUTURE!
Oct 2025

27. 2026 CIO Priorities
and Technology
Trends
CIO Summit 2025 – AI-Driven Leadership in Action
LEAD THE CHANGE . SHAPE THE FUTURE!
Oct 2025

28. 2026 CIO Priorities
and Technology
Trends
CIO Summit 2025 – AI-Driven Leadership in Action
LEAD THE CHANGE . SHAPE THE FUTURE!
Oct 2025

29. Primary industry
29
About the Research

Following the success of last year’s
survey, the 2026 CIO Priorities and
Technology Trends Survey has
garnered widespread participation
from IT leaders across eight
industries in Vietnam, with
particularly strong engagement
from executives in the Technology,
Media, and Telecommunications
(TMT) and Financial Services
industry.
This year’s edition explores the
most prominent technology trends,
short-term investment priorities,
and the implementation plans to
realize them
The study offers a comprehensive
view of how IT leaders, especially
within organisations ranging from
medium-sized enterprises to large
holdings, are embracing “Shape the
Future with Innovation” mindset.
Technology budgets over 3% revenue increased 1.5×, rising from 40% to 59% – signaling growing recognition of its role in sustainable growth
Demographics: Vietnam
Primary organisation size Budget

30. Building trust in AI starts with strong data governance —
from metadata and stewardship to compliance and ethics.
3030
Data stewardship – Assigning clear accountability
for data assets
Metadata management – Maintaining clear data
definitions and lineage
Access control & security – Implementing robust
role-based permissions
Compliance monitoring – Ensuring alignment with
regulations (e.g., Vietnam Decree 13, PDPL,
GDPR, PDPA)
Ethical AI guidelines – Embedding fairness,
transparency, and accountability in AI use
Top governance priorities in use of Data & AI Key Takeaways
‣Metadata management (25%) and data
stewardship (20%) emerge as the top
governance priorities, highlighting the critical
need for structured, transparent, and
accountable data practices.
‣Compliance monitoring (20%) and ethical AI
guidelines (18%) are also gaining traction,
signaling that organizations are balancing
technical governance with legal and ethical
safeguards, , while access control & security
(16%) reinforces the technical backbone for
protecting sensitive data.
Trust and compliance in AI and data
do not rest on technology alone but
on strong governance foundations.
By setting up the right governance
framework for AI, an organization
can amplify the positive outcomes
of innovation and mitigate potential
risks, especially considering the
rapid pace of technological
innovation in this field.
▪Organizations are moving toward a
holistic approach: strengthening
metadata and stewardship, ensuring
regulatory alignment (e.g., Vietnam
Decree 13, Vietnam's new Personal
Data Protection Law (PDPL), GDPR,
PDPA), and embedding ethical AI
principles.
▪Together, these practices show that
organizations view governance not
just as a compliance exercise but as
the foundation for secure, transparent,
and responsible AI adoption.