Technology

Clark Cully: Digital transformation requires strategic investment in workforce development at every level. Technology education should start early in school, with digital literacy taught on par with reading, math, and science. Business leaders increasingly recognize that Artificial Intelligence and digital tools are fundamentally reshaping competitive advantage across every industry. Colleges need to make AI and digital tools an integral part of learning in any discipline. Strategic university-industry partnerships are essential to developing the talent pipeline, ensuring workers are prepared with the degrees, certifications, and micro-credentials most relevant to demonstrating digital proficiencies. Indiana’s universities must equip graduates with the precise mix of leadership acumen, business insight, and technological expertise needed to drive innovation in today’s digital economy.

Cody Tyler: Schools should integrate hands-on experiences with emerging tech such as AI, cloud computing, and automation into their curriculums. Businesses need regular upskilling programs, ensuring employees can leverage new tools effectively. Partnering with tech providers and industry groups can bridge knowledge gaps, while leadership should prioritize tech adoption strategies that align with long-term goals.

Clark Cully: AI isn’t just another technology trend—it’s a fundamental business transformation tool, and Indiana institutions have an obligation to prepare students for this new reality. We serve students well by not just introducing AI but teaching how to keep up to date. By cultivating their own curiosity about AI, they are better prepared to lead others.

As AI technologies are advancing daily, universities must offer responsive, flexible, and tailorable curriculums. The good news is that AI offers universities the same potential gains in productivity and operational speed that we see in other sectors. The ROI is clear: Universities that embrace AI will be best positioned to accelerate learning outcomes and serve the diverse needs of our students.

Cody Tyler: Data analytics, AI-driven insights, and cloud solutions help businesses make informed decisions, improve efficiency, and drive growth. To stay aligned, IT teams must work closely with leadership, ensuring tech investments directly support revenue, security, and scalability goals. Regular strategy reviews and cross-department collaboration are required so that IT initiatives stay in sync with evolving business needs.

Clark Cully: Modern business success depends on converting data into actionable intelligence. In the past, IT was focused on managing the infrastructure for sharing information. While traditional IT focused on infrastructure, today’s technology leaders are strategic partners in business transformation, leveraging AI and analytics to drive decision-making. For this reason, many organizations have separated the traditional CIO role from that of Chief Data Officer or AI Office.

Data officers need a voice in the C-suite if they are to provide the authoritative data sources, real-time metrics, forecast models, and risk calculations that can transform company performance. You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Cody Tyler: Data is only valuable if it’s both secure and accessible. Businesses are adopting AI-driven governance tools to automate classification, compliance, and threat detection. Zero Trust principles are becoming the norm, ensuring only the right people access the right data. The key is a balanced approach with strong encryption, continuous monitoring, and clear data policies so teams can securely leverage data for real-time insights without unnecessary roadblocks.

Clark Cully: The migration to cloud and Software-as-a-Service models represents both opportunity and challenge for business leaders. The outsourcing of data storage and computing to major technology companies has improved scalability, cybersecurity, and distributed access, though not always at reduced cost. Organizations continue to move from defense at the edge (e.g. static firewalls) toward a defense in depth (e.g. zero trust, attribute-based access control) that can reduce the impact of cyberattacks. Organizations must strategically balance outsourcing decisions with maintaining control of mission-critical data assets. The key differentiator for competitive advantage lies in maintaining sovereignty over your data integration platform, ensuring complete control of insights and analytics derived from your proprietary data.

Clark Cully: Data sharing and security are inherently in tension: data accrues value as it is connected/shared, but that reduces control. While Chief Information Security Officers may hesitate to embrace AI adoption, success depends on implementing fit-for-purpose, risk-based access policies rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Smart organizations implement graduated security protocols, testing new tools like AI with lower-risk data before scaling to more sensitive systems.

Cody Tyler: Zero Trust should enhance security without adding unnecessary friction. Start with identity-first security—multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and role-based access controls to ensure the right people access the right resources. Adaptive authentication, which adjusts security requirements based on risk level, minimizes user disruptions.

Network segmentation, endpoint security, and continuous monitoring further reduce threats while keeping workflows efficient. Phased implementation, user-friendly tools, and clear communication help employees adopt security best practices without frustration. The key is balancing protection with seamless access, ensuring security works for users, not against them.

Cody Tyler: The current AI revolution is similar to past tech changes, like the internet or personal computers, in that it’s disrupting industries and making advanced tools more accessible. AI is different because it’s advancing quickly, depends on huge amounts of data, and is often hard to fully understand. This makes it harder to know how it works or to trust its decisions. AI also brings up important ethical issues, like privacy concerns and the future of jobs, that weren’t as big a focus with past technologies. While earlier tech changes changed how we work, AI has the potential to change how decisions are made and how society operates. Its fast pace and complex impact make it stand out from previous tech revolutions.

Clark Cully: AI is similar to the invention of the internet, smart phone, and social media in that it provides a new medium for the rapid creation and diffusion of information. This is an equalizing force that gives even the smallest companies access to powerful enterprise capabilities, but it also creates a proliferation of new competitors for market, message, and attention.

AI also has parallels with prior waves of automation, such as the microprocessor or personal computer, allowing us to offload cognitive burdens. What sets this revolution apart is AI’s capacity to serve as a genuine business partner—writing, analyzing, dialoguing, and problem-solving alongside human teams. This creates both opportunities and challenges for business leaders as we introduce increasingly capable AI agents into our workforce.

Clark Cully: Be curious, cautious, and courageous. Curiosity is imperative for envisioning ways AI might enable your organization to operate with greater speed, precision, or efficiency. Trends in neighboring sectors can provide inspiration for how AI can automate routine tasks, tailor your customer engagement, or manage complex networks using AI tools. Caution is warranted because, despite the hype, AI is not the solution to every problem: investment in data quality or basic analytics may be best. Sometimes cleaner data or basic analytics are the better solution. Courage is required to inspire your organization to grow and embrace change. Ultimately, innovators consistently demonstrate that emotional intelligence, or EQ,is just as important as IQ.

Cody Tyler: Simple AI tools can automate tasks like answering customer questions, scheduling appointments, or managing invoices. The key is to start small. Look for tools that fit organically into your daily operations. You don’t need to be a tech expert to benefit. Many AI-powered apps are designed to be user-friendly and require little setup. Focus on solving real problems, and AI can become a valuable tool to help your business grow.

Cody Tyler: With the increasing reliance on cloud storage, businesses must ensure strong cloud security and protect sensitive data. The expansion of 5G networks promises faster connectivity but introduces new security vulnerabilities. The growing importance of data privacy regulations means organizations must stay compliant with stricter rules on how customer data is collected, stored, and used. To stay ahead, businesses must prioritize cybersecurity, stay informed about emerging risks, and develop strategies to protect their data, operations, and compliance with evolving laws.

Clark Cully: The fuel for AI is data; making sure your organization collects, labels, and shares data effectively is the best way to maximize the value of all your assets. Strong data management also positions organizations to streamline their workflow, strengthen cybersecurity, improve forecasts, automate processes, and adopt forthcoming digital technologies.

Other key trends, particularly with the new administration, include domestic chip manufacturing, mainstreaming of crypto and digital currencies, and expanded investment in energy production. Over the next several years, AI will enter the physical world via a new generation of robots that are adaptable, quick learning, and safe to operate.

Clark Cully: While AI excels at complex pattern recognition and large scales, human judgment remains irreplaceable in new and unforeseen circumstances. In areas requiring relationship management, physical operations, risk assessment, or innovative thinking, human expertise is paramount. For most tasks, people and AI have distinct strengths and the best results come from digitally empowered teams. Leadership’s role is evolving to focus on optimizing this human-AI partnership, ensuring investments in both talent development and technological advancement deliver the best value.

Cody Tyler: Think of cybersecurity as a well-secured fortress. The walls, locks, and surveillance cameras (technology) do their job protecting the treasure inside. If a guard leaves the gate open or lets someone in without checking their credentials, the entire security system can be compromised. Similarly, humans are often the weak link in cybersecurity, whether through mistakes like clicking on phishing links or unintentionally exposing sensitive data. Technology alone can’t prevent these errors. Regular training, clear policies, and a proactive mindset are essential to ensure everyone plays their part in keeping the system secure. In IT, human creativity and adaptability drive innovation, but it’s the human element that must work alongside technology to keep everything running smoothly and safely.