The role of the healthcare CIO is undergoing a rapid transformation — driven in large part by the rise of generative AI, which is reshaping not only technology strategies but enterprise leadership itself.
“The role of the CIO is always evolving,” Lynnette Clinton, CIO of Tampa, Fla.-based BayCare Health System, told Becker’s. “Gen AI is just the latest evolution.”
While some CIOs see generative AI as part of a natural evolution, others view it as a profound inflection point.
“Generative AI has, or will, significantly shift the landscape for all healthcare CIOs, expanding their scope beyond traditional IT oversight to include strategic innovation, AI governance and cross-disciplinary collaboration. It won’t impact everyone the same or on the same timeline, but it will happen,” James Wellman, CIO of Gloversville, N.Y.-based Nathan Littauer Hospital, told Becker’s.
As healthcare organizations explore generative AI’s potential to reshape clinical, operational and administrative workflows, CIOs are finding themselves at the center of enterprise-wide transformations — taking on new responsibilities, forging new partnerships and facing unfamiliar risks.
It’s no longer just about the technology
“Generative AI has fundamentally expanded the scope of my role as CIO — from primarily ensuring the reliability and security of our digital infrastructure to now actively shaping how AI integrates into clinical workflows, enhances operational decision-making, and supports our workforce,” Darrell Bodnar, CIO of North Country Healthcare in Whitefield, N.H., told Becker’s. “It’s no longer just about the technology; it’s about building trust, transparency and usability across all layers of our organization.”
At Canton, Ohio-based Aultman Health, CIO Raza Fayyaz echoed that sentiment, noting that generative AI has shifted his role from being a technology operator to a strategic orchestrator of digital transformation — engaging in conversations around care redesign and long-term innovation.
Sunil Dadlani, chief information and digital transformation officer at Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System, described a similar evolution.
“The CIO role has now evolved into that of a strategic catalyst for clinical innovation, operational transformation and enterprise growth,” he told Becker’s.
He added that CIOs are increasingly responsible for identifying high-impact AI use cases, setting enterprise strategy and ensuring measurable ROI.
Zafar Chaudry, MD, chief digital officer and chief AI and information officer at Seattle Children’s, described this shift as foundational.
“Generative AI has fundamentally shifted the CIO’s role in 2025 from IT oversight towards strategic business leadership, demanding an urgent focus on scaling AI initiatives to deliver tangible value and ROI rather than just exploration,” he told Becker’s.
AI governance and guardrails
As experimentation with generative AI tools grows, CIOs are stepping in to establish governance structures that protect patient safety, data privacy and ethical standards.
“One of the ways the CIO role has changed is by helping organizations adopt a governance model around AI — out of necessity,” Jordan Ruch, CIO of Atlantic City, N.J.-based AtlantiCare, told Becker’s. “Without a structured approach, we won’t be organized in how we evaluate and implement these tools.”
At Salisbury, Md.-based TidalHealth, CIO and Chief Medical Information Officer Mark Weisman, MD, told Becker’s he now leads a governance team of providers and nurses who vet new AI models before the health system allows them into clinical spaces. He also arranges for about 20 providers and leaders to receive formal training in AI through Harvard Executive Education programs to foster deeper conversations about ethics, effectiveness and cost.
New collaborations and cross-functional teams
The rise of generative AI is also forging new, cross-functional partnerships within health systems.
“My role now intersects more directly with clinical leadership, legal and compliance, and even workforce planning,” Mr. Fayyaz said. “I’m collaborating with CMIOs, CNOs and department chairs more than ever before to ensure these tools are clinically meaningful and scalable.”
Mr. Dadlani noted growing partnerships with legal, risk and workforce development leaders.
“Regular collaboration is now required to navigate evolving regulatory guidance (HIPAA, AI Act, FDA oversight) and mitigate institutional risk,” he said.
Dr. Chaudry echoed these statements.
“CIOs must foster deeper cross-functional collaborations, particularly with CDOs, CISOs, business units, and strategic and clinical partners,” he said.
These collaborations now often extend beyond internal teams.
“We’re deploying AI capabilities from current third-party vendors, purchasing from vendors we haven’t previously worked with, as well as teaming up with new market entrants to develop AI specific for our enterprise,” Michael Elley, CIO of Little Rock, Ark.-based Baptist Health, told Becker’s.
Risks, rewards and the road ahead
While CIOs are optimistic about AI’s potential, they are also realistic about the risks — from hallucinated content to patient safety concerns.
“Someone in your organization is already using generative AI, and it can produce inaccurate or unverified content which can pose patient safety concerns,” Mr. Wellman said. “I have already seen providers using cloud-based and third-party AI tools without an organizational BAA or understanding of the risks.”
Managing expectations, avoiding overhype and navigating the rapid pace of innovation are additional challenges surrounding AI in healthcare, according to Mr. Bodnar.
“We’ve had to be intentional about piloting solutions like ambient voice documentation, ensuring measurable outcomes, and supporting adoption through training and provider input — not just rolling out tools for the sake of innovation,” he said.
Paul Butler, CIO of Scottsbluff, Neb.-based Regional West Health Services, agreed, telling Becker’s that generative AI is pushing the CIO to better understand workflows intimately to evaluate whether a solution is even a good fit.
“Generative AI is becoming more embedded in workflows — not just automating tasks or replacing people. That means CIOs need a much deeper understanding of the workflows they’re impacting when introducing a vendor, reviewing a statement of work or planning an implementation,” he said. “Everything depends on how deeply the AI integrates with existing systems. You can’t even properly scope these projects without first diving deep into how the tool fits into specific workflows — when it would be triggered, how you’d pilot it, how you’d test it. It’s a whole new world.”
Still, leaders remain optimistic.
According to Mr. Wellman, some of the most intriguing opportunities for AI at the moment include ambient scribe tools, AI-assisted prior authorizations and predictive analytics.
As healthcare hurtles forward into an AI-enabled future, the CIO is no longer just the keeper of the servers — they are becoming visionaries for safe and scalable AI projects.
