How to Futureproof Your IT Team in the AI Era
- Richard Keenlyside
- Oct 20
- 4 min read
TL;DR
In the rapidly evolving AI-driven digital economy, IT teams must adapt or risk irrelevance. This article by Richard Keenlyside explores actionable ways to futureproof your IT team through upskilling, cultural transformation, cross-functional collaboration, AI governance, and a strategic shift from legacy systems to modern infrastructure. Real-world insights from Richard’s 30+ years as a Global CIO offer a blueprint for AI-resilient tech leadership.
Introduction: AI is Disrupting, Not Replacing — Are You Ready?
The rise of Artificial Intelligence is not merely a technological trend; it's a seismic shift reshaping the entire business landscape. As AI weaves itself into the fabric of modern enterprises, IT leaders face a crucial question: how can you futureproof your IT team to remain relevant, agile, and ahead of the curve?
For IT leaders in retail, manufacturing, financial services, and beyond, the answer lies in a strategic combination of AI transformation strategy, skills alignment, governance, and cultural reinvention.
Why Futureproofing Your IT Team Matters More Than Ever
Gartner predicts that by 2026, 80% of enterprises will have used GenAI APIs or models — up from less than 5% in 2023. Those without adaptive IT capabilities risk being outmanoeuvred by AI-first competitors.
According to McKinsey & Company, companies already leveraging AI have seen productivity improvements of 40% or more — but the missing link is often people. Technology evolves quickly; your team’s mindset and skill set must evolve faster.
1. Upskill, Don’t Replace: Building AI Competence from Within
To futureproof your IT team, start by upskilling existing talent.
Key Actions:
Launch AI literacy programmes for all IT roles.
Embed AI in DevOps, AI in cybersecurity, and AI in data operations as core modules.
Use platforms like Coursera, Pluralsight, and AI-specific academies like DeepLearning.AI.
Richard Keenlyside’s Insight: “At Northumbrian Water, we deployed RPA and AI that saved 75,000 hours annually. But it wasn’t the tech that made it work — it was the people behind it who were upskilled to understand and maintain it.”
2. Create a Culture of Continuous Innovation
AI thrives in organisations that foster experimentation, not perfection. Empower your team to test new tools, pilot projects, and fail fast.
Embed these behaviours:
Introduce AI experimentation budgets and sandboxes.
Reward innovative thinking in performance reviews.
Encourage IT team members to contribute to AI use case libraries.
3. Redesign Roles Around AI-Augmentation
Traditional IT roles are evolving. Developers now need prompt engineering skills. Business analysts need AI-model evaluation capabilities.
Focus Areas:
Introduce hybrid roles like "AI Operations Analyst" or "Automation Architect".
Integrate AI into role-based performance metrics.
Align job descriptions with your AI transformation strategy.
Helpful Resource: Explore Richard Keenlyside’s AI Strategy Services for more on embedding AI in your organisational operating model.
4. Modernise Your Technology Stack
Legacy systems are not AI-friendly. The move to modern, cloud-native, scalable platforms is non-negotiable.
Recommendations:
Migrate to cloud (Azure, AWS, GCP) with built-in AI tools.
Adopt API-first architecture for easy AI integration.
Choose platforms like SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion or Infor Cloud Suite — all of which Richard has delivered in global CIO roles.
5. Establish Clear AI Governance and Ethics Frameworks
As AI becomes more pervasive, so do the risks — bias, security, compliance. IT leaders must take the lead in setting boundaries.
Implement:
AI Governance Boards with IT, legal, HR, and compliance stakeholders.
Audit logs for all AI-driven decisions.
Model explainability tools (SHAP, LIME, etc.)
6. Leverage Fractional CIO and Interim Services for Rapid Transformation
You don’t need to solve everything in-house. Richard Keenlyside offers fractional CIO services and interim CIO roles to organisations needing fast-track transformation and leadership.
Whether it's delivering a global AI strategy or embedding AI into business operations, external expertise bridges critical gaps while reducing cost and risk.
Here are some of my other articles and web pages related to AI.
FAQs
What does it mean to futureproof an IT team?
It means ensuring your team is skilled, agile, and equipped to adapt to emerging technologies — particularly AI — to remain competitive.
How can I assess if my IT team is AI-ready?
Conduct an AI maturity assessment focusing on digital literacy, automation exposure, and innovation culture.
Is AI going to replace IT jobs?
Not replace, but transform. AI will augment IT roles. Teams that adapt will become more productive, strategic, and valuable.
What skills should I prioritise in my IT team?
AI literacy, data engineering, prompt engineering, cybersecurity, and model monitoring are top priorities for future resilience.
Conclusion & Call to Action
AI is not just the future — it is the present. The most successful organisations will be those that invest now in futureproofing their IT teams. That means leadership, training, governance, and strategic partnerships.
Richard Keenlyside brings unmatched expertise across AI transformation, fractional CIO support, and strategic IT leadership. Whether you're a scale-up or an established enterprise, your IT team’s future starts today.
Contact Richard Keenlyside for a free consultation on how to prepare your IT team for the AI era.
👉 Call +44(0) 1642 040 268📩 Email: richard@rjk.info🌐 Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.rjk.info/🔗 Visit the full CIO site: https://richardkeenlysidecio.com/
Here are some of my recommendations for further reading.
About the Author
Richard Keenlyside is a Global CIO, PE&MA Advisor, Endava TAC and a former IT Director for J Sainsbury’s PLC. Call me on +44(0) 1642 040 268 or email richard@rjk.info. With over 1000+ subscribers join my newsletter today: https://www.rjk.info/.Follow me on X https://x.com/cioinpractice & LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardkeenlyside/
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