Deloitte's CTO Bill Briggs explains why 93% of enterprise AI budgets go to technology, while only 7% goes to the people and organizational changes needed to make it work. In this CIO Advisory episode, Briggs confronts the questions facing enterprise leaders investing in AI at scale.
Key topics include:
- The 93/7 investment split and why pouring more money into technology without redesigning workflows and culture produces diminishing returns
- Governing autonomous AI agents as a "silicon-based workforce" that requires its own version of HR, from onboarding and performance management to accountability when agents create other agents
- The inference cost paradox, where per-token prices have dropped more than 280-fold in 18 months, yet enterprise AI bills continue to climb, forcing a rethinking of cloud, on-premises, and edge compute strategy
- How to calibrate the pace of AI investment when the pressure to move fast may be producing more failures than breakthroughs
Key Points
Your AI spending ratio is upside down
Enterprises allocate 93% of AI budgets to technology and tooling, while devoting only 7% to culture, change management, and workforce learning. Leaders who invest first in simplifying processes from first principles, before adding AI, consistently produce the strongest returns.
Frontline trust in AI sits at 6.7%, and it's costing you
C-suite executives report 70% trust in AI, while entry-level workers register only 6.7%, creating an inverted value chain where the people closest to broken processes stay silent. Organizations can close this gap by declaring intentions upfront and making it safe for workers to experiment openly, rather than hiding behind personal AI tools.
Measure outcomes, not agent headcount
Companies broadcasting "tens of thousands of agents" substitute effort metrics for evidence of value; if real business results existed, those numbers would be the headline. Tie every AI initiative to specific operational and financial metrics and kill pilots that result in press releases but no movement that benefits shareholders and employees.
Episode Participants
Bill Briggs is a principal in Deloitte Consulting LLP and is Deloitte’s US Chief Technology Officer. He also serves as executive sponsor of Deloitte’s CIO Program, offering CIOs and other tech executives insights and experiences to navigate the complex and evolving challenges they face in business and technology. Bill also drives the incubation of new assets, solutions, and businesses across Deloitte’s industries and offerings, while shaping the strategy for Deloitte’s evolving technology-related services, talent model, and market positioning.
Michael Krigsman is a globally recognized analyst, strategic advisor, and industry commentator, known for his deep expertise in business transformation, innovation, and leadership. He has presented at industry events worldwide and written extensively on the reasons for IT failures. His work has been referenced in the media over 1,000 times and in more than 50 books and journal articles; his commentary on technology trends and business strategy reaches a global audience.
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