In this episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast, host Sanjay Puri sits down with Viral Tripathi, Chief Information Officer at C1, a global technology solutions provider serving over half of the Fortune 500.

With three decades of global experience across the U.S., Europe, and India, Viral shares his unfiltered take on the evolving role of the CIO, the rise of the Chief AI Officer, and what it truly takes to lead enterprise-wide AI transformation.

From failing fast to redefining ROI, this conversation dives into how leaders can turn AI initiatives into measurable business outcomes — not just buzzwords.

💡 5 Key Takeaways:
🔹 AI is Everyone’s Job: It’s a business transformation — not just a tech initiative.
🔹 Start with Outcomes: Tie AI to tangible value, not hype.
🔹 Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Build small experiments, iterate, and move with speed.
🔹 Governance & Ethics Matter: Cross-functional collaboration is key as agentic AI systems rise.
🔹 The Future is Tech-Native Leadership: Tomorrow’s CEOs will blend business acumen with AI fluency.

🎧 Tune in to explore how AI leaders are shaping the future of enterprise transformation.

#SanjayPuri #CAIOConnectPodcast #ViralTripathi

Resources Mentioned:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/viraltripathi/

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:15 Guest Background: Viral Tripathi
07:20 The Real Job of a CAIO
12:05 Rise of the Chief AI Officer
16:45 AI Transformation: Measuring Real Business Outcomes
22:30 Failing Fast: Building and Iterating Quickly
27:15 AI Governance & Ethics
29:50 The Future: Tech-Native Leadership
31:35 Closing Thoughts

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