Former DoD CIO Explains AI, Quantum, and the Next Era of Cyber Warfare | Leslie Beavers

Former DoD CIO Explains AI, Quantum, and the Next Era of Cyber Warfare | Leslie Beavers

What does it take to lead technology at one of the largest and most complex organizations in the world? In this episode of Soul of the CIO, former U.S. Department of Defense CIO Leslie Beavers shares what it was really like overseeing technology strategy, cybersecurity, and digital transformation at the Pentagon. From leading a $60 billion cybersecurity portfolio to driving zero trust adoption across allied nations, Leslie offers a rare look inside the decisions that shape national security. The conversation explores leadership under pressure, modernizing legacy infrastructure, building interoperable systems with international allies, and why cooperation is often a bigger challenge than the technology itself. Soul of the CIO is Sponsored by Nexthink, the leader in digital employee experience. Learn more: nexthink.com  Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of IT and technology.  Find the full in-studio video version on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SouloftheCIO/videos] @SouloftheCIO

The Hidden Reason AI Projects Fail | Jason Luce, CTO, Paperless Parts

What happens when AI meets one of the world's most complex and high stakes industries? n this episode of Soul of the CIO, we sit down with Jason Luce, CTO of Paperless Parts, to explore how manufacturers are adopting AI, automation, and modern software while preserving the expertise that keeps supply chains moving. Jason shares why the future of AI in manufacturing is not about replacing people, but empowering them with better insights, streamlined workflows, and greater transparency. From aerospace supply chains and digital transformation to process mapping and change management, this conversation offers practical lessons for technology leaders navigating AI adoption at scale. Soul of the CIO is Sponsored by Nexthink, the leader in digital employee experience. Learn more: nexthink.com  Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of IT and technology.  Find the full in-studio video version on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SouloftheCIO/videos] @SouloftheCIO

What Does the CIA Know About AI That You Don’t? | Sue Gordon

What can intelligence leaders teach today's CIOs about risk, innovation, and navigating uncertainty? In this episode of Soul of the CIO, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon shares lessons from a remarkable career spanning intelligence, cybersecurity, technology innovation, and national security. From helping launch In-Q-Tel to shaping cyber strategy at the highest levels of government, Sue offers a unique perspective on how leaders can balance innovation with governance in an increasingly complex world. The conversation explores the challenges of competing with authoritarian nations, the evolving relationship between government and the private sector, the future of AI and quantum computing, and why resilience matters more than perfection when managing risk. Sue also reflects on her experience serving in the intelligence community, working through major geopolitical challenges, and leading organizations through periods of rapid change. Soul of the CIO is Sponsored by Nexthink, the leader in digital employee experience. Learn more: nexthink.com  Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of IT and technology.  Find the full in-studio video version on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SouloftheCIO/videos] @SouloftheCIO

Leidos CIO: Building a Proactive, AI-Enabled IT Organization

In this episode of Soul of the CIO, Leidos CIO Alexandra Guenther shares how one of the world’s most complex technology organizations is transforming IT service delivery, digital employee experience, and enterprise AI at massive scale. From supporting 50,000 employees across global defense, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure operations to reducing IT ticket volume through proactive self-healing systems, Alexandra breaks down what it takes to modernize technology inside highly regulated environments. The conversation explores digital employee experience (DEX), AI transformation, predictive analytics, enterprise data strategy, and how CIOs can use technology to unlock productivity and innovation. Soul of the CIO is Sponsored by Nexthink, the leader in digital employee experience. Learn more: nexthink.com  Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of IT and technology.  Find the full in-studio video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SouloftheCIO/videos

Employees Are Using AI in Secret. Here’s Why That’s Dangerous. | MIT's Dawn Fitzgerald

In this episode of Soul of the CIO, Dawn Fitzgerald shares why organizations are facing a true “adopt or perish” moment with artificial intelligence. Drawing on leadership roles at Schneider Electric, American Family Insurance, Homesite Insurance, and SharkNinja, as well as her work teaching at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dawn explains how leaders can safely integrate AI into engineering, marketing, finance, HR, and every part of the business. She discusses why software engineers often hide their use of tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude, and how that creates security, privacy, and governance risks. Dawn outlines a practical framework for enterprise AI adoption: mandate usage, provide secure tools, train teams, establish guardrails, and reward experimentation. Soul of the CIO is Sponsored by Nexthink, the leader in digital employee experience. Learn more: nexthink.com  Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of IT and technology.  Find the full in-studio video version on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@SouloftheCIO)