From AI-adoption to AI-transformation

Recently, CIONET and LCL Data Centers hosted an exclusive roundtable discussion. The evening gathered chief digital officers, technology directors, CISOs, and operational leaders representing public administrations, healthcare networks, and critical infrastructure. 

Being a first mover is highly risky, especially for a public-sector or regulated organisation working with public funds. Private entities are driven by survival and immediate competitive pressures, whereas public and healthcare institutions must innovate responsibly without wasting taxpayer or institutional budgets. At the same time, the staggering pace of Artificial Intelligence places significant pressure on existing operational models.

This roundtable set out to address a core set of defining questions:

1. Are public entities merely painting an expensive AI coat of paint over old processes, or are they
   successfully re-engineering operational foundations?
2. How can public frameworks and multi-year master contracts survive technological cycles that shift multiple times before a tender is launched?
3. As agentic AI emerges, how do critical infrastructure players (NIS2) balance the pressure to innovate against digital sovereignty, strict data privacy, and a heavy reliance on foreign tech giants?