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The article highlights a shift in how CIOs in India are approaching innovation. For years, tech teams relied on running many proofs of concept (POCs) to explore automation, analytics, AI and GenAI. Over time, this practice led to “POC theatre” — lots of pilots that generate excitement but deliver little real value. Many organisations now recognise that experimenting for its own sake creates fatigue, misaligned goals and pilots that never scale into impactful solutions. Instead, leadership is moving toward a more disciplined playbook that prioritises outcome over activity, with clear intent and governance behind every POC.
Senior CIOs quoted in the article argue that the real reason POCs fail is not technology but a lack of defined purpose. Successful pilots now begin with identifying a measurable business problem, defining success criteria, and planning for integration and adoption. Governance structures and filters are being introduced so that each pilot addresses real needs like business impact, operational efficiency or risk compliance.
Innovation culture is also evolving. CIOs accept that not every POC will succeed, but disciplined experimentation generates valuable learning and reduces costlier failures later. The focus has shifted from quantity of pilots to how many actually scale and sustain business value.
