We are standing at a once-in-a-generation inflection point that will rival the most transformative infrastructure eras in U.S. history. Fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence and next-generation digital capabilities, more than $7 trillion is being invested into the infrastructure needed to power the future.

At the center of this revolution are a new class of tech executives—CIOs, CDOs, and digital leaders who are no longer just back-office enablers but now front-line strategists, risk mitigators, innovation architects, and growth catalysts. For my latest CIO Whisperers column, I had the privilege of moderating an illuminating roundtable with five remarkable CxOs from companies that sit at the very core of this transformation:

• Mike Adams, Chief Digital Technology Officer at Black & Veatch

• Carrie Busbee, Chief Information Officer at Core & Main

• Khalid Kark, Chief Information Officer at Cloudflare

• Pragati Mathur, Chief Digital & Information Officer at ConocoPhillips

• Katrina Redmond, Chief Information Officer at Eaton

Each of these executives is leading in a space that’s essential to this next chapter of American growth. They shared their insights on how CIOs and digital leaders can rise to the challenge of this massive transformation.