As boards grapple with the opportunities and risks of generative AI, companies are turning to a new role: CEO AI.
The number of companies with a designated head of artificial intelligence has nearly tripled globally in the past five years, according to social network LinkedIn. Fawad Bajwa, AI lead at recruiting firm Russell Reynolds Associates, has seen “a shift in the landscape” since the launch of ChatGPT.
That position was elevated further last month, when the White House announced that federal agencies were required to appoint senior AI officials to “ensure accountability, leadership, and oversight” of the technology. However, the responsibilities of the role are still a work in progress – and with the rise and fall of job titles now firmly established in corporate life, they may not remain relevant forever.
CAIOs oversee the deployment of AI and generative AI within an organization: improving workforce efficiency, identifying new revenue streams, and mitigating ethical and security risks. The role requires “a deep understanding of AI technology, machine learning, data science and analytics,” says David Matheson, who founded the first AI Chief Executive Summit last year. However, candidates also need to “understand legal” and change management well; Many of them come from leadership roles in data, risk management and compliance.
Their rise comes amid a fierce battle for AI expertise on a broader scale, where even relatively junior engineers at cutting-edge companies command seven-figure salaries.
“Recruiting has become more difficult than ever,” Bajwa says of the role of chief AI officer. “There is a small pool of talent out there [sought] By a lot more people.” However, CIOs are not necessarily recruited from the same pool as those in high-tech — nor do they command high salaries.
Technologists typically come from university AI labs and then work with big tech companies with deep pockets to turn ideas into products, guided by “deep knowledge and keen interest in how to further develop AI,” says Tom Hurd, CEO of Zeke, which tracks scientific staff. . CAIO employees, on the other hand, tend to have backgrounds in computer science and business administration. “They drive transformation and communication inside and outside the company. . . “It's more about governance and social diffusion of technology,” Hurd says.
Ryan Polkowski, global head of AI, data and analytics at executive recruiting firm Heidrick & Struggles, agrees. “There are a lot of supervisors [and] The meetings involved, the closer to work. He says professionals tend not to leave research-oriented fields for a commercial role. The CAIO role provides exposure to the corporate side of technology, but takes it “away from deployment, applied research and always being on the bleeding edge.”
Her job is “multi-disciplinary, requiring a combination of strong technical knowledge and keen business vision in various fields,” says Lan Guan, director of IT at Accenture. [as diverse] Such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, computer science, statistics, data analytics, ethics, regulatory compliance, and industry-specific expertise. She estimates that technology is “probably only 35 to 40 percent” of the job — she leads Accenture's Advanced AI Center, which develops products for clients. “Having the strategic background and ability to manage uncertainty, [as well as] Addressing potential trade-offs is extremely important.
The focus means CAIOs are in demand not just in technology but across all industries, especially among finance, healthcare and consumer groups, Bajwa says, although the oil and gas and heavy industry sectors are lagging behind.
Some IT administrators report to the CEO or COO; Others to chief technology officer, such as Daniel Hulme, who took that position at WPP after the advertising group bought his company Satalia, which makes artificial intelligence products and consulting services, nearly three years ago.
As part of his dual role continuing to lead Satalia, his mission is to identify ways AI can help create content for WPP. One initiative trains technology on customer and third-party data — including elements like tone of voice — to predict how consumers will receive campaigns. Hulme works closely with WPP's chief technology officer, but makes the case for a dedicated role for AI to keep pace with its rapid progress. “It takes someone to make sure they stay ahead of the curve, understand the deployment, enhance the offerings to customers and the workforce…to see how they can enhance human creativity.
Part of the role is to evangelize the technology, dispelling some of the “fear and anxiety” about AI, Accenture's Guan says. She supervises the launch of workshops and demonstrations, for example showing financial analysts how to use artificial intelligence to create balance sheets.
“Obviously I'm bullish on AI,” she says. “It's very important that people try – you can't stand on the sidelines and watch people cook…that experience is very important.” As well as identifying influential people in the organization who are “actively talking about the benefits and lessons learned. Amplifying the storytelling, bringing the technology to life. This is a cultural change, not just a technology conversation – it is a conversation with people.”
Jeff Boudreau, Dell's chief information officer, says his role is all about reassurance. Some employees feel particularly vulnerable, worried that their jobs will disappear. Holm says he encourages employees to develop expertise so they can ask “better questions about AI,” arguing that it is not a threat to jobs but rather a help for workers. “The thing I talk about with teams is the roles that haven't been created yet.” But what supports this is increased efficiency. “I joke, we're going from head of AI to chief productivity officer,” Boudreau says.
However, practitioners must also manage expectations. “When I talk to some of the board members and Exco [executive committee] Members at other companies, their aspirations and what technology can do are not aligned. for this reason [CAIO] “Voice is very important – to educate them.”
The job is not just to evangelize, but to manage technology flaws, including legal compliance and risk. “We keep coming back [ethics]“, as well as “misinformation,” says Guan. [and] Secrecy”.
Is the CAIO role here to stay? It's one of several positions that have increased in demand: Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Growth Officer have also increased in popularity in recent years. But not all the upper floors remain. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, many companies rushed to hire chief diversity officers, but political backlash led to waning support for the role.
Harik Finn, chief technology officer at Tata Consultancy Services, does not believe there is a need for a separate role for CAIO. “It's not about having one person and one role. Every function, whether sales, marketing or software engineering, is being redefined by leveraging AI. As with innovation, AI is 'everybody's business'. One has to be an expert.”
However, there has to be someone important, whatever their title, says Finn. “The actual transformation has to be decentralized but the process has to be centralized. This is not a one-time transformation. Machines will get better and better. As they get smarter, more avenues become open to them. It's like driving a continuous transformation.”
According to research firm Gartner, responsibility for AI overall still largely falls to the CTO and CIO, who respectively take the lead on AI initiatives in 23 percent of organizations. Foundry records that only 21% of companies have plans to create a CAIO position, although this sentiment is higher among respondents in healthcare (35%) and education (33%).
Matheson, founder of CAIO Summit, believes the role will remain relevant, adapting to technology and becoming available to small businesses through part-time gigs. “This levels the playing field,” he says.
However, Boudreau believes the job has a shelf life. “I think if I do my job well, this role should go away.”
