Bottom line: there is tremendous demand for the CAIO role, and a limited supply. Some hiring solutions are presented in the article and excerpted below:
"Finding the right CAIO requires a blend of strategic foresight and creativity. The talent pool is small, but we’ve ID’d a few avenues to explore.
The spotlight on CAIOs intensified last fall when President Biden issued an executive order mandating all 400-odd federal agencies to appoint a CAIO to oversee AI deployment. With that deadline – May 27 – rapidly approaching, agencies are scrambling to fill the post.
“Anytime the government gets involved at such a level, mandating the hiring of hundreds of these people, it’s definitely going to spur innovation, definitely going to improve talent development,” says David Mathison, founder of CDO Club, a community of C-suite digital, data, and analytics leaders. Mathison, who gathered CAIOs and other AI experts to discuss the burgeoning role at the world’s first-ever CAIO summit last December in Boston, will host a second summit in Washington, D.C.
These summits couldn’t come at a better time. As demand for CAIOs increases, CEOs and HR executives are faced with an essential conundrum: how to actually locate job candidates – legitimate, experienced candidates capable of coordinating AI use, managing its risks, and promoting innovations, all while aligning AI tech to business strategy and communicating persuasively with the board.
The talent pool is pretty small so far, Mathison says. And he’s been counting.
The scramble for chief AI officers
Mathison began tracking the CAIO job title in 2021, researching and evaluating LinkedIn profiles in-depth. In 2020, there were some 250 results, and the numbers have been arcing upward ever since, to about 400 (2021), 500 (2022), 600 (2023), and 999 as of this week."
Where to find the ideal chief AI officer
"Finding the right CAIO requires a blend of strategic foresight and creativity. Here are potential avenues to explore, and examples of the kinds of candidates you’ll find there:
Academia: Universities, labs, and research institutes are fertile ground for AI thought leadership and innovation.
Company acquisitions: If you’re large enough to consider this option, buying companies with AI expertise is another way to bring seasoned leaders into the fold.
Chief Data Officers/CDAOs: Many sitting chief data and chief analytics officers (CDOs and CDAOs, respectively) already possess the skills to transition into CAIO roles, with a deep understanding of data analytics and data’s strategic value.
Internal promotions: Elevating internal candidates can help accelerate an organization’s digital and AI transformation. CAIOs plucked from within are already intimately familiar with an outfit’s AI vision and strategy and can hit the ground running.
Events and conferences: Industry events and conferences allow you to network with peers, colleagues, hiring managers, directors, CHROs and others who may be looking for talent.
Fractional models: For start-ups and scale-ups not ready to commit to a full-time CAIO, sharing an AI leader with other entities can provide strategic oversight and direction without the full-time investment or organizational overhaul. On average, a full-time CAIO can cost $378,000 per year, according to Glassdoor estimates, and some will run into six figures."
“I like the fractional model,” says Mathison, who consults with hiring managers looking to fill open positions. (The CDO Club also maintains a job board for prospective CAIOs.) There are benefits to be gained from part-time help. By working with multiple clients in varied fields, fractional CAIOs can leverage a diversity of experience their full-timer counterparts may not have."
“It also blurs executive search and consulting at a time when the search takes so long,” he says. It’s a way to try before you buy. And if you like the CAIO, he adds, “there’s no reason you can’t bring ’em from temp to perm.”
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TODAY MAY 16 at NoonET:
(Actually Helpful) Insights from the Wavestone
Data & AI Executive Leadership Survey
Want to know more about leading Chief Data Officer (CDO), Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO), and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) struggles and wins in 2024?
Join us virtually TODAY Thursday May 16th at 12pmET, as we reveal exclusive insights from the recent Wavestone Data and AI Executive Leadership Survey.
You'll hear from industry leaders:
JC Lionti, CDO Mizuho, panelist
Dave Keirstead, CDAO Sun life Canada, panelist
Greg Holcombe, Senior Partner, Wavestone, moderator
David Mathison, CEO CDO Club, closing statements
Don't miss this chance to be part of a thought-provoking discussion and gain access to exclusive insights from the Data and AI Executive Leadership Survey, recognized as the longest-running survey of Fortune 1000 and global data, analytics, and AI leaders.
You'll get:
💡 Insights into CDO, CDAO, and CAIO investment
🔄 Strategies to overcome adoption obstacles
🤖 GenAI business use-cases
💹 Thoughts on how opertational impacts reshape leadership
What can you expect from our upcoming CDAO and Chief AI Officer Summits in DC?
Check out these videos of all sessions from our 10th CDAO Summit and the world's first-ever Chief AI Officer Summit from December 2023, hosted by the D'Amore-McKim School of Business and the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University in Boston MA.
We are embedding the videos from each session on our blog post re-caps below - so stay tuned:
* 10th CDAO Summit re-cap <-- the final video was posted today, all vids are up!
* 1st Chief AI Officer Summit re-cap <-- videos coming soon!
On deadline? Send press inquiriesvia email hereor call us on +1 516 488-1143
Endorsements:
Check out our 260+ Endorsements!
See what previous speakers, delegates, and sponsors had to say about the CDO Summitshere.
"Thank you David Mathison for the opportunity to share and highlight the healthcare industry trends at today’s 10th CDAO Summit, and for for putting together such a fantastic Chief AI Officer Summit! BigID is proud to sponsor and support this community." - Peggy Tsai: Chief Data Officer, BigID
"Great conference, David Mathison! The topics were relevant, the panelists and speakers top notch, the setting was intimate, and the connections were truly valuable for any senior executive in the digital space. Thanks for pulling it together. I really look forward to attending next year.” Lisa Choi Owens: Chief Revenue Officer and Director at TED
"David, I can't say thank you enough for inviting me to speak at the IBM CDO/CTO Summit. That was an incredible experience and such a great opportunity to grow my network. I also appreciated your advice on leading organizations, seeking seats on boards, and more. I hope we can stay in touch as I grow as a data professional. I would greatly value your continued mentorship!" Paul Evangelista: Chief Data Officer, US Military Academy at West Point
The CAIO Summit is the world's first-ever event specifically for Chief AI Officers and leaders in Generative AI. Brought to you by the producers of the 1st-ever CDO Summit in 2013, our inaugural event is hosted by The Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University in Boston MA. The program includes the best AI strategists and practitioners on earth, in an intimate, collegial, and supportive environment designed to encourage networking, learning, and knowledge-sharing. If you are tasked with mastering the strategies and tactics to surpass your AI business objectives, secure your seat at the CAIO Summit today.Visit the website.
About the CDO Summit:
For over a decade, the CDO/CDAO Summits have been addressing the challenges and opportunities arising from AI, analytics, big data, the cloud, digital disruption, and social and mobile media. Our gatherings include the best data/digital strategists and practitioners on earth, in intimate, collegial, and supportive environments designed to encourage networking, learning, and knowledge-sharing. If you are tasked with mastering the strategies and tactics to achieve and surpass your data/digital business objectives, be sure to join us at a CDO Summit today.Visit the website.
About the CDO Club:
The CDO Club is the world’s first, largest, and most powerful community of C-suite AI, analytics, data, digital, and cyber-security leaders. Our members receive access to advisory services, breaking news, original research, career development support, networking opportunities, and inspirational events. Our high-impact services are designed to help our members improve their capabilities, strengthen their professional networks, openly share insights & strategies, & collaboratively identify the tools essential to help them succeed in navigating today’s rapidly evolving, highly competitive & complex online environment.Visit the website.
David Mathison moderating panel on "Creating a Culture of AI to Maximize Value Productivity, and Efficiency," at the world's first-ever Chief AI Officer Summit (Dec 2023).
Contact Information:
We'd love to hear from you. Email us at info@CDOSummit.comor call +1 516 488-1143.
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