The Rise of the Chief AI Officer: Beyond Tech
I’m going to dive into some murky waters that get me in trouble (much like diving into actual murky waters). I’m going to address one of the biggest questions since "Do we really need a website?" (Spoiler alert: You did.)
Today's burning question: Do you need a Chief AI Officer?
As someone who holds a similar title at a top business school, (NYU Stern, woot woot!), I might be a tad biased. But I also think the reasoning behind why, and what this position really is, is critical for your organization to consider.
Let's break it down:
WHY A CHIEF AI OFFICER?
Let’s start big and simple:
It's a recognition: AI isn't just another tool – it's a completely different way of working. If that doesn’t need a shepherd, I don’t know what does.
It's a signal: Both internally and externally, it shows your organization is serious about AI. It has implications for what you value to your employees, to recruits, and your customers and clients.
But here's where things get spicy. If you decide you need a CAIO, what should that person’s profile look like?
This is, as you may have guessed, where I start to get into trouble.
THE CHIEF AI OFFICER PARADOX
My hot take: Your Chief AI Officer shouldn't necessarily be a tech guru.
I know, I know. Do you even know what AI stands for, Conor? Yes, I do. I swear I do.
Stick with me here. Because having worked with tons of organizations on building generative AI capacity, not to mention at NYU Stern, I’ve seen this single truism over and over again: The tech itself is not nearly as critical as the adoption of that tech.
And this tech is like no other tech in the history of tech. (Techity tech tech. Tech.)
Here’s how I see this role:
THE FOUR PILLARS OF A GREAT CAIO
1.BEHAVIORAL CHANGE MAESTRO
They understand that AI requires a fundamental shift in how we work.
They can guide your organization through this transition.
2. CULTURAL ALCHEMIST
They know how to blend AI capabilities with your existing company culture.
They can articulate what the business needs and how AI fits into that vision.
3. PEOPLE WHISPERER
They work closely with the Chief People Officer.
They inspire, motivate, and drive a learning culture.
They show how AI will change not just work, but life.
4. TECH TRANSLATOR
They understand AI capabilities and can communicate with the tech team.
They don't need to be deep tech experts, but they need to know what's possible.
Let me be SUPER clear here:
I’m not saying that your tech and data people do not have these skills. If they do, they may very well be ideal candidates for this role. (Matt Lewis was the head of data at Inizio Medical, for example, before taking on the Chief AI Officer role there. Allie K Miller is an AI wizard on the tech side, having led teams at IBM Watson and AWS, but with generative AI she places a critical focus on adoption.)
My point is that the skills that can drive behavioral change should be prioritized over the skills that drive technical innovation - provided that the person is well-versed in AI. (You probably don’t need Tony Robbins as your CAIO, for example, as inspirational as he is.)
THE CAIO TOOLKIT
To succeed, your CAIO needs:
An entrepreneurial mindset
Extensive hands-on experience with AI tools
The ability to work with legal on ethical deployment
A knack for showcasing cutting-edge opportunities to recruits
A deep understanding of people (I cannot stress this enough)
WHY ALL THIS MATTERS
AI isn't like upgrading from Excel to a fancy CRM. It's not even like the internet revolution (sorry, fellow digital dinosaurs).
AI requires us to interact with machines as if they were human. It's a profound behavioral shift. It’s as if we woke up one day and talking kittens were running the federal government (which, not to get political here, but in this election season would anyone really object to a third party kitten candidate? Honest answers only.)
This means that your CAIO has to think differently. They have to think beyond the tech. I would go as far as to say they have to put the tech a distant second to understanding people.
So, with that: What’s the mandate of the ideal CAIO?
THE CAIO CHALLENGE
Your CAIO's mission, should they choose to accept it:
Drive adoption and differentiation
Boost engagement and impact
Transform how every department thinks and works
Communicate the AI vision in a way that resonates with your unique culture, industry, and goals
BOTTOM LINE
A great CAIO isn't just about understanding the tech. It's about understanding people. Because at the end of the day, AI is changing how we work, think, and live.
So, do you need a Chief AI Officer?
It’s probably not as much a luxury as you might think. If you’re not getting this right and dedicating human capital to it in the form of some of your best minds to actually lead the effort, you will fall behind. That’s a fact, jack. (I’ve always wanted to say That’s a fact, jack.)
Somebody excellent in your organization needs to own it. They need to understand your people and your business. They need to be able to work in close partnership with your tech side. They need to be able to communicate, translate, inspire, and drive value.
You want to get ahead? You want to differentiate? This is how you do it.
Let’s get after it, friends.
AI NEWS OF THE WEEK
OpenAI wants to get you coached up
OpenAI's Startup Fund is supporting Thrive AI Health, an initiative to develop a hyper-personalized AI health coach aimed at improving health outcomes and managing chronic conditions - this can get interesting.
ElevenLabs coming strong with nostalgia
ElevenLabs offers AI voice cloning technology that can replicate celebrity voices - Marlon Brando, Judy Garland, you name it. This is above board, they’ve partnered with their estates. I love Laurence Olivier reading me my news.
Waiting on Siri
Looks like the really awesome Siri updates from Apple will have to wait until Spring 2025. Seems the ChatGPT integration could happen this fall - but by Spring this world is gonna look different. Still excited for it.
Generative AI Tips
One of my favorite uses for ChatGPT is as a framework generator. Here’s how I do it - I’ll write up a rough draft of something, anything that I’m working on. But I also know that this is going to be a pretty useless thing to just hand somebody. They’ll be trying to read my mind, decipher my thoughts, figure out where to start. It’s inefficient at best.
Enter the framework maker.
Just toss that rough draft into ChatGPT and ask it to create a system of steps, a standard operating procedure, a framework, anything you need.
It takes your junk and turns it into something beautiful and actionable.
Your people will thank you.
Booking Conor for an Event
I’m thrilled that I get to do a ton of keynotes and lead workshops for companies. If you’re looking for a highly practical, framework based approach, feel free to reach out at www.ai-mindset.ai/speaking
