A lot has changed in the fourteen months since ChatGPT launched and put artificial intelligence on everyone’s radar. Never has a technology been adopted so quickly and presented as a force with the potential to impact all areas of business. Dire predictions compare the impact on employees to that of the industrial revolution, albeit at a faster pace and with no clear path to continued employment in other roles.
With this in mind, it is time for companies to appoint a manager in charge of AI.
Mayo Clinic is an early adopter of the Chief Artificial Intelligence (CAIO) role.
There was a lot of work going on in the field of AI before the launch of ChatGPT. Machine learning was and still is used to train AI systems in areas such as financial risk management and medical diagnosis. It is, however, generative AI and large language models that have generated massive enthusiasm and rapid adoption and experimentation.
Suddenly, computers could conduct conversations in a very human way. A short prompt could generate commissioned artwork and photographs. Realistic avatars can speak any text with your voice, even in other languages.
When AI can not only pass but excel in exams that trained humans struggle with, it’s easy to see why dramatic changes in the way we do business are coming. It’s hard to imagine a function in an organization that isn’t affected by the rapid evolution of AI.
Individual AI initiatives almost certainly happen organically within specific functions, but there is a need to have a unifying vision for AI for the entire organization.
The CAIO is already here
One organization that created this position is the famous Mayo Clinic. THE New York Times quotes Richard Gray, CEO of Mayo: “We’re really trying to foster some of these data and AI capabilities in every department, every division, every work group. »
Another CAIO profiled in the article is Mark Daley of Western University in Ontario. Daley is a computer science teacher and was previously the school’s chief information officer. Since taking office in October, he is now working on more than 30 AI pilot projects in the academic and administrative fields.
Even some federal agencies, which are not generally considered hotbeds of innovation, required to appoint a CAIO. It appears that in some cases the appointees hold the specific title of CAIO while in others it falls under their responsibility as Chief Technology Officer or other role.
Are CAIO roles common?
The CAIO remains a rare position. A search on the job site Indeed did not reveal any exact matches in the United States for “Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.” But there have been hundreds of close matches, often to other C-level positions (like chief technology officer or chief experience officer) that include AI prominently in their job description.
Although rare today, roles like CAIO and other titles dedicated to artificial intelligence will become more common in the years to come. AI is evolving so quickly and has the potential to impact so many areas that responsibility for it cannot be assigned after the fact to an already busy executive.
Shareholders expect a coherent AI strategy
It’s clear that investors expect companies to articulate their AI strategy, particularly when AI is part of their core business. Writer Martin Baccardax of TheStreet.com thinks Apple’s shares have suffered relative to other “Magnificent Seven” tech giants because they seem lack of a compelling AI strategy.
At a time when every company is throwing around AI buzzwords, a CAIO is a way to ensure that stated initiatives go beyond AI wash and have real substance.
Why do you need a CAIO?
The main benefit of a dedicated AI manager is that someone with a combined knowledge of AI’s potential and an understanding of the organization’s overall goals and strategy can drive experimentation and implementation. artwork. This will deliver better results than siled initiatives and fragmented AI strategies.
The ethics of using AI, compliance with future regulations and risk management are all reasons to have a dedicated person and team focused on this area. So far, AI is a bit of a “Wild West” situation: some tools have been accused of violating the intellectual property of authors and news organizations, and many advise users not to upload their own proprietary data . The landscape is complex.
Whether the role should be a C-level position rather than a management position reporting to a CTO, for example, is more open to question. This decision depends on the central place that AI occupies in the overall strategy of the company.
Is the goal to develop an AI-centric culture? Will AI reshape the company’s core business? A CAIO role is then justified.
If AI is a tool to, for example, increase the efficiency of specific functions or create marketing content, a C-level role is less necessary.
Regardless of the exact title, a dedicated role is essential. If AI is everyone’s responsibility, AI is no one’s responsibility.
