{"id":39842,"date":"2021-05-07T09:09:28","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T13:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?post_type=emagazine&p=39842"},"modified":"2022-07-28T07:49:28","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T11:49:28","slug":"chief-ai-officer-caio","status":"publish","type":"emagazine","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/chief-ai-officer-caio\/39842\/","title":{"rendered":"Your business probably needs a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now playing a major part in our everyday interactions, whether it\u2019s dictating an email reply to an automated transcription service, asking a question of a virtual assistant or looking at personalized ads. While consumers and companies alike have become accustomed to using AI daily, many large enterprises haven\u2019t fully realized its potential in their work.<\/p>\n

NewVantage Partners research found less than 15 percent of leading organizations have put AI capabilities into widespread production<\/a>. In a bid to make the most of AI opportunities, some companies have introduced a new role to their C-suite (senior executive) \u2013 the Chief AI Officer, or CAIO.<\/p>\n

Having a CAIO could give new insight and skill vital to business success. One of the most urgent areas where CAIO leadership is needed is in AI ethics. Knowing when to use and not use AI raises complex questions about customer and employee data. These require a deep level of knowledge to answer.<\/p>\n

With BCG research finding 70 percent of digital transformation fails to meet its objectives<\/a>, a leader in AI overseeing technology projects could tip the scales by using advanced AI tools more effectively.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Developing new technology?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Kaspersky Enterprise Cybersecurity<\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Protect against advanced threats with Kaspersky security solutions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tSee solution<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n

AI insights in the C-suite<\/h2>\n

Oliver Christie, CAIO at healthcare technology firm PertexaHealthTech, says the insights a CAIO can offer may change everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy role is a mix of the technical, so answering questions like, \u201cWhat can be done successfully now with existing data and what are the pitfalls around this,\u201d and innovation, with questions like, \u201cWhat business structure must change and how can we better understand customers through data?\u201d\u201d explains Christie.<\/p>\n

Someone in the C-suite who understands AI can have a powerful impact on the bottom line. Companies achieving most with AI are more than twice as likely to say they have a knowledgeable AI champion in the C-suite<\/a>, according to a McKinsey report.<\/p>\n

Breaking down data silos and providing a voice for how leaders can best use AI will become a more pressing issue as AI technology advances. But can\u2019t a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or Chief Information Officer (CIO) lead on AI decisions?<\/p>\n

Should you add AI to another executive\u2019s responsibilities?<\/h2>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s not the right decision and not the right way of thinking about how to embrace new technology,\u201d says Christie. \u201cYou need someone who will step between data science and the business process, who is part of the C-suite but can challenge how things are done at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Normally, a CTO has comprehensive knowledge of software available and takes the lead in setting it up, scaling it and supporting data security and cybersecurity initiatives. Pablo Zegers, Co-founder and CAIO at software company Anastasia, believes that while many CTOs use off-the-shelf technologies and build on them, CAIOs approach software differently. \u201cArtificial intelligence is a Lego piece, but you need to design AI from the ground up. That\u2019s something most CTOs don\u2019t know how to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

To make the most out of a CAIO, companies must identify a business need before creating a role. Unless the CAIO position is well-defined and has the autonomy to make decisions on AI that affect the whole company, rethink what you need.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cIf you bring a CAIO into your company without the CEO\u2019s backing, they\u2019ll have problems. And if your CAIO doesn\u2019t have a clear goal, it\u2019s going to be fruitless,\u201d says Zegers.<\/p>\n

All industries must consider AI<\/h2>\n

Arguments for creating a CAIO role at a tech start-up or large tech enterprise link to core business, but it\u2019s not just these types of companies that can benefit from a CAIO, says Ambica Rajagopal, Group CAIO at tire manufacturer Michelin. \u201cFor companies not born digital, there can be adoption challenges and barriers to reaping the benefits of AI. Bringing a strategic AI focus is a driving reason to hire a CIAO.\u201d<\/p>\n

Combining the skillset of an AI expert with the C-suite\u2019s business expertise is a tempting proposition for companies looking to catch the AI wave. Despite the benefits a CAIO can bring, Rajagopal thinks each company should consider AI\u2019s importance to their business and how well they\u2019ve done so far in achieving cultural change using it.<\/p>\n

Establishing a dedicated leadership position for AI can help ensure you notice innovative technologies that would benefit the business. The right CAIO can reduce the steep learning curve of implementing AI.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The number of CAIOs in boardrooms may pale compared to established C-suite titles, but as AI matures, this may not be the case for long. \u201cAs AI technologies gain relevance across almost all areas of large enterprises, there\u2019s an argument for peeling out AI from the business intelligence and data umbrellas,\u201d Rajagopal concludes.<\/p>\n

The time when executives could delay decisions on how to use AI in their business has long gone. Those business leaders who want to take the next step with AI will need to act quickly to find the sweet spot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From tech start-ups to companies born before digital, all kinds of organizations are appointing a senior executive responsible for artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2645,"featured_media":39843,"template":"","coauthors":[4087],"class_list":{"0":"post-39842","1":"emagazine","2":"type-emagazine","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"emagazine-category-artificial-intelligence","7":"emagazine-category-digital-transformation","8":"emagazine-category-leadership","9":"emagazine-category-opinions","10":"emagazine-tag-c-suite"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/chief-ai-officer-caio\/39842\/"},{"hreflang":"es-mx","url":"https:\/\/latam.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/chief-ai-officer-caio\/23476\/"},{"hreflang":"pt-br","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.br\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/chief-ai-officer-caio\/18568\/"}],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine\/39842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/emagazine"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=39842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}