As boards grapple with the opportunity and risk of generative artificial intelligence, companies are leaning into a new role: the chief AI officer.
The number of companies with a designated head of AI position has almost tripled globally in the past five years, according to social network LinkedIn. Fawad Bajwa, AI lead at recruiters Russell Reynolds Associates, has “seen the landscape shift” since the launch of ChatGPT.
The position was further elevated last month, when the White House announced federal agencies were required to designate chief AI officers “to ensure accountability, leadership, and oversight” of the technology. Yet the role’s responsibilities are still being worked out — and with the rise and fall of job titles now a constant in corporate life, it may not stay relevant forever.