This article was originally published in Campaign US.
The position is the hot new C-suite job that can pay handsomely, but is it more than just a fancy title? We speak to experts across the region.
MasterCard, Deloitte, Dell Technologies, Intel Corporation, IBM, and even NASA. These are just a handful of companies that have recently appointed a chief AI officer.
While the World Economic Forum has predicted that 85 million jobs across the globe could be replaced by AI by 2025, it’s also expected to create some 97 million new roles.
Clearly, the chief AI officer (CAIO) is emerging as the most sought after among these new roles, and is the latest in a long line of positions that businesses have added to the C-suite over the years. But is it necessary?
"Having a dedicated person focusing on AI has been crucial to ensuring our team is primed to pivot and adapt as new AI-enabled tools are released," says Chris Dodds, co-founder at Icon Agency.
Dodds says his agency appointed an AI implementation manager who takes on many of the responsibilities you'd expect from a chief AI officer.
"Their role involves researching new AI tools, testing them with our teams, and managing the implementation process," says Dodds. "They also run a help desk to assist our staff with AI-related issues."