Hire a fractional Chief AI Officer — strategy, governance, and shipped results
A fractional Chief AI Officer sets your AI strategy, picks the use cases that actually pay back, stands up governance and data readiness, and holds delivery accountable — usually 1–3 days per week.
- • Shortlist in 48 hours
- • Flat $1,000 placement fee, not 25–30% of comp
- • Vetted C-suite and VP operators
- • Fractional, interim, or advisory
When to hire a fractional Chief AI Officer
Most companies hire a fractional Chief AI Officer when the founder or existing team can no longer own the ai function at executive depth. Common triggers:
- The board is asking for an AI plan and nobody owns one
- AI pilots are multiplying with no measurable ROI
- You need governance, policy, and risk controls before scaling
- Data readiness is blocking every AI initiative
- You want to buy vs build decisions made by someone senior and neutral
What a fractional Chief AI Officer owns
A fractional Chief AI Officer operates as your accountable Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer on a part-time basis. Typical scope:
- — AI strategy, use-case portfolio, and payback model
- — Build vs buy decisions and vendor/model selection
- — AI governance, acceptable-use policy, and risk register
- — Data readiness, evaluation harnesses, and quality gates
- — Delivery roadmap with owners, milestones, and cost controls
- — Team design, upskilling plan, and executive education
Engagement models
Fractional (ongoing)
1–3 days per week on a recurring basis. Best when you need executive judgment in the business every week, but not a full-time hire yet.
Interim (full-time, fixed term)
Full-time coverage for 3–9 months. Best for a vacancy, a fundraise, an M&A event, or a turnaround.
Project / advisory
Scoped engagement (10–40 hours) tied to a specific deliverable — a plan, a system, a hire, a diligence.
How much does a fractional Chief AI Officer cost?
Hire a fractional Chief AI Officer in your city
Every metro page covers local market dynamics, city-adjusted retainer ranges, and the hiring triggers we see most often in that market. 120 metros across the lower 48 states.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does a fractional Chief AI Officer do?
- A fractional Chief AI Officer owns AI strategy, governance, and delivery accountability part-time — choosing the use cases worth funding, setting policy and risk controls, and making sure shipped systems produce measurable value.
- How much does a fractional Chief AI Officer cost?
- Fractional Chief AI Officer retainers typically run $12,000–$30,000 per month, or $250–$600 per hour, depending on scope and time commitment.
- Do we need a Chief AI Officer or a Head of AI?
- A Chief AI Officer sets enterprise strategy, governance, and portfolio priorities. A Head of AI / ML leads the team that builds and ships models. Early-stage companies usually need the latter first; regulated or multi-business-unit companies need the former.
Ready to hire your Chief AI Officer?
Post your role or request a curated shortlist — most companies get one inside 48 hours.