Who This Is For
You need senior AI leadership but not a $300K+ full-time executive. Maybe your board is asking about AI governance. Maybe you've launched AI initiatives but no one is accountable for adoption across the organization. Or maybe you're ready to move aggressively on AI and need an experienced leader who's done this before — embedded in your team, not parachuting in with a slide deck.
This service is for mid-market companies (50–500 employees) — health & wellness companies, manufacturers, professional services firms, logistics companies, and retailers — that need C-suite AI expertise scaled to their actual needs.
What a Fractional CAIO Does
This isn't consulting. It's leadership. We join your executive team on a fractional basis — attending leadership meetings, making decisions, driving accountability, and building your organization's AI capabilities from the inside.
⦿ AI Strategy & Roadmap
Developing and maintaining your AI strategy aligned with business objectives. Identifying opportunities, prioritizing initiatives, and ensuring every AI investment connects to measurable business outcomes.
⦿ Governance & Risk Management
Building the policies, frameworks, and oversight structures that keep AI use responsible, compliant, and aligned with your values. AI governance isn't optional anymore — it's a business requirement.
⦿ Adoption & Team Development
Overseeing AI adoption across departments, building internal capabilities, and ensuring your people are equipped and confident. The human side of AI transformation is where most companies fail — and where we specialize.
Why Fractional Beats Full-Time
A full-time Chief AI Officer commands $250K-$400K+ in total compensation. For mid-market companies, that's often hard to justify — especially when the role needs to evolve as your AI maturity grows. Fractional leadership gives you:
- Senior expertise without the overhead. You get 25+ years of transformation experience with global brands (adidas, Sony, Mercedes-Benz, Coca-Cola) at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
- Flexibility that matches your needs. Scale up during strategic initiatives, scale back during execution phases. No fixed headcount commitment.
- Speed to impact. No 6-month recruiting process, no onboarding curve. We're operational within weeks because we've done this across dozens of organizations.
- The rare combination. Most AI consultants don't understand brand and marketing. Most CMOs don't understand AI deeply enough to lead transformation. You shouldn't have to choose.
Core Responsibilities
AI Strategy & Vision
- AI strategy development and ongoing refinement aligned with business objectives
- Use case identification and prioritization across departments
- AI readiness assessment and maturity benchmarking
- Technology evaluation, vendor selection, and architecture guidance
- Board and executive reporting on AI initiatives and ROI
AI Governance & Policy
- AI governance framework development and implementation
- Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
- Data privacy and compliance oversight
- Ethical AI guidelines and usage policies
- Vendor and partner due diligence
Adoption & Change Leadership
- Cross-functional AI adoption oversight and accountability
- Change management strategy and execution
- AI Champion Program development and sponsorship
- Team training and capability building
- Culture development around responsible AI use
Marketing & Brand AI Integration
- AI-powered marketing strategy and execution
- Content pipeline development and optimization
- Marketing technology stack evaluation and integration
- Brand voice preservation in AI-assisted content
- Customer experience enhancement through AI
Engagement Models
Embedded Leadership
Full-scope CAIO responsibilities as part of your executive team. Typically 3–4 days per week. Includes executive team participation, board reporting, direct team leadership, and hands-on initiative management.
Strategic Partnership
Ongoing fractional engagement for organizations that need executive AI guidance without daily involvement. Typically 1–2 days per week on a retainer basis. Includes strategic planning, key initiative oversight, and team mentorship.
Transition Leadership
Defined engagement to build your AI function from scratch and prepare it for a full-time hire. We establish the strategy, governance, and team structure — then help you recruit and onboard a permanent CAIO. Typically 3–6 months.
What You Get
- Embedded senior AI leadership scaled to your needs
- AI strategy with ongoing refinement and accountability
- Governance framework and policy development
- Cross-functional adoption oversight and progress tracking
- Team capability building and training programs
- Executive and board reporting
- Technology evaluation and vendor management
- Direct access for ad-hoc strategic guidance
Investment
Embedded Leadership: Monthly retainer based on time commitment and scope. Significantly less than a full-time executive hire while delivering the same strategic impact.
Strategic Partnership: Flexible monthly retainer for 1–2 days per week of executive AI guidance.
Transition Leadership: Fixed-scope engagement to build your AI function and prepare for a permanent hire.
You get 25+ years of digital transformation experience with global brands. The same expertise that Fortune 500 companies pay premium rates for — structured for mid-market budgets and mid-market speed.
Start With a Conversation
Every engagement begins with an honest conversation about where you are, where you're headed, and whether fractional AI leadership is the right fit. No pitch deck, no pressure — just a direct discussion about what your organization needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a fractional CAIO and an AI consultant?
Consultants advise. A fractional CAIO leads. We're embedded in your organization — attending leadership meetings, managing initiatives, making decisions, and accountable for results. Think of it as having a Chief AI Officer on your team, just not five days a week.
How much time does a fractional engagement require?
It depends on scope. Embedded leadership typically runs 3–4 days per week. Strategic partnerships are usually 1–2 days per week. We'll figure out the right structure in our discovery conversation based on your actual needs.
Can you work with our existing team and vendors?
Yes. We work alongside your current team, IT department, and external partners — not instead of them. Part of the value is elevating what's already in place, improving coordination, and building internal capabilities so the organization becomes self-sufficient over time.
Do we need both CMO and Chief AI Officer capabilities?
Not necessarily. Some organizations need AI leadership. Some need marketing leadership. Many need both because the two are increasingly inseparable. We'll scope the engagement to what actually moves the needle for you.
What if we eventually want to hire a full-time CAIO?
That's often the goal, and our Transition Leadership model is designed for exactly this. We build the function, establish the strategy and governance, and then help you recruit and onboard a permanent hire. You get experienced leadership from day one while building toward long-term self-sufficiency.
How quickly can you start?
Within 1–2 weeks of agreeing on scope. No 6-month recruiting process, no onboarding curve. We bring 25+ years of context from similar transformations and can be operational almost immediately.
