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Fractional CAIO

AI Leadership, When You Need It

Fractional Chief AI Officer services

AI strategy, governance, and adoption leadership without the full-time salary. I build the CAIO function for companies that are serious about AI but smart about costs.

Fractional Chief AI Officer — on-demand CAIO services for AI governance and strategy

WHAT I DO

Six areas where I help most

AI Strategy & Governance Framework

An AI roadmap tied to business value, with governance guardrails to execute safely. Model selection, use case prioritization, and compliance frameworks for your industry.

Responsible AI & Compliance

Bias testing, fairness metrics, and transparency standards that satisfy regulators and earn customer trust. EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, and industry-specific frameworks.

AI Vendor Selection & Evaluation

Cut through vendor noise. Evaluate foundation models, AI platforms, and tooling based on your actual requirements. Negotiate enterprise agreements and prevent lock-in.

AI Platform Architecture

The infrastructure layer for model training, inference, and monitoring. MLOps pipelines, feature stores, and build-vs-buy decisions that compound over years.

Cross-functional AI Adoption

AI literacy beyond the engineering team. Centers of excellence, high-value use cases in operations, finance, and customer experience, plus adoption programs that stick.

Board & Investor AI Reporting

AI initiatives translated into board-ready metrics. ROI frameworks, risk reporting, competitive positioning, and the AI narrative your investors and stakeholders actually need.

HOW IT WORKS

Three ways to work together

Advisory

4-8 hours/month

Strategic guidance on AI direction, governance decisions, and vendor evaluations. Good fit if you have a technical team but need a senior AI-specific voice at the leadership table.

Embedded

2-3 days/week

Operating as your CAIO. Leading AI strategy, building governance frameworks, coaching AI leads, presenting to the board. Full executive function, fractional schedule.

Project-Based

Fixed scope

A specific deliverable: <a href="/en/chief-ai-officer/ai-readiness-audit/">AI readiness audit</a>, governance framework build, responsible AI assessment, model risk review, or an AI strategy document for board or investor consumption.

The first 30 days

Every engagement starts the same way. I audit your current AI setup: initiatives in flight, model inventory, data governance posture, vendor relationships, regulatory exposure. By day 30 you have a prioritized AI roadmap with governance guardrails, quick wins, and a 6-12 month strategy. No generic frameworks. Specific actions for your industry, your compliance requirements, and your team.

WHO IT'S FOR

Companies I work with

Companies launching AI initiatives

You know AI matters but nobody at the leadership table has shipped AI in production, built a governance framework, or managed model risk. A fractional CAIO gives you strategic direction and compliance guardrails to move from experimentation to production.

Regulated industries scaling AI

Financial services, healthcare, and insurance companies where AI use triggers regulatory scrutiny. You need someone who understands model risk management, the EU AI Act, FDA AI/ML guidance, and how to build governance structures that satisfy both regulators and business stakeholders.

Organizations between AI leaders

Your VP of AI left, your CAIO search is taking longer than expected, or you are restructuring the AI function. A fractional CAIO maintains momentum, keeps governance in place, and ensures the AI roadmap does not stall while you find your permanent hire.

PE/VC portfolio companies

Investors who need AI strategy and governance across their portfolio. AI due diligence for acquisitions, post-acquisition integration, and fractional CAIO support for portfolio companies building AI capabilities. One engagement, multiple investments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fractional Chief AI Officer?
A fractional CAIO is a senior AI executive who works with your company part-time or on contract. You get AI strategy, governance frameworks, and adoption leadership without the full-time salary and equity package. Most fractional CAIOs work with several companies at once, spending anywhere from a few hours a month to two or three days a week depending on scope.
How much does a fractional CAIO cost?
Fractional CAIO rates depend on scope and seniority. Advisory engagements (4-8 hours per month) typically run $6,000-$15,000 per month. Embedded engagements (2-3 days per week) range from $18,000-$35,000 per month. Compare that to a full-time CAIO salary of $300,000-$600,000 plus equity, benefits, and a 4-6 month executive search. For companies spending under $10M on AI annually, a fractional arrangement often covers everything you need.
When should a company hire a fractional CAIO instead of a full-time CAIO?
When you need senior AI leadership but the scope does not justify a full-time C-suite hire. Common scenarios: companies launching their first AI initiatives who need governance and strategy before committing to a permanent role; regulated industries that need compliance frameworks before scaling AI use; organizations between AI leaders who need interim executive coverage; PE/VC portfolio companies that need AI strategy across multiple investments.
What is the difference between a fractional CAIO and an AI consultant?
An AI consultant delivers a report or recommendation and moves on. A fractional CAIO is a member of your leadership team: attending executive meetings, presenting to the board, making real-time decisions, accountable for outcomes. They build your internal AI capability and governance structure, not just advise on it. The difference between a second opinion and a part-time chief of staff.
How does a fractional CAIO work with the CTO?
The fractional CAIO handles AI strategy, governance, and organizational adoption. The CTO keeps owning the broader technology platform. They collaborate on model infrastructure, data platform decisions, and engineering resource allocation. The CAIO focuses on what to build with AI and how to govern it. The CTO focuses on how to build and scale the platform. That separation keeps AI governance from getting buried in the CTO's broader mandate.
What does a fractional CAIO engagement look like in the first 30 days?
It starts with an AI audit: current initiatives, model inventory, data governance posture, regulatory exposure, vendor relationships, and organizational AI literacy. By day 30 you have a prioritized roadmap with quick wins, governance gaps to close, and a 6-12 month strategy. No slide decks or theoretical frameworks. Specific recommendations for your industry, your regulatory environment, and your team.

Ready to talk?

No pitch decks. No sales process. A direct conversation about your AI challenges and whether a fractional CAIO engagement makes sense for your stage and goals.

Get in touch Read the CAIO guide