Is your org ready for a CAIO? See how these UK firms have done it

New research from executive search solution pltfrm’s All In: The Corporate AI Leadership Race report reveals a shift as artificial intelligence moves from being a technical consideration to becoming what report authors call a “bet-the-company priority.”

Nearly half of Britain’s biggest companies have now appointed dedicated AI leaders, with 42% of these CAIO appointments made in just the last year alone. Among Britain’s most valuable publicly traded companies, 48% now have dedicated chief AI officers or equivalent roles, with 65% of all such appointments occurring since January 2023, according to pltfrm’s findings.

“AI has transitioned from a niche capability to a core driver of business strategy, with companies scrambling to avoid being left behind in what’s termed the ‘5th Industrial Revolution,’ ” explains Will Lahaise, co-founder of pltfrm.

The talent pipeline emerges

The research identifies three dominant career backgrounds feeding into chief AI officer roles: data science accounts for 50% of appointments, consulting for 21% and engineering and technology for 17%. This distribution suggests companies are seeking leaders who can bridge technical expertise with business acumen.

High-profile appointments signal a wave of corporate commitment, according to the pltfrm report: Pfizer hired Berta Rodriguez-Hervas from Stellantis in August 2024, while Lloyds brought in Rohit Dhawan from Amazon the same month. Eli Lilly recruited Thomas Fuchs from Paige in October and Goldman Sachs appointed Daniel Marcu from Amazon in January 2025.

However, organizational positioning remains inconsistent. Pltfrm found that only a handful of CAIOs report directly to CEOs, including Walter Sun at SAP, Nasser Ali Khasawneh at Eversheds and Ed Keisling at Progress. Most appointments flow through technology organizations via chief information officers, chief technology officers or chief data officers.

The most successful leaders, according to the findings, will be those who can balance creative innovation with regulatory compliance. For CHROs charged with hiring an AI lead, this complexity could create significant recruitment challenges.

“The role demands a rare duality: CAIOs must drive cutting-edge innovation whilst ensuring ethical compliance and risk management,” Lahaise notes. “This balance is difficult to find, as many candidates might excel in one area but lack experience in the other.”

Regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act have intensified the need for governance expertise, making compliance oversight as crucial as technical innovation. Companies must find leaders capable of navigating ethical risks while driving competitive advantage through AI adoption.

The sustainability of the chief AI officer role remains uncertain. Pltfrm researchers draw parallels to the chief digital officer position, which proliferated during the digital transformation wave of the 2010s but later diminished as digital capabilities became standard business practice.

“If AI becomes deeply embedded in corporate functions, the CAIO’s responsibilities may merge into existing tech or data leadership roles,” Lahaise suggests. “However, if AI remains a distinct strategic priority, the role could endure, especially in sectors where the technology is central to competitiveness, such as tech, finance and pharma.”

The pltfrm report acknowledges this uncertainty directly, questioning whether revisiting the data in five years will reveal more, fewer or no chief AI officers at all. One scenario envisions AI becoming so pervasive that it falls under standard technology organization management, rendering specialized AI leadership obsolete.

As with any fast-moving and emerging trend, there are bound to be missteps, according to pltfrm. “There have already been examples where the CAIO has not made it to the two-year anniversary mark,” write the report authors.

Preparing for the future

For HR leaders navigating this new territory, the challenge extends beyond individual appointments to building sustainable AI capability, yet a talent gap exists. Gartner reports that 78% of CEOs believe talent shortages are becoming a critical issue, while 57% of HR leaders say skill gaps are hindering their ability to maintain business performance. Digital skills are especially vital—and increasingly difficult to find. Notably, 82% of CIOs told Gartner the shortage of AI skills is directly affecting their ability to meet strategic goals.

The pool of candidates who can effectively balance technical AI expertise with business leadership remains limited. According to the State of Tech Talent 2025 report from tech educator General Assembly, 75% of HR professionals say their companies are hiring AI talent without building strong, long-term pipelines of qualified candidates. And 63% of hiring leaders find it harder to source candidates with solid AI skills than for other tech roles.

Lahaise recommends a multi-pronged approach to filling key AI leadership roles:

• Start by offering upskilling programs, like AI boot camps for executives, to build understanding.
• Then, consider dual-leadership models that pair AI experts with business leaders to combine strengths.
• Finally, focus on hiring “T-shaped” people—those with deep AI skills and broad business knowledge.

Read more: Does HR + IT equal the future CHRO role?

How HR leaders can approach CAIO hiring

The rise of AI leadership roles creates both immediate pressures and strategic opportunities for HR departments. According to pltfrm, global HR leaders find themselves at the center of one of the most competitive talent markets in recent memory.

However, in contrast to the pltfrm findings based in the UK, U.S. firms still seem to be figuring out how to place CAIOs in the broader mix of C-suite leadership. While AI is rapidly becoming a strategic priority across industries, a paper from Harvard Law School reveals that relatively few S&P 500 companies have taken the step of assigning formally titled AI leadership roles.

Only 8% have publicly disclosed a senior-level position with a direct AI focus, and just 4% have gone further by establishing a C-suite title—such as a CAIO—that explicitly references artificial intelligence.

The question of whether chief AI officers should report directly to CEOs or through existing technology hierarchies affects both recruitment success and role effectiveness. “CHROs must define the role clearly whilst navigating internal dynamics, aligning it with corporate priorities to attract leaders capable of both ambition and accountability,” Lahaise explains.

Compensation strategies require recalibration as well, according to the findings published by Harvard. The competitive market for AI leadership talent means traditional pay scales may prove insufficient. High-impact senior AI hires often require out-of-the-box pay packages—including large sign-on awards and custom vesting that go beyond existing norms.

In some cases, competitive salaries for AI specialists may match or even surpass those of current executives in similar areas, according to the Harvard analysis. Authors say that if not handled thoughtfully, this touchy area can lead to internal friction.

To avoid this, organizations should set expectations, be prepared to explain compensation decisions and regularly review their pay structures to maintain fairness and strategic alignment, according to the report.

Building for substance over hype

To avoid what Lahaise calls “hype-driven hires,” organizations need clear frameworks for AI leadership success. He says this means defining measurable outcomes, positioning roles appropriately within organizational structures and prioritizing adaptability over narrow technical expertise.

“The best CAIOs can blend offense and defense—advancing innovation while enforcing guardrails,” Lahaise advises. “Look for candidates who can clearly articulate the ‘next trick’ to stakeholders and build a robust governance framework to mitigate risks like bias or compliance breaches.”

His recommendation for first-time CAIO hires emphasizes the importance of environmental fit: “Hire for vision and ability to execute within your environment. Structure the role to empower the CAIO as a bridge between tech and business teams and consider reporting lines carefully.”