AI Operations · Role
Chief AI Officer (CAIO)
The Chief AI Officer (CAIO) is the board-level owner of AI in the company: strategy, investment, risk and business value. They translate AI into committee decisions.
What they do
- Set the company's AI bet and where investment goes.
- Own AI value and risk in front of the board.
- Align teams, governance and budget around that bet.
Skills it needs
Salary by country and seniority
| Country | Seniority | P25 | Median | P75 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Head / Director | €160 000 | €160 000 | €160 000 | Estimativa de fontes públicas |
| France | All | €78 075 | €90 650 | €103 225 | Estimativa de fontes públicas |
| United States | Head / Director | €290 221 | €310 834 | €311 048 | Estimativa de fontes públicas |
Figures in euros, gross annual — each with its source.
Calculate a salaryAlso known as
The market uses several titles for the same role:
How it changes by seniority
- At an SMB — Often a dual-hat role: sets the AI bet and also executes it.
- At an enterprise — Sets AI strategy and investment and owns value and risk in front of the board.
When to hire
When AI is a company-level bet with investment and risk that a board-level owner must hold.
When not to
In an SME where a Head of AI Operations already covers the function: this is a large-org role.
Interview questions
1. How do you decide what the company bets on with AI and what you leave out this year?
What to look for: Prioritises company-wide by impact and risk; can say no to the flashy-without-return.
2. How do you move AI from isolated projects to an organisation-wide capability?
What to look for: Thinks function, governance, talent and budget, not one more tool.
3. How do you answer to the board on AI risk without slowing adoption?
What to look for: Balances opportunity and risk; has a governance framework and clear accountability.
4. How do you measure whether AI is moving the business at company level?
What to look for: Ties AI to aggregate business metrics, not the number of projects or pilots.
Scorecard
- Company strategy — Prioritises the AI bet by impact and risk at company level.
- Project to capability — Institutionalises AI as a function with talent, governance and budget.
- Risk and the board — Owns risk to the board without slowing adoption.
- Business impact — Connects AI to aggregate business metrics, not activity.
Red flags
- — Confuses having many pilots with having a strategy.
- — Talks about AI as technology, not as a business capability.
- — Chases AI headlines with no business case behind them.
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