CDO and CAIO roles might have a built-in expiration date

“The CDO role is likely to be durable, much due to the long-term strategic value of data; however, it is likely to evolve to encompass more strategic business responsibility,” he says. “The CAIO, on the other hand, is likely to be subsumed into CTO or CDO roles as AI technology folds into core technologies and architectures standardize.”

For now, both CIAOs and CDOs have responsibilities beyond championing the use of AI and good data governance, Stone adds. They will build the foundation for enterprise-wide benefits of AI and good data management.

“As AI and data literacy take hold across the enterprise, CDOs and CAIOs will shift from internal change enablers and project champions to strategic leaders and organization-wide enablers,” he says. “They are, and will continue to grow more, responsible for setting standards, aligning AI with business goals, and ensuring secure, scalable operations.”