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Fractional CAIO

Who owns AI here, and who decides what we do next?

Senior AI leadership on a monthly retainer: roadmap, decision rights, governance and board briefings, without a full-time hire.

In brief

A Fractional Chief AI Officer (CAIO) from Kalosys provides senior AI leadership on a monthly retainer, without a full-time hire. The Fractional CAIO sets the AI roadmap, decision rights and governance, chairs the AI steering process, advises on investments and briefs the board, while executive authority stays with your leadership team.

THE PROBLEM

Why this matters now

AI decisions are being made across the business without one accountable leader: tools bought by departments, pilots with no owner, governance left to whoever raises it. Many organizations need senior AI leadership now but aren't ready to hire a full-time chief AI officer.

76%

of organizations surveyed now have a chief AI officer, up from 26% a year earlier

IBM Institute for Business Value CEO Study, May 2026 (2,000 CEOs)

~3x

more likely: the most AI-mature organizations have a CAIO as their primary AI decision-maker (29.4% vs 11.5%)

Futurum 1H 2026 AI Platforms Decision Maker Survey (820 decision-makers)

HOW IT WORKS

Start small, prove value, then run it

Many organizations are making AI decisions all over the business without one person accountable for them. A Fractional CAIO gives you senior AI leadership without a full-time hire. We start with a short baseline of where AI stands today, then build the roadmap, decision rights and governance, and then lead it on a monthly retainer: chairing the steering process, advising on investments and briefing the board. Your executives keep their authority; the Fractional CAIO makes sure decisions get made well.

01 · Fixed fee

Assess

  • Inventory current AI use, spend, pilots and owners
  • Interview the leadership team on priorities and concerns
  • Review existing governance, risk and decision rights

YOU RECEIVE

  • AI leadership baseline
  • Top priorities and quick wins
  • Recommendation on the leadership model, including whether a retainer is needed

02 · Fixed scope

Build

  • AI strategy and a prioritized roadmap
  • Decision rights and an AI steering process
  • AI use policy and governance model
  • Board reporting design

YOU RECEIVE

  • AI roadmap
  • Operating and governance model
  • Board AI briefing

03 · Monthly

Run

  • Senior AI leadership on a monthly retainer
  • Chair the AI steering process and portfolio reviews
  • Advise on vendor and investment decisions
  • Brief the board

YOU RECEIVE

  • Monthly portfolio review
  • Quarterly board briefing

SCOPE AT A GLANCE

What's included, and what isn't

Included

  • An agreed leadership mandate and monthly time commitment
  • Roadmap, decision rights and board reporting

Not included

  • Executive authority, which stays with your leadership team

Done when

AI decisions follow an agreed cadence, with owners, decisions and open actions recorded.

OUTCOMES

What you get

  • One accountable AI leader without a full-time hire
  • AI investments prioritized against business goals
  • Clear decision rights and governance
  • A board that understands AI performance and risk

IS THIS FOR YOU?

You may need this if

  • No CAIO or clear AI owner
  • AI decisions scattered across departments
  • Board or CEO asking for an AI strategy
  • Several AI initiatives competing for budget

QUESTIONS

What leaders usually ask

How much time does the Fractional CAIO spend with us?

It depends on the retainer. We'll confirm what fits your needs.

Who does the Fractional CAIO report to?

Usually the CEO, with regular briefings to the board. Executive authority stays with your leadership team.

Is the Fractional CAIO independent of Kalosys services?

The Fractional CAIO recommends what is right for you, including options that don't involve Kalosys, and any Kalosys work is scoped and approved separately.

We're planning to hire a full-time CAIO.

That works well with this. A Fractional CAIO can set up the roadmap and governance now, help define the role, and hand over cleanly when your hire starts.

Our CIO already covers AI.

Many CIOs do. The Fractional CAIO can work alongside them, adding focused AI leadership and board reporting without taking over their role.

Isn't this just strategy consulting?

The difference is continuity and accountability. Rather than a report and a handover, the Fractional CAIO stays on to lead decisions month by month, and can bring in Kalosys delivery when something needs to be built.

RELATED

Often paired with

AI Decision Review"Should we make this AI investment, and is it the right one?"Agent Governance and Control"Who can stop an agent, and how fast?"Pilot to Production"We've run pilots that never shipped."

Not sure where to start?

Start with an AI Decision Review, or talk to us about Fractional CAIO. Every engagement starts with a fixed fee and a clear recommendation.

GET IN TOUCH

Talk to us about Fractional CAIO

Tell us what you are working on. A senior member of our AI team will get back to you within one business day.

Prefer to talk now? Talk to Alleria, our AI sales agent.

Last updated October 29, 2026