What is a fractional Chief AI Officer?

A fractional Chief AI Officer is a senior AI leader who works with your business part-time, typically one to four days per month, instead of joining your payroll. They own your AI strategy, decide what to automate and in what order, oversee implementation quality, manage governance and data risk, and train your team. The appeal is arithmetic: a full-time AI lead costs £80,000 to £150,000 a year and takes months to recruit, while a fractional arrangement runs £2,500 to £7,500 per month and starts within weeks, with the flexibility to scale up or step back. It suits businesses of roughly 5 to 50 staff that need senior direction but cannot justify a full-time hire. Our own Fractional Chief AI Officer service follows this model, offered to clients after an AI Core Build.