Executive AI Leadership Without the Executive Price Tag
Fractional CAIO Retainer
AI Leadership That Scales With You
The Fractional CAIO Retainer gives you ongoing, strategic AI leadership tailored to your business. Think of it as having a Chief AI Officer on your team—without the full-time cost.
What’s Included
Strategic Planning
- Annual AI roadmap development and quarterly refinements
- Business case development for AI initiatives
- Budget planning and ROI tracking
- Board/leadership reporting and presentations
Technology & Vendor Management
- AI tool and platform evaluation
- Vendor selection and contract negotiation support
- Build vs. buy recommendations
- Integration architecture guidance
Governance & Risk
- AI policy and ethics framework development
- Data governance recommendations
- Compliance and regulatory awareness
- Risk assessment for AI initiatives
Execution Oversight
- Project gating and milestone reviews
- Quality assurance and validation
- Stakeholder alignment
- Issue escalation and resolution
Change Management
- Organizational readiness assessment
- Training and enablement planning
- Communication strategy
- Adoption tracking and optimization
Advisory Sessions
- Regular strategic check-ins (frequency varies by tier)
- On-demand consulting via email/Slack
- Executive coaching on AI topics
Retainer Tiers
| Feature | CAIO Core | CAIO Plus | CAIO Exec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Advisory Hours | 8-10/mo | 15-18/mo | 25-30/mo |
| Stakeholder Meetings | 2/mo | 4/mo | 6+/mo |
| Active Projects Supported | 1-2 | 2-4 | 4+ |
| Vendor Negotiations | Included | Included | Included |
| Board Presentations | Quarterly | Monthly | As needed |
| Response Time | 48 hrs | 24 hrs | Same day |
Who This Is For
CAIO Core – You need strategic direction and oversight, but you have capable people to execute. Perfect for SMBs taking their first serious steps into AI.
CAIO Plus – You have active AI projects and multiple stakeholders. You need regular engagement and hands-on guidance to keep things on track.
CAIO Exec – You’re running multiple AI workstreams and need a de facto program executive. Common for companies in rapid AI transformation.
The Process
- Fit Call – 15 minutes to understand your situation and goals
- Discovery Session – Deep dive into your business, data, and AI maturity
- Proposal – Customized engagement scope and recommended tier
- Kickoff – Strategic alignment workshop with your leadership
- Ongoing Engagement – Regular cadence tailored to your needs
Commitment
Retainers start with a 4-month initial commitment, billed monthly. This gives us enough time to understand your business and demonstrate value. After the initial term, we move to rolling monthly renewals.