Companies Race to Appoint Chief AI Officers

Australian businesses are rushing to hire Chief AI Officers as artificial intelligence reshapes industries. While US firms moved early, driven by government directives, Australian companies are now working to catch up. Some are promoting existing IT leaders to AI-focused roles, while others are recruiting new specialists - offering salaries between $250,000 and $500,000 to secure top talent.

In the past 2 years, AI adoption has surged, pushing organisations across finance, healthcare, and logistics to prioritise AI strategy, governance, and compliance. Universities were among the first to appoint AI leaders, with major companies like Australia Post and Optus now actively hiring. Some businesses are restructuring budgets to fund these high-paying roles, recognising AI's impact on future competitiveness.

The role of the Chief AI Officer blends technical expertise with strategic oversight. These leaders ensure AI initiatives align with business goals while managing data security, ethics and regulatory compliance. Companies that fail to establish strong AI leadership risk losing ground in an AI-driven economy. The push for dedicated leadership is coming from boards eager to manage risk and harness AI's potential effectively.

Despite growing demand, not all organisations are immediately appointing a Chief AI Officer. Some companies still delegate AI responsibilities to chief data officers or IT teams. However, industry experts believe it's only a matter of time before AI leadership becomes a standard C-suite position, reflecting the increasing reliance on intelligent automation across all sectors.

Source: Australian Financial Review, APA, WTO