Most Indian Companies Will Appoint Chief AI Officers Within 2 Years: IBM Study
CAIOs are taking on responsibilities spanning strategy, directing technical implementation, managing budgets, and upskilling talent.
There’s a new CXO in the C-suite. According to a new study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, chief AI officers (CAIOs) are taking a strategic seat at the leadership table as Indian organisations blend technical depth with executive expertise to accelerate AI adoption.
According to the study, 77% of CAIOs in India report strong C-suite support (including 67% reporting CEO support), reflecting strong organisational alignment to scale AI effectively. While 25% of Indian enterprises surveyed currently have a CAIO, 67% aim to have one within the next two years, demonstrating the growing appetite at Indian organisations for aligning a leader to direct AI strategy that drives measurable outcomes. This momentum is backed by impact, as globally, organisations with a CAIO see a 10% higher return on investment on AI spend.
“As Indian enterprises move from pilots to scaled AI adoption, the role of CAIOs will be central to their AI transformation journeys. CAIOs will not only bridge the gap between business and technology but also set the strategic direction and keep teams aligned on shared goals,” said Viswanath Ramaswamy, vice president, technology, IBM India & South Asia. “To succeed, CAIOs must develop a clear transformation roadmap with measurable KPIs, foster alignment with the C-suite on business priorities and focus on initiatives that deliver a sustainable and competitive edge.”
Other key findings for India include:
Strong C-Suite support for AI leadership
80% CAIOs are consulted by other CXOs on important AI decisions.
57% of Indian CAIOs were appointed internally, highlighting the development of AI leadership talent from within enterprises.
60% of CAIOs report directly to either the CEO or the board of directors.
Broader Mandates And Implementation Focus
Indian CAIOs are taking on comprehensive responsibilities spanning strategy, directing technical implementation, managing budgets and upskilling talent.
The study found that the top three responsibilities of Indian CAIOs were defining the organisation’s AI strategy (70%), developing change management strategy for AI adoption (57%), and directing implementation of AI (57%). These figures are, on average, 10 percentage points higher than global respondents, suggesting that Indian CAIOs place greater emphasis on these areas and are scaling AI more rapidly than their global peers.
Interestingly, many CAIOs are also overseeing upskilling (43%) and reskilling (37%) of employees in AI.
60% stated that their AI budget is controlled by the CAIO, strengthening accountability.
Technical Depth As A Competitive Edge
70% of Indian CAIOs have a background in data, aligned with global counterparts.
73% come from technology roles while 50% have an innovation background, reinforcing their ability to lead transformation agendas.
Adoption: From Pilots To Scale
While 67% of Indian organisations are still primarily investing in AI pilots, the combination of strong leadership support and CAIOs’ strategic orientation will provide a strong foundation for accelerating scaled AI adoption.
Only 18% of Indian CAIOs find AI implementation very difficult (versus 30% globally), reflecting a more optimistic execution environment.
