What a fractional Chief AI Officer is
A fractional Chief AI Officer is a senior leader who owns your company's AI strategy, risk and results for a set number of days each month, instead of full time. You get board-level ownership of AI without a full-time executive hire.
The role is different from a consultant. A consultant hands over advice. A fractional Chief AI Officer stays, owns the decisions and answers to your board for what happens next.
Who it is for
- You run a business with 50 or more staff, and a board, owner or investor to answer to.
- You are spending on AI licences and pilots, but cannot show the return.
- Your investors want an AI plan before the next board meeting.
- Staff are putting client data into AI tools and there are no rules.
- You want one senior person at the table, not another vendor.
I work most often with private equity and investor-backed firms, financial services, family groups in the GCC, and transport and logistics. Larger organisations, from 200 to several thousand staff, usually start with an AI Strategy Sprint or a Boardroom AI Briefing.
What I do each month
Priorities
I pick the problems worth solving, where AI saves or earns most, and say no to the rest.
Risk and governance
Clear policy, approved tools and controls, so the risk is managed, not banned. I set up an AI governance framework that fits your size, starting with an AI acceptable use policy.
Suppliers
An independent view, a fair supplier shortlist and contracts that protect you. I choose tools last, once we know the problem and the return.
Delivery
My team builds what we plan, so you get something that works, not a report.
Reporting
Each project has a business case and a number the board can track. I report the return to your board.
How it works
It starts with a free 30-minute call. Bring me a problem and I will tell you whether AI is the answer, and what fixing it is worth. From there:
- Briefing. A half day with your leadership team.
- Diagnostic. Where AI saves or earns most, and what stands in the way.
- Roadmap. A Pilot to Profit plan your board signs off.
- Build. We build the first wins with your team.
- Lead. I stay on as your fractional Chief AI Officer.
Fractional, full-time or consultant?
| Fractional Chief AI Officer | Full-time Chief AI Officer | AI consultant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 2 to 4 days a month | Full time | Project by project |
| Owns the result | Yes, at board level | Yes | Usually hands over advice |
| Commitment | Retainer, three-month minimum | Permanent executive hire | Per project |
| Best when | AI matters to your board, but is not yet a full-time job | AI is core to the business and needs its own team | You have one defined question to answer |
More detail: fractional Chief AI Officer or AI consultant, and what a fractional Chief AI Officer costs in the UK.
Why work with me
I build AI products as well as advise on them. I started Alt Labs in 2017, and it is a build partner on Anthropic and OpenAI. Before that I led innovation at London Midland Railway and Go-Ahead Group, where ideas had to survive boards, regulators and passengers.
- 600+ projects delivered.
- $1.3bn+ raised by the founders we back, including one unicorn.
- $2.6bn+ combined value of businesses supported.
- 10x proven returns on investment.
- Awards include WIRED x HSBC Trailblazers 2025, the Arab Entrepreneurs Digital and AI Award and Tees Business Leader of the Year 2025.
Where I work
I work with boards and leadership teams across the United Kingdom and the GCC, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE. I am based in Middlesbrough in the North East of England, and Alt Labs has its international headquarters in Riyadh.
Questions
What does a fractional Chief AI Officer do?
Owns AI at board level a few days a month. Picks the problems worth solving, manages risk and suppliers, and reports the return.
How much does a fractional Chief AI Officer cost?
Retainers are priced by days a month, two to four, with a three-month minimum. Sprints are a fixed fee agreed upfront. Book a call and I will quote for your business.
How many days a month do you work with us?
Two to four days a month, with a three-month minimum.
What is the difference between a fractional Chief AI Officer and an AI consultant?
A consultant gives advice on a defined question. A fractional Chief AI Officer owns AI on your leadership team month after month: the priorities, the risk, the suppliers and the return.
Is my business big enough?
If AI could move a cost, risk or revenue line that matters to your board, yes. Most clients have 50 to 200 staff. Larger organisations usually start with an AI Strategy Sprint or a Boardroom AI Briefing.
Do you build as well as advise?
Yes. My team builds what we plan, so you get something that works, not a report.
Do you work in Saudi Arabia and the GCC?
Yes. I provide AI consulting in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and the wider GCC, with Alt Labs' international headquarters in Riyadh.