Dedicated AI Officers, Platforms Lead Businesses to ROI
CIO Dive, Wednesday, October 14th, 2026
A Wharton study finds dedicated AI ownership and a primary platform matter more for ROI than a chief AI officer title.
Nearly 11% of Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies now have a chief AI officer or equivalent, according to a Wharton report.
Companies that created a dedicated AI role reported better ROI than those that added AI to an existing executive's duties, and organizations pursuing intentional use cases on one primary platform reported more value than those spread across several.
Co-author Korst says clear, dedicated ownership matters more than the title, which is spreading faster than the role itself.
He advises giving AI leaders the authority to settle platform questions and building a strong partnership with the CIO.