The Dawn of the Fractional Chief AI Safety Officer

Written by Candy Alexander & Jim Reavis.

Many organizations are realizing the benefits of leveraging “fractional” leaders in their C-suites. The ability to work with individuals with deep-seated expertise on an “as needed” basis, whether it is a few hours a week or more hours needed with project implementations, enables the business to work industry experts in a way that is affordable. This is nothing new or trendy. Fractional C’s include CFOs, COOs, CISOs, CTOs, CIOs, and now a Chief AI Safety Officer or CAISO.

With many organizations looking to rapidly adopt AI, the Fractional CAISO is becoming more necessary for organizations of all sizes to consider. The Fractional CAISO helps ensure cost effective, safe, and effective implementation of AI. 

Let’s face it, AI has changed the way we work and has introduced new risks and challenges that go beyond traditional technology. With a Fractional CAISO onboard, they can oversee and ensure the AI-specific risks are factored, such as ethics, interpretability, and algorithmic fairness to uphold corporate values. The Fractional CAISO guides the organization in implementing sound AI adoption. They draw from established frameworks such as the Cloud Security Alliance’s AI Controls Framework or the ISO/IEC 42001:2023 AI Management system.

One of the tremendous advantages of leveraging Fractional CAISOs is that they often start in traditional Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) roles and have expanded their expertise to encompass advanced AI systems. These professionals combine deep cybersecurity fundamentals with specialized knowledge of AI implementations, maintaining continuous education on emerging AI developments. This hybrid skill set proves critical as organizations navigate evolving AI landscapes. Their unique positioning at the intersection of legacy security frameworks and cutting-edge AI developments helps organizations balance risk management with competitive AI adoption.

AI offers a more level playing field for many businesses. Start-ups and mid-market firms in AI and cloud—often cybersecurity vendors—don’t just compete with Fortune-class players; they serve them. To win and retain enterprise customers, these fast-growing companies must prove that their AI-driven services are trustworthy, compliant, and resilient from day one. A fractional CAISO helps them:

• Design the right safety organization early. Map out the skills, roles, and secure-by-design workflows needed for an AI-centric product line, so founders can scale without later re-engineering their culture.
• Select an efficient compliance and certification roadmap. Prioritize the frameworks (e.g., SOC 2 + ISO/IEC 42001, CSA STAR, FedRAMP, or other sector-specific attestations) that matter most to target enterprise buyers—saving time and audit costs.
• Build an online Trust Center. Translate security and AI-safety posture into a transparent portal that hosts certifications, penetration-test summaries, model-card disclosures, and live policy updates—accelerating due-diligence cycles.
• Communicate risk posture credibly. Craft customer-facing narratives, datasheets, and RFP responses that demonstrate rigorous AI governance and differentiate the company from larger incumbents.
• Coach teams on secure AI development. Deliver lightweight training and playbooks so engineers, data scientists, and product managers embed safety controls into each release.

In an era where AI capabilities are advancing faster than regulatory frameworks and best practices, having dedicated safety leadership isn’t just prudent—it’s increasingly becoming a business imperative. By inserting board-level AI safety expertise without the fixed cost of a full-time executive, a fractional CAISO lets emerging providers satisfy enterprise scrutiny, shorten sales cycles, and scale responsibly.