Dubai Embraces the Rise of the Chief AI Officer: A New Era in Executive Leadership

Just a few years ago, the title Chief AI Officer (CAIO) was virtually nonexistent across the Middle East and the Gulf region. Today, Dubai is leading a rapid transformation, ushering in a new wave of AI leadership roles across both the public and private sectors.

Thanks to partnerships with global tech giants and the increasing adoption of advanced artificial intelligence tools, the CAIO is fast becoming one of the hottest job titles in Dubai. Google Cloud, for instance, recently announced a strategic collaboration with Dubai Future Foundation to train a cohort of 22 Chief AI Officers appointed in 2024. While this initiative targets public institutions, it’s the private sector that’s seeing the most dynamic growth in CAIO roles.

A recent report from Altrata, a wealth intelligence firm, shows that in the U.S., only 4% of CAIO positions are in the public sector—the rest are embedded within private enterprises. The Middle East is mirroring this trend, with leading companies now prioritizing AI leadership at the executive level.

One such company is Dubai-based Al Futtaim Group, which recently appointed a Chief AI Officer to focus on AI adoption and investment in artificial intelligence.

Though many organizations already have a Chief Technology Officer (CTO), industry leaders stress that the CAIO plays a fundamentally different role. According to Nasir Rahman Shaikh, Dubai-based Chief AI Officer at UK power solutions firm Satron Power, “While a CTO ensures technological execution and operations, the CAIO offers strategic direction, ethical oversight and AI-specific expertise”.

He adds “A CAIO is not just about deploying AI; it’s about asking the deeper questions—Is this AI model suitable for our business needs? Can we explain how it makes decisions? That’s where the real value lies”.

A quick LinkedIn search confirms that the CAIO title is gaining traction in Dubai’s tech industry. But it’s not just startups adopting the trend—established corporations are embracing it as well. For example, a senior executive at Dubai’s air services leader Dnata now lists both CTO and CAIO roles under his title, reflecting a growing convergence of technical and AI leadership responsibilities.

According to Jan C. Cron, a senior executive recruiter at Russell Reynolds Associates, the appointment of a CAIO offers tangible advantages. “It sends a strong signal that a company is serious about embracing future technologies and attracts top-tier AI talent”.
However, Cron also notes that the CAIO role is likely to evolve. “Over time, the responsibilities of the Chief AI Officer may be absorbed into other C-suite roles like the Chief Information Officer CTO or CIO, especially as AI becomes fully integrated into business operations. In a way, that shift would signal a true maturity in how organizations approach artificial intelligence”.