Chief AI Officer

See all open positions

Role: Chief AI Officer
Location: SmarterX HQ (Cleveland)
Reports To: CEO

About SmarterX

SmarterX is an AI transformation company. We educate and empower leaders to reimagine business models, reinvent industries, and rethink what's possible. 

  • We believe AI will rapidly transform businesses, industries, jobs, the economy, educational systems, and society. 
  • We believe you can build a smarter version of any business through a responsible, human-centered approach to AI.
  • We believe the future of all business is AI native, AI emergent, or obsolete.  
  • We believe AI education and training is the foundation for success in every organization.

Our goal is to Accelerate AI Literacy for AllTM through courses, content and events. Consulting and speaking are also secondary solutions under the SmarterX brand.

SmarterX has three primary public-facing business units and brands:

  • Marketing AI Institute: Media, event and education business founded in 2016 that is designed to make AI approachable and actionable for marketers. The Institute has more than 90,000 contacts, and its flagship in-person conference, MAICON, draws 1,000+ marketers to Cleveland each year. 
  • AI Academy by SmarterX: Originally launched in 2020 under the Marketing AI Institute brand, AI Academy is being spun off as a dedicated site and brand. AI Academy is a high-growth business unit designed to prepare individuals and organizations for the future of work by making AI education accessible and personalized.
  • The Artificial Intelligence Show: The podcast is SmarterX’s fastest growing media channel with 65,000+ downloads per month. The podcast serves as a promotional tool and lead generator for SmarterX and its business units. 

SmarterX also has an internal AI Content Studio that supports audience growth, demand generation, and customer success across all brands / business units. The AI Content Studio produces blog posts, books, blueprints, courses, newsletters, podcasts, presentations, research, videos and webinars.

Role Overview

The Chief AI Officer (CAIO) is responsible for spearheading AI-driven innovation and automation throughout the organization. This role will focus on developing and deploying AI agents, intelligent automation of processes and workflows, and optimizing our technology stack to enhance operational efficiency, productivity, revenue growth and innovation. 

The CAIO will work closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure AI is leveraged effectively to scale our offerings and create sustainable competitive advantages.

Key Responsibilities

AI Strategy & Innovation

  • Develop and execute a comprehensive AI strategy aligned with business objectives.
  • Identify opportunities to integrate AI into media, events, education, consulting, and research.
  • Stay ahead of AI trends, technologies, and best practices to maintain a competitive edge.

AI Agent & Intelligent Automation Development

  • Lead the development and deployment of AI agents to optimize customer interactions and business processes.
  • Automate workflows and internal operations to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
  • Ensure seamless AI-driven solutions across all business functions.

Technology Stack Optimization

  • Assess, enhance, and oversee the organization’s AI and technology infrastructure.
  • Select, integrate, and manage AI tools and platforms to maximize impact.
  • Collaborate with IT teams and partners to ensure scalability, security, and compliance of AI systems.

Infrastructure & IT Operations

  • Oversee IT infrastructure, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency.
  • Manage enterprise software, cloud platforms, and integrations.
  • Optimize technology workflows to improve business performance and collaboration.

Cybersecurity & Compliance

  • Ensure data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance across all digital operations.
  • Implement and maintain cybersecurity protocols and risk mitigation strategies.
  • Conduct regular security audits and ensure business continuity planning.

AI Education & Adoption

  • Drive AI literacy and adoption across teams, ensuring employees understand and utilize AI effectively.
  • Provide guidance on AI ethics, governance, and responsible AI implementation.
  • Conduct training sessions and workshops to upskill employees and leadership in AI applications.

Data Strategy & AI-Powered Insights

  • Oversee data collection, structuring, and governance to enable AI-driven decision-making.
  • Leverage AI to extract insights that drive business growth and customer engagement.
  • Ensure AI models are optimized for accuracy, efficiency, and business impact.

AI Tool, App & Product Development (Exploratory Phase)

  • Lead R&D efforts on AI tools, apps and products.
  • Integrate proprietary technologies into SmarterX business units. 
  • Collaborate on productization and monetization of proprietary technologies through NewCos. 

Qualifications & Experience

  • Proven track record in AI leadership roles, such as Chief AI Officer, Head of AI, CIO, CTO, or equivalent.
  • Strong expertise in AI technologies, machine learning, automation, and data science.
  • Experience implementing AI solutions in media, events, education, consulting, or research industries.
  • Ability to translate complex AI concepts into business strategies and tangible results.
  • Exceptional leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  • Hands-on experience with AI platforms, LLMs, intelligent automation, and analytics tools.
  • Advanced prompting abilities with standard LLMs and reasoning models. 
  • Extensive experience with OpenAI ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini and / or Microsoft Copilot.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Competitive base salary with performance-based incentives.
  • Profit-sharing and long-term incentive opportunities.
  • Eligible for the company’s Phantom Stock Program, allowing participation in future company growth.
  • Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision, Simple IRA, etc.).
  • Flexible work environment with a strong team culture.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their resume and a brief cover letter outlining their AI vision for SmarterX and their experience. Apply here!