As we recently talked about, AI is a people problem first. One of the first steps in solving that people problem is finding the right person for the job.
Some of the most common questions I get when delivering the Practical AI session from leaders implementing AI relate not to “what” but to “who”. Who owns it? Who is responsible for implementation? Do I hire a dedicated AI person or team, bring in a contractor, engage a consulting firm, or some combination of the three? Or do I let the current team figure it out?
In most organizations, one big problem is that nobody owns AI internally, or the person who does own it doesn’t have the time to focus on it. Someone inside your organization needs to own this, either a new hire or a current member of the team.
But it’s difficult to find the right person, because the role spans an unusually wide range of responsibilities: training the team, identifying opportunities, shaping product direction, thinking through design and interfaces, technical implementation, managing stakeholders, understanding the data and metrics that define success, and influencing strategy at the leadership level. That’s a rare combination. You don’t need someone who can do all of it alone, but you do need someone who can do enough of it and knows how to bring the right people together to fill the gaps. The most likely failure mode isn’t hiring the wrong person. It’s failing to establish clear ownership at all.
Resources for Startup Operators 