Too many chiefs? The case for consolidating tech executives [Video]

As businesses implement generative artificial intelligence, they’re also adding new C-suite titles such as chief AI officer. But simply slapping on a new label to the organizational chart could be muddying already blurry waters.

According to a new study from Thoughtworks, whose authors include an MIT expert, 87% of people say employees in their organization are confused to a certain degree about where to turn for data and tech services and issues. Most of the organizations whose leaders responded to the survey had multiple executive roles in the tech and data spaces. This includes chief information, technology, data, information security, digital, analytics and AI officers, and sometimes more. Even those leaders themselves often lack clarity about their own responsibilities, with nearly a third of respondents reporting they don’t fully understand their roles in relation to other technology executives.

John Spens, director of data and AI for the Americas at tech consultancy Thoughtworks, which co-authored the study along …