Over half of organisations now have dedicated AI boards - Gartner

A recent Gartner poll has revealed that 55% of organisations have implemented an AI board. Conducted in June 2024 among 1,808 executive leaders, the poll also showed that 54% of organisations have either a head of AI or an AI leader responsible for overseeing AI activities.

Commenting on the findings, Frances Karamouzis, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, stated, “The findings show that organisations are divided regarding if an AI board is necessary. The answer is yes, enterprises need an AI board to transcend the multidisciplinary challenges to drive value and reduce risk. However, the duration, scope, and resourcing is context-specific and use-case dependent. For some, it’s a short-term, stopgap measure. For others, it’s a longer-term change to their operating model.”

The poll was undertaken during a Gartner webinar focused on how executive leaders can assess the cost, risk, and value of AI and Generative AI (GenAI) initiatives. Karamouzis highlighted that the results do not necessarily represent global findings or the market as a whole.

One of the critical insights from the poll was that accountability for AI within organisations is often dispersed. A quarter of respondents reported having a clear role accountable for AI initiatives, with remaining organisations lacking clarity, being decentralised, or operating in silos. “AI board member composition should have representation from multiple disciplines and cross business units,” said Karamouzis. “It’s up to each organisation to determine the best approach to drive speed and agility within their organisation to ensure that the board does not get unwieldy and unproductive due to inability to meet or drive consensus.”

When asked about the top three focuses of an AI board’s remit, 26% of executives identified governance as a primary focus, while 21% pointed to strategy. Karamouzis added, “The board member composition should align expertise with the scope of the remit. Board members should be senior level and seasoned executives with strong skills in strategy and execution, especially if they have GenAI ambitions.”

Concerning the roles leading AI initiatives, the survey found that only a minority of organisations have titled chief AI officers (CAIOs). Of the 54% of organisations that confirmed having a head of AI or an AI leader, 88% indicated that their AI leader did not have the title of CAIO. Karamouzis explained that many boards are reluctant to expand the C-suite, even though they want a dedicated AI leader. “AI and GenAI are complex and far-reaching and touch every job, activity and strategic conversation in the organisation," she said. "However, this does not mean that the people or team responsible for orchestrating AI at an organisation have to have a title at the altitude of the C-suite.”