Fractional AI Lead
A fractional CTO for AI, without the full-time hire
A few days a month of me as your AI lead: I set the roadmap, choose the tools, keep the builds honest and coach your team, so AI keeps paying back after the first project.
When you need an AI lead
Someone has to own AI, and it probably isn't a full-time job yet
After the first workflow goes live, the questions keep coming. Which process next? Is this vendor worth it? Why did the agent start getting things wrong? Who checks the new AI coding tool the developers want?
In most businesses of 10–250 people, those questions land on a founder or an operations lead who already has a full week. A full-time CTO or chief AI officer is a big hire for work that needs a few days a month.
A fractional AI lead gives you the judgement, the plan and the hands-on build experience for the days you need them.
What I cover
Four parts of the job
Roadmap
Which processes to hand to agents next, in what order, and what each should save. Kept on one page and reviewed every month.
Vendors and tools
Straight answers on what to buy, what to build and what to cancel, from someone who builds with these tools every week.
Builds
I keep workflow builds, internal or with other suppliers, on the right side of the rules: process first, guardrails in, a person signing off anything risky.
Your team
Coaching for the people who'll own the workflows, and for developers using AI coding tools, so the know-how stays in your business.
What a month looks like
A typical month
- 01
Planning session.
One call at the start of the month to agree the priorities.
- 02
Working days.
I work on those priorities: mapping a process, reviewing a build, briefing a vendor.
- 03
Team session.
Coaching or a review with the people running your workflows.
- 04
Open line.
Questions by email between sessions.
- 05
Month-end note.
A short written report: what moved, what it saved, what's next.
Who it suits
This works best if you're one of these
- An owner-led business of 10–250 people that has one or two AI projects running and needs someone to own what comes next.
- A founder without a technical co-founder who needs a senior voice on AI and software decisions.
- A small engineering team whose lead wants help setting the rules for AI coding tools.
- A business that's already done an audit or build with me and wants to keep the momentum.
It's not a fit if you need a full-time hands-on CTO running a large engineering team day to day.
Fractional AI lead or full-time hire
How it compares
| Full-time CTO or AI hire | Fractional AI lead | |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Permanent role, long notice | Monthly retainer |
| Time to start | Months of recruiting | Weeks, not months |
| What you get | One person's full week | The days you need, from someone building agentic systems every week |
| Best for | A large team that needs daily leadership | Getting AI right before you can justify the hire |
| Cost | Salary plus overheads | Fixed monthly fee, typically from £2,500/month ($3,300/month), quoted to scope |
Commitment
Full-time CTO or AI hire
Permanent role, long notice
Fractional AI lead
Monthly retainer
Time to start
Full-time CTO or AI hire
Months of recruiting
Fractional AI lead
Weeks, not months
What you get
Full-time CTO or AI hire
One person's full week
Fractional AI lead
The days you need, from someone building agentic systems every week
Best for
Full-time CTO or AI hire
A large team that needs daily leadership
Fractional AI lead
Getting AI right before you can justify the hire
Cost
Full-time CTO or AI hire
Salary plus overheads
Fractional AI lead
Fixed monthly fee, typically from £2,500/month ($3,300/month), quoted to scope
How it starts
Four steps to your first month
- 01
20-minute call.
You tell me where AI stands today; I tell you whether a fractional lead makes sense.
- 02
First-month plan.
If it does, I send a one-page plan with the priorities for month one and a fixed monthly price.
- 03
Kick-off.
A half-day session to map where AI already runs, what it costs and what it saves.
- 04
First month-end note.
You see in writing what moved. Keep going month to month, or stop.
Businesses that haven't had an audit usually start with the Agentic Readiness Audit instead. AI Readiness Assessment
Proof from my own production lines
I run AI on my own businesses before I advise on yours
The advice comes from systems I build and run every week, not from vendor demos.
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FAQ
What does a fractional CTO do?
A fractional CTO is a senior technology leader who works for your business part-time, usually a few days a month. They set the technical direction, make vendor and build decisions, and coach the team, without the cost of a full-time executive.
How much does a fractional CTO cost?
Fractional roles are usually priced as a monthly retainer for a set number of days. Mine is a fixed monthly fee, agreed before we start. It's typically from £2,500 a month, depending on the number of days.
What's the difference between a fractional CTO and a fractional AI lead?
A fractional CTO covers all of your technology. A fractional AI lead focuses on where AI and agents fit: which processes to automate, which tools to use and how to keep the output trustworthy. I cover both, weighted to AI.
Does my business need a chief AI officer?
Most businesses under 250 people don't need a full-time one. They do need someone who owns the AI roadmap, checks what's being bought and makes sure it pays back. A fractional AI lead does that for a few days a month.
How many days a month does a fractional CTO work?
It varies by business, but a few days a month is typical for a small or mid-sized company. We agree the number of days up front and review it each month as the work changes.
How long do fractional CTO engagements last?
It's a monthly retainer you can stop. Many businesses keep a fractional lead until they're big enough to justify a full-time hire, and I help write that job description when the time comes.
Need someone to own AI for a few days a month?
Tell me where things stand. I'll tell you straight whether a fractional lead is the right move.