AI Is Transforming the Chief Data Officer Role

AI Elevates CDO Job From Gatekeeper to Data-Driven Change Agent Jennifer Lawinski • February 9, 2026

The chief data officer is being pushed out of the shadows and into the C-suite spotlight with the rise of artificial intelligence. While the role emerged as one rooted in compliance and risk management, it has evolved in recent years to be a business driver, holding the keys to value creation and human-centered transformation.

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"The chief data officer role really was established as a response to the financial services crisis in 2008-2009, because particularly in banking and financial services, they got the data wrong," said Randy Bean, CEO and co-founder of NewVantage Partners, a data and AI strategy consulting firm. "It was ...