AiThority Interview with Ian Goldsmith, CAIO of Benevity

The role of the CAIO {Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer} is gaining momentum as more and more organizations are realizing the need for strong leadership to guide them through the complexities of AI adoption. Ian Goldsmith, Benevity’s new CAIO weighs in with a few observations and thoughts around this evolution in this AiThority.com interview:

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Hi Ian, tell us about yourself and what you’re looking forward to as Benevity’s first CAIO.

I’m a longtime technology and product leader with a deep fascination for AI and its potential to improve lives. For example, one of the projects I’m most proud of is building an AI system to predict and prevent car crash fatalities. It’s now being deployed across a growing number of municipalities throughout the U.S.

As Benevity’s first chief artificial intelligence officer, I’m excited to bring that same spirit of innovation to social responsibility. I’m looking forward to using the power of AI to drive greater efficiency and engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, helping companies and their people make an even bigger impact in their communities and across the world.

What’s most exciting about this upcoming role that in time most companies will probably have a seat for?

I’m thrilled to step into a role that I believe is not only exciting but also one of the most transformative seats at the C-level today. The chief AI officer has the unique opportunity to unlock massive business value by discovering entirely new ways of doing things – ways that are only possible through the application of AI.

It’s a role that I think many companies will adopt in time, and for good reason. The CAIO will shape the future of business by transforming workflows, accelerating product innovation, and reimagining the customer experience. It’s also a position that cuts across functions, bridging the gap between complex AI capabilities and actionable business strategy, and ultimately turning technology into measurable results.

What’s especially compelling is that the CAIO’s responsibility isn’t just about keeping pace; it’s about setting it. This role is central to creating competitive advantage in a world where AI is evolving rapidly. At the same time, it carries an important responsibility: to be the guardian of responsible AI innovation, addressing critical concerns like bias, privacy, and the future of work.

From strengthening data-backed decision-making to leading with a sense of strategic and ethical purpose, CAIOs have the potential to make an impact that extends far beyond any single company. As AI reshapes the world, this role offers the chance to help reimagine the use of technology for good. I’m excited to be part of that.

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What type of skills should CAIOs have to ensure better AI deployment, implementation and AI based upskilling to ensure teams are at par with the latest tech to enable them?

To be effective in the role and ensure successful AI deployment, implementation, and upskilling across teams, CAIOs must bring a unique and evolving set of skills.

First and foremost, technical skills and AI expertise must be paired with a builder mentality. While this role is about understanding the technology, it’s also about being hands-on and capable of creating solutions from the ground up. Unlike the last decade of B2B SaaS, which was often focused on incremental investments, this new era demands a different kind of profile – one that thrives in environments of rapid iteration and bold experimentation. Given the rapid pace of change in the AI ecosystem, a CAIO must be a fast learner with a strong capacity to absorb and synthesize new developments as they emerge. A background in smaller, fast-moving companies that have scaled successfully can be a strong asset.

Just as important as technical skills for a CAIO are the business skills that go along with being successful in any C-suite role. The ability to research and deliver intuitive, client-facing solutions goes hand-in-hand with overseeing market analysis, setting competitive strategy, making strategic build/buy/partner decisions, and developing the business cases for proposed AI capabilities. It’s this blend of deep technical understanding, strategic thinking, and user-focused execution that allows a CAIO to drive real value and ensure teams are using AI effectively and responsibly.

What other roles do you foresee cropping up in the industry as AI becomes more mainstream?

As AI becomes more mainstream, I foresee the role of the CAIO becoming synonymous with innovation. Over time, the AI function may evolve in a couple of ways: it could be combined with similar roles such as chief product officer, chief technology officer, and chief information officer. This would allow the CAIO to also have oversight into other aspects of the business – external product development, research and development, and internal use cases, respectively.

Alternatively, as AI becomes part of everything we do, the externally facing aspects of the CAIO role could split off into a new position – something like a chief innovation officer – focused specifically on driving innovation across the organization.

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Can you share five thoughts around the future of AI before we wrap up?

The future of AI is already here. Everything we do is in the process of being transformed by AI, making it one of the most foundational technology shifts of our time. When we look back at how much has changed over the past two years, it becomes almost impossible to imagine the scale and pace of change we’ll see in the next two. AI is evolving so rapidly that it’s becoming deeply embedded in both how we work and how we live.

Similarly, I believe we’ll all find ourselves increasingly supported by AI in ways that drive not only greater productivity but also improved quality of work and life. As AI continues to integrate into our everyday tools and environments, it will enhance what we’re capable of, allowing us to focus more on creativity, strategy, and impact of our work.

At the same time, we have to be mindful of the challenges that AI poses. One of the most pressing is ensuring that AI doesn’t widen the digital divide. There are tremendous opportunities to use AI to accomplish great things – like improving education and creating support programs for disadvantaged and underserved communities. But as a society, we need to stay focused on making sure these opportunities are accessible to all.

In the world of social impact, AI is already beginning to unlock new ways of doing good while also supporting strong business outcomes. According to Benevity’s 2025 State of Corporate Purpose report, one-third of nonprofits have implemented AI in some form, and 82% of companies believe those nonprofits need help to leverage AI effectively. At Benevity, AI is central to our core business strategy. We aim to be the AI provider for the nonprofit community, helping extend the reach of our clients’ CSR programs and enabling even more positive impact in the world.

Our clients understand that purpose is a powerful multiplier of performance. Purpose-led companies saw four times greater valuations during the pandemic, have 40% higher retention, 30% more innovation, and experienced five times the compound annual growth rate compared to S&P 500 averages. And newer employees who engage in purpose-driven programs are 52% less likely to leave. With AI, that power of purpose felt across employees, businesses and their communities will only grow stronger.

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