Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer Program
Position yourself to set strategic direction, manage risk, and unlock enterprise value from AI and data as a senior leader in your organization.
Overview
The Costello College of Business CDAIO Program is designed for senior leaders who own an organization's AI and data agenda, whether they currently hold the title of Chief Data and AI Officer, Chief Data Officer, or another senior leadership role with that mandate. It is a leadership and strategy program to develop the judgment, vocabulary, and frameworks needed to set direction, allocate investment, and hold their organizations accountable for responsible, value-generating AI and data initiatives.
The program opens with combined sessions with our senior leaders in the C-Suite portfolio, including the Chief Risk Officer and Chief Learning Officer. The ability to work cross-functionally with other senior leaders is maintained throughout the four-month program. For the CDAIO, program faculty will emphasize what it means to lead at the intersection of AI and data, then build outward: grounding participants in the current state of AI in business, walking through how to build an enterprise AI strategy and operating model, and addressing the governance, economics, ROI, risk, and privacy questions that come with deploying AI at scale.
The curriculum sets the data foundation underneath any AI strategy, covering enterprise data strategy, architecture, and advanced data management. Sessions on machine learning, large language models, retrieval augmented generation, and model explainability round out the technical landscape, taught for executive fluency rather than technical implementation, so participants can ask sharp questions and evaluate claims with confidence.
Outcomes
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
- Lead and communicate an enterprise AI and Data strategy and operating model that aligns with business objectives and earns organizational buy-in
- Evaluate AI investments and initiatives using economics and ROI frameworks suited for executive conversations
- Apply governance and risk frameworks to oversee responsible AI adoption, including data protection and privacy considerations
- Translate core Data and AI concepts into useful terms for strategic decision-making
- Assess and guide enterprise data strategy, architecture, and advanced data management practices that underpin AI initiatives
- Anticipate emerging developments, including agentic AI and human-AI teaming, and build organizational readiness for what comes next
- Lead cross-functional teams and stakeholders through AI and data transformation with clarity and confidence
Who Should Attend
This program is built for current and aspiring Chief Data and AI Officers, Chief Data Officers, Chief AI Officers, and other senior executives, such as VPs and directors of data, analytics, or AI, who are responsible for setting their organization's AI and data direction. Ideal candidates may come from a business, operations, or functional leadership background rather than a technical one; what matters is that they own the decisions, investments, and accountability for AI and data outcomes in their organization. This program is not designed to develop foundational technical expertise or skills.
Faculty Collaboration
Faculty from the Costello College of Business and the College of Engineering and Computing have come together to create the CDAIO program, reflecting George Mason University’s commitment to preparing leaders who can translate data and artificial intelligence into responsible, high-impact business decisions.
In-Person/Online Hybrid Schedule
(Online session dates subject to change)
- In-Person Opening: February 2 - 4, 2027
- Online Sessions: February 9 - March 12, 2027
- Mid-Program In-Person Session: March 17 - 18, 2027
- Online Sessions: March 22 - May 6, 2027
- In-Person Closing: May 11-12, 2027
Cost
$8,500*
Preferred Pricing Options
- George Mason Alumni, employees please email us at execed@gmu.edu.
- Government and group rates are available
*Accommodation and transportation costs are not included
Executive Education
Costello College of Business
George Mason University
Contact Us
execdev@gmu.edu
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