Chief Data and AI Officer Program
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Advance your C-suite leadership with data-driven insights
In the digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) has the power to transform organizations and drive significant impact. For leaders, emerging technologies offer the chance to enhance decision-making, uncover new opportunities, and lead with greater precision and foresight. Embracing AI empowers you to amplify your leadership influence and stay ahead in a competitive, AI-powered business landscape. The five-month Chief Data and AI Officer (CDAIO) Program, offered by the Ross School of Business and Michigan Engineering Professional Education, equips senior executives like you to lead AI-driven initiatives and digital transformations, deliver data-driven strategies to elevate your leadership in AI, and craft impactful growth strategies. The program focuses on data governance, AI strategy, data security, and analytics, helping you navigate the complexities of AI integration within the digital business landscape.
This program combines live online sessions with a five-day on-campus module, business case simulations, access to innovation labs, case studies, and networking opportunities. It provides both strategic insights and hands-on experience, allowing you to learn from esteemed faculty and industry experts.
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Designed to elevate your AI leadership
Gain the strategic insights, practical tools, and hands-on experience to lead AI-driven transformation at scale. Tailored for senior executives in data and technology, this program provides direct access to University of Michigan faculty through live online sessions and an exclusive on-campus networking opportunity. It blends cutting-edge academic frameworks with real-world application to drive innovation and impact across your organization.
Live online sessions
Engage in interactive, faculty-led sessions that bring the University of Michigan classroom to you in real time. These live modules connect you directly with top faculty, industry experts, and a global peer group, enabling rich discussions on current AI applications, strategy, and leadership.
5-day on-campus immersion
Join a five-day in-person experience at the Ann Arbor, MI, campus. Participate in hands-on workshops, business simulations, and site visits to tech organizations at the forefront of AI. Deepen your executive presence, connect with alumni and faculty, and engage with the broader Michigan innovation ecosystem.
Applied learning
Translate insights into impact through a final capstone project focused on a real AI leadership challenge in your organization. With faculty guidance, you will develop a strategic roadmap through learnings from business case simulations and practical frameworks to drive measurable value.
About Ross School of Business and Michigan Engineering
At Michigan Ross, leadership development meets real-world impact. With a legacy of top-ranked programs and an action-based learning model, Michigan Ross empowers professionals to drive meaningful change.
Michigan Engineering is a global leader in interdisciplinary research and innovation, equipping leaders in engineering with the technical expertise and forward-thinking mindset to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
This program brings together the academic strengths of Michigan Ross and Michigan Engineering, offering a unique opportunity to learn at the intersection of business leadership and technological innovation. Participants benefit from the combined expertise of two top-ranked schools within a globally respected university.
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What you will learn
The program will empower you to:
Develop and implement data strategies aligned with your business objectives and ensure governance compliance and consistent data management across all functions
Integrate AI solutions within strategic decision-making processes to fuel innovation, accelerate growth, and create a competitive advantage
Make data-driven strategic decisions by analyzing customer demand, competition, and market trends to optimize business outcomes
Ensure data security and compliance while extracting actionable insights through advanced analytics to support business objectives and maintain regulatory standards
Lead AI-driven initiatives and manage digital transformation, equipping your organization to thrive in a dynamic and rapidly evolving business environment
Leverage emerging technologies such as generative AI (genAI) to enhance operational efficiency, streamline business processes, and guide strategic decision making
Program highlights
Engage in hands-on learning and interactive sessions and benefit from direct access to faculty, industry experts, and peers in a focused environment.
Experience live online sessions with the faculty as well as periodic guest lectures from industry leaders.
Explore a comprehensive approach to elevate your AI leadership, preparing yourself to confront potential strategic challenges of the industry.
Gain insights from top faculty, thought leaders, and industry experts in data, AI, and business strategy who are actively shaping the future of emerging technologies.
Engage in site visits to leading tech companies for experiential learning sessions, and gain firsthand insights into their business practices, innovations, and strategies.
Take part in hands-on simulation exercises to enhance your learning journey, and replicate real-world scenarios to put your learning into practice.
Engage with experts in emerging AI technologies, including researchers from Michigan AI, and gain valuable insights into cutting-edge tech developments.
Apply program insights to a capstone project to showcase your learning, deepen your expertise, and drive additional value for your organization.
Explore new perspectives and build lifelong connections by networking with high-achieving executives from different industries.
Curriculum
The multimodular CDAIO Program equips you to drive AI initiatives, including data strategy and governance, and align them with business goals to stay ahead of the curve. Through four strategic core pillars involving live-online sessions, opportunity to engage with Michigan AI researchers, and business case simulations, you will develop the leadership skills necessary to lead with a strategic vision.
Note: Topics and schedule are subject to change.
5-day On-Campus Immersion
The final learning pillar of the program is a highly immersive five-day on-campus experience at the Ross School of Business and the University of Michigan College of Engineering campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This experience is designed to enhance your executive presence, decision-making capabilities, and ability to drive impact, empowering you to deliver greater value to your organization. In addition to live academic sessions, this immersion module includes ecosystem exposure and networking opportunities with faculty, alumni, industry leaders, and peers. You will have the opportunity to engage with experts in emerging AI technologies and participate in business simulations that mimic real-world scenarios. Through company immersions, you will engage in site visits to leading tech organizations and gain first-hand insights into their AI-driven strategies.
Company immersions
Live academic sessions
Peer networking
Program calendar
Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|
Pre Work | December 19, 2025 | |
Orientation session | January 14, 2026 | |
Live online session 1 | January 21, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 2 | January 28, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 3 | February 04, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 4 | February 11, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 5 | February 25, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 6 | March 04, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 7 | March 11, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 8 | March 18, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 9 | March 25, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 10 | April 01, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 11 | April 08, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
Live online session 12 | April 15, 2026 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET |
On-campus sessions | April 20-24, 2026 |
Note: Session dates and timings are subject to change.
Capstone Project
The capstone project will provide you with the opportunity to address a real-world business challenge by putting into practice your leadership skills and knowledge of data strategy and AI implementation. You can create actionable solutions for complex, industry-specific problems. This hands-on experience will allow you to turn theoretical concepts into practical applications, ensuring you are ready for immediate implementation in your organization.
Meet the faculty
Known for their transformative research disciplines, the esteemed faculty promotes advancements in data science and AI to achieve lasting scientific and societal impact. You will leverage their insights and technical expertise required to equip you with the skills needed to broaden your understanding of AI and address its unique challenges.
Faculty Director for the CDAIO Program; Clinical Associate Professor of Strategy, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
Brad’s research focuses on healthcare, studying how policies, labor turnover, and growth strategies affect hospice and long-term care providers. Previously, he held faculty ro...
Technical Faculty Advisor for the CDAIO Program; Associate Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan
Recognized for her impactful contributions to science and technology, Professor Wiens was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Science and Healthcare in 2015 and MIT Technology Rev...
Professor of Technology and Operations; Ford Motor Company Business Co-Director of the Joel D. Tauber Institute for Global Operations, Michigan Ross, University of Michigan
Hyun-soo Ahn’s research focuses on supply chain management, service operations, pricing strategies, and value chain innovation. A recipient of the 2019 Ross Researcher of the ...
Chief Information Officer, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan
Dr. Andrew Rosenberg leads IT strategy and operations for Michigan Medicine and oversees the University of Michigan Health and the University of Michigan Medical School. Previ...
Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering; Director of SymbioticLab, University of Michigan
Mosharaf Chowdhury specializes in large-scale systems for AI/ML and big data workloads, with a focus on cloud efficiency, federated learning, and energy optimization. His grou...
Stephen M. Pollock Collegiate Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering; Professor, Department of Urology (by Courtesy), University of Michigan
Brian Denton’s research focuses on data-driven decision-making and optimization under uncertainty, with applications in healthcare and chronic disease management. He holds a c...
Faculty, Chief Data and AI Officer Program; Professor of Information Systems & Operations Management and Academic Director of MS in Business Analytics, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School
Faculty, Chief Data and AI Officer Program; Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School
Faculty, Chief Data and AI Officer Program; Chief Information Security Officer, University of Michigan Health
Associate Professor of Marketing, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
Professor Eric Schwartz's expertise focuses on predicting customer behavior, understanding its drivers, and examining how firms actively manage their customer relationships th...
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Torc Robotics
Summer Craze Fowler is a seasoned C-suite executive with over 20 years of experience in technology, cybersecurity, and risk management. She currently serves as chief informati...
Who is this program for?
The CDAIO Program is designed for C-suite executives and leaders responsible for shaping AI and digital strategies, including chief data officers, chief technology officers, chief information officers, and AI leaders from diverse industries who use emerging technologies and drive AI-led initiatives to create a competitive advantage.
This program is particularly beneficial for:
AI transformation leaders looking to leverage AI technologies for business growth, enhance business operations, and drive innovation to maintain a competitive edge
Data science and analytics leaders aiming to integrate AI models and analytics to improve business efficiency by leveraging the latest technological advancements with an aim to apply data-driven insights for optimizing processes and gaining strategic business benefits
Digital leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to develop multifunctional AI skills to drive digital innovation and growth in their business operations
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be awarded a verified digital certificate by Michigan Ross Executive Education and Michigan Engineering Professional Education. The certificate will be a recognition of their achievement in the Chief Data and AI Officer Program.
To qualify for the certificate, participants must attend a minimum of 10 live sessions and fully participate in the on-campus week. These requirements are in place to ensure meaningful engagement and a comprehensive learning experience.
Note: After successful completion of the program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Michigan Ross and Michigan Engineering Professional Education.
Earn credentials
Upon successfully completing the program:
Receive a digital badge to showcase on LinkedIn and other social media platforms
Earn 2 credits toward the Distinguished Leader Certificate (DLC) which requires a total of 4 credits from qualifying in-person or online programs (only one eligible online program can be counted toward the DLC)
FAQs
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Our program advisors have helped senior executives around the world choose the right program for their career goals. Schedule a 1:1 to get a deeper understanding why the Chief Data and AI Officer Program is the right fit for you.
Email: umic_cdaio@emeritus.org
Phone: +1 315 669 8096 (U.S.) +44 1277 674106 (U.K.) +971 80 0088601086 (U.A.E.) +52 55965 43507 (LATAM)
We encourage early application due to limited cohort capacity.
Flexible payment options available.
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