New Service

Fractional AI Officer

Executive-level AI leadership for Canadian businesses that need a roadmap, not another vendor. 10 to 20 hours a month, on retainer, from $5,000/month.

The problem

Most AI programs fail at the strategy layer, not the tooling layer.

93% of Canadian businesses have deployed AI in some form. Only 2% report measurable returns (StatCan Business Conditions Survey, Q1 2026). The gap is not tools. It is ownership. When no one at the executive table owns the AI roadmap, AI spending becomes a collection of pilots, subscriptions, and vendor commitments that never compound into a result.

A Fractional AI Officer closes that gap without the $400,000+ total compensation of a full-time Chief AI Officer. Hyperion Consulting AI Pricing Guide, 2026

Pricing

Three tiers, priced on the hours your leadership team actually needs.

All tiers include monthly strategy, governance, and compliance. Agent deployment projects are priced separately starting at $7,500.

Advisory

$5,000 / month

10 hours / month

For companies that need a senior voice on AI without embedding one.

  • Monthly 2-hour AI strategy session
  • Written monthly executive report
  • Vendor and tool evaluations (up to 2 per month)
  • Governance framework, drafted once and maintained quarterly
  • Compliance monitoring: PIPEDA, Ontario Bill 149, CPPA readiness
  • 24-hour email response on AI questions
  • Quarterly 90-minute executive team review
Book assessment

Implementation

Featured

$7,500 / month

15 hours / month

For companies moving from AI pilots to AI in production.

  • Everything in Advisory
  • Hands-on agent architecture review
  • Deployment oversight on active AI projects
  • Monthly team training sessions
  • Same-business-day email response
Book assessment

Embedded

$10,000 / month

20 hours / month

For companies where AI is core to operations and needs an owner.

  • Everything in Implementation
  • Weekly executive team meeting attendance
  • End-to-end ownership of the AI roadmap
  • Direct management of technical vendors and internal team
  • Board-level AI update preparation
Book assessment

30-day cancel terms on all tiers. Month-to-month upgrades and downgrades. No annual lock-in.

Who this fits

  • Canadian small and medium-sized businesses between 10 and 100 employees
  • Professional services including law firms, accounting firms, consultancies, and insurance brokerages
  • Operator-led businesses in health, hospitality, retail, and trades
  • Companies already spending on AI tools but without a single executive owning the roadmap

If a board member has asked "what is our AI strategy" and the answer took more than a sentence, this is for you.

Why DeployLabs

Most Fractional AI Officer providers advise. DeployLabs advises and ships. Four reasons clients choose DeployLabs over a Big Four advisory line item or a generalist fractional executive.

We run what we sell.

DeployLabs operates a live multi-agent system that produces research, content, and outreach work daily. The infrastructure your team would receive is the infrastructure we use ourselves.

Strategy and governance under one roof.

DeployLabs' senior leadership combines a Master of Management from Schulich with a law degree. AI strategy and AI compliance do not require two different consultants.

Canadian by design.

Toronto-based, operating under Canadian law, aligned to PIPEDA, Ontario Bill 149, and emerging CPPA. Our governance templates are not US templates with a maple leaf.

Proof of work.

95+ published articles on AI strategy, governance, and deployment. The thinking behind the service is public, not hidden behind a sales call.

See the thinking in practice on the DeployLabs blog.

Delivery model

What 10, 15, or 20 hours a month actually looks like.

Step 1

Month One: Kickoff

4-hour kickoff workshop with your executive team. Current-state AI audit. Governance framework drafted. 30-day roadmap delivered.

Step 2

Monthly: Rhythm

Monthly 2-hour strategy session. Written executive report. Vendor and tool decisions made as they come up. Compliance posture monitored continuously.

Step 3

Quarterly: Executive Review

90-minute quarterly review with your executive team. Roadmap updated. Investments reassessed. Next-quarter priorities set.

Frequently asked

How is this different from hiring a full-time Chief AI Officer?

A full-time Chief AI Officer in Toronto costs $250,000 to $400,000 in total compensation before benefits and equity (Hyperion Consulting AI Pricing Guide, 2026). A Fractional AI Officer at the Advisory tier is $60,000 per year for the same strategic function. The tradeoff is 10 to 20 hours of leadership per month instead of 160. For a company with a 5-to-10-person executive team, that matches the actual need.

Do I need to have AI deployed already?

No. The entry point is a $2,500 AI Readiness Assessment. If your company is at zero, the assessment defines where to start. If your company has AI scattered across departments, the assessment maps the surface area.

How fast can we start?

Most engagements begin within two weeks of the assessment. Kickoff is scheduled during the assessment call.

Can we change tiers or cancel?

Tiers are month-to-month. Upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations require 30 days notice. No annual contracts.

What if we need hands-on agent deployment, not advisory?

Agent deployment projects are priced separately starting at $7,500. The Fractional AI Officer relationship often creates the roadmap that defines which projects to run first.

Is this confidential? Will our AI strategy become a case study?

Every engagement is covered by a mutual NDA. Case studies are published only with written approval from the client.

Start with an assessment

Start with a $2,500 AI Readiness Assessment.

The $2,500 AI Readiness Assessment is the entry point into every DeployLabs engagement. You leave with a current-state map, a 30-day roadmap, and a clear answer on whether a Fractional AI Officer is the right model for your company. If it is not, we tell you.