Mumbai, Feb. 18 -- Across Indian organizations, artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from pilot projects to the corner office.

Over the past 12 months, companies have announced at least 50 senior AI-focused leadership hires-most notably chief AI officers (CAIOs)-across fintech, banking, manufacturing, logistics, media and enterprise technology, according to executive search firm Longhouse.

The pace has accelerated sharply over the past six months, with more than a third of these appointments announced between November 2025 and February 2026, data from Longhouse showed.

AI is increasingly becoming an operating layer across both tech startups and legacy firms, rather than a side initiative housed within engineering teams.

"Across Indi...