Fractional AI Leadership for ETO Manufacturers

Fractional CAIO forManufacturers Without an AI Leader

A Fractional Chief AI Officer (CAIO) who works alongside your IT and operations team, on a monthly retainer, to identify where AI pays off, guide vendor decisions, and manage implementation risk.

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No pitch, no pressure. Just a conversation about where you stand today.

THE PROBLEM

No one in-house owns AI.

Most engineer-to-order manufacturers have no one in-house who owns AI. IT leaders get handed an AI mandate with no clear starting point. CEOs feel pressure to "do something with AI" but have no one on staff who understands what that means for a manufacturing operation.

The result is ad-hoc AI use: a tool here, a pilot there, no roadmap connecting any of it, and no one accountable for whether it actually works.

WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT YOU GET

AI leadership without adding a full-time executive.

Engagements typically include:

Monthly strategy sessions and on-call advisory between meetings
Vendor evaluation and selection guidance, so you are not choosing tools alone
Implementation oversight and risk management as projects move forward
Regular updates to leadership on progress, risk, and next steps
A roadmap that ties AI initiatives to your digitalization foundation, not just to whatever tool is trending

HOW IT WORKS

Three steps. No surprises.

01
Assess

We start with your current state: data quality, systems, and digitalization readiness, since AI only works on top of a solid foundation.

02
Prioritize

We build a roadmap that ranks AI opportunities by where they actually pay off for your operation, not by hype.

03
Advise

We stay engaged through vendor selection and implementation, managing risk and keeping your leadership team informed at every step.

“The advice you get comes from someone who has done the work, not just studied it.”

A sitting CIO with 20 years inside ETO manufacturing.
Thunai AI Advisors is led by a sitting CIO with 20 years inside engineer-to-order manufacturing. This is not theory.
Personally deployed, not theorized.
The same advisor has personally deployed AI agents for AP invoice processing, ERP interaction, OSHA safety workflows, proposal and spec review, and customer analysis, inside a real manufacturing operation.
Grounded in how manufacturers actually operate.
Every recommendation comes from direct experience with the constraints and realities of engineer-to-order manufacturing, not from general AI consulting frameworks.

WHO THIS IS FOR

A fit if you are…

IT leaders who were handed an AI mandate with no clear starting point
CEOs who have no one in-house who understands AI
Manufacturers with a digitalization foundation in place who are ready to add AI on top
Leadership teams who want vendor decisions and implementation risk managed by someone who has done it before
Companies that want steady AI leadership without committing to a full-time hire

FAQ

Common questions.

What does a fractional CAIO actually do?

A fractional CAIO acts as your AI leader on a part-time basis: setting strategy, evaluating vendors, overseeing implementation, and reporting progress to leadership. It is ongoing advisory, not a one-time project.

How is this different from hiring a general AI consultant?

Most consultants work across industries and speak in general terms. Your advisor has spent 20 years inside engineer-to-order manufacturing as a sitting CIO and has personally deployed AI agents in that exact environment, so the guidance is grounded in how manufacturers actually operate.

Do we need our data or systems ready before we start?

Not necessarily. Part of the engagement is assessing your current digitalization foundation first. If gaps exist, we help you understand what to build before layering AI on top, so you avoid investing in tools that will not deliver.

How do we get started?

Book a call. We will talk through where you stand today, what your goals are, and whether a Fractional CAIO engagement makes sense for your operation.

Book a Call

No commitment required. This is a conversation, not a sales pitch. We will talk through where you stand today, what your goals are, and whether a Fractional CAIO engagement makes sense for your operation.

No commitment. No pitch deck. Just a conversation.

Thank you. We'll be in touch shortly.
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