CAIO Weeknote #15 - 100 days
CAIO 100 days reflection
View from 1 Mann Island, home of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
I thought to spare you the vast amount of admin I managed to get through in Weeks 13 and 14 working over the Christmas break (how much can be accomplished with no booked meetings or calls!) - and start a fresh with Week #15 which my 100 days of working at Chief AI Officer of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority fell within.
So a reflection on my first 100 days:
Things I am awesomely proud of followed by things I really need to lean into:
What went well:
#1 My warm welcome
Being met by our Resourcing Partner, my AI Project Manager and my Manager OUTSIDE the building on Day 1 was the warmest greeting not only that I have ever had, but that I’d ever heard of. Having provided best-in-class employer engagement programme research to many organisations, this greeting took the biscuit.
#2 Role Championship
The championship of my role from the Mayor, leaders in the Combined Authority and key stakeholders in the region means that I have had an incredibly warm platform to engage and surface our programme.
From the Mayor introducing me to a room full of regional business luminaries on Day 1 to just this week - ‘I was just telling the Science Minister about you’, Mayor Rotheram has been a consistent champion, which has enabled me to get in front of the people important to further our work.
Hospitals, Universities, Regional Conferences, and International Conferences inviting me in or having me on stage enabled me to understand priorities, network and showcase in a way that would have taken far, far longer in any other position. Speaking on 18 stages in my first 12 weeks has been a privilege.
#3 Building Blocks
To operate in a region that already has the great building blocks of AI Infrastructure is a gift. From brilliant academics and their commercial endeavours at our Universities, to 360KM of high-speed data connectivity in LCR Connect, to the transatlantic cables coming in from the US to the Super Computer launch in my first three months at the SFTC, the stage is set.
What I’m [British understatement] quietly pleased with:
Understanding the Combined Authority, the agenda, the remit, and the brilliant possibilities that are before us.
Through having a currently unique role, driving interest and attention in what we are doing in Liverpool as far as Michigan and New York (thank you for the coverage).
Attracting global tech partners who want to trial innovations here in Liverpool.
Building a team of hardworking, dedicated, knowledgeable, brilliant people to drive the work in 2026.
Being appointed to the International Advisory Board for Civic Health Innovation Labs at the University of Liverpool.
Where I’ve spoken in my first 100 days
It’s been a privilege to be invited to speak at a whole host of events conferences, from my second hour in role on 29 Sept to Christmas 2025. Thank you all for your interest in my role.
29 Sept - Labour Digital, Liverpool
29 Sept - East is East business reception, Liverpool
20 Oct - Youth AI Summit, University of Liverpool, Liverpool
22 Oct - University of Liverpool AI Discovery Day, Liverpool
23 Oct - LCRCA AI Summit, Liverpool
30 Oct - STFC Super computer business launch, Hartree Centre, Daresbury
4-5 Nov - Smart Cities Expo World Congress, Barcelona - 4 panels
6 Nov - Festival of Happiness, Humane AI, Google, London
11 Nov - Brilliant Festival, Liverpool
20 Nov - GDS Local Launch, Liverpool
26 Nov - The AI Impact Opportunity, 3 Space/WEF, London
26-27 Nov - Government Transformation North, Manchester
3 Dec - Tech UK webinar, Future Gazing: Where next for Local Govt. Tech, online
11 Dec - The Future of Storytelling and AI, HiFest, London
18 Dec - Women in Engineering, LMJU, Liverpool (joined remotely)
Key learnings and adjustments
#1 Strategy and pace
Ordinarily, I would have laid out the strategy first. Having a few speaking engagements stacked for me as well as new opportunities I made, meant that it took the Christmas down time for me to have the space to define our programme and outcomes in detail. That is much slower than I would have liked, but better informed by the other city and country peers I have met who are transforming other regions.
#2 Strategic platforms
Whilst I leant into the media attention of this new, currently unique role in the UK and the opportunity to speak, I need to strategically select where best to speak in 2026.
#3 Metering ambition with capability
AI is not new, although the focus on generative AI since 2022 has raised the interest level through the roof. Being the Chief AI Officer means that many project, suppliers and interest is directed to me. AI can only been enabled by clean interoperable data. We have a brilliant Head of Digital Services who in just 3 months has also redirected the skills, capabilities and focus of the data we have access to to move forward at pace the work of the combined authority.
My remit is regional as well as internal and we do not currently have the data team and provision for regional wide delivery so I must focus on where I can influence and facilitate and where I can deliver.
What I am looking forward to next
Honing our intelligence in the world of AI to direct our AI Programme.
Bringing new team members on board to enable us to deliver at pace.
Trialling best-in-class AI technology to help deliver revenue and change outcomes for the better for people who live and work in the region.
Building communities of interest in Ed Tech to help raise school attainment.
Visiting more of our key regional leading businesses, universities, colleges, venues and arenas.
Developing further our already successful AI Summit for 2026.
Building better AI capability in the Combined Authority and our Local Authorities and in our businesses in the region.
Creating and working with our AI Task Force, industry luminaries who can help direct our work.
Blueprinting how the role of a CAIO can help develop the region.
Communicating our good work and engaging with other ambitious city regions to learn from and share with in the UK and overseas.
A huge thank you to everyone who has made my first 100 days so interesting and enjoyable.
Watch out for AI Task Force Expression of Interest for the next two weeks
From 12-31st of January we will be inviting Expressions of Interest to join our AI Task Force. If this is of interest for you, please sign up. If this is of interest for others in your network please do share it. I will share as soon as its live on Monday on my Linked In and so will many colleagues as well as on Liverpool City Region Combined Authority social posts and website.
Great event on 30th January that caught our eye
Visit the Hartree Centre to see the art of the possible.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cube-thinking-visit-to-the-hartree-centre-tickets-1977622964523
Tiffany St James
Chief AI Officer, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Just booked ticket for the Hartree event. Thanks for the link 👍