As health systems expand their use of AI, some are creating new roles focused on governance, architecture and operations, while others are embedding AI responsibilities into existing teams.
The shift is reaching the C-suite. Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth named Rob Purinton as its first chief AI officer. In April, Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health appointed Kensaku Kawamoto, MD, PhD, as its inaugural chief health AI transformation officer.
The executive appointments reflect a broader effort by health systems to build AI expertise across their organizations.
At Mass General Brigham in Somerville, Mass., Chief Information and Digital Officer Jane Moran told Becker’s the most difficult hires are not necessarily AI specialists, but professionals who can connect technical expertise with healthcare operations.
“The most challenging roles to fill are those that can bridge deep technical expertise with real-world healthcare workflows,” Ms. Moran said. “The scarcity isn’t just with technical talent, it’s with individuals who understand data governance, regulatory constraints and how to safely deploy AI in a high-stakes clinical environment.”
To support AI adoption, Mass General Brigham has introduced several new positions over the last year, including a director of AI governance and AI literacy and AI technical product managers. The health system has also established AI engineering and operations teams to deploy and manage AI platforms and oversee AI economics.
“These roles reflect a shift toward building internal capability and balancing strategic in-house expertise with targeted partnerships for specialized technology components,” Ms. Moran said.
BayCare Health System in Clearwater, Fla., has also expanded its AI workforce. Lynnette Clinton, CIO at BayCare, told Becker’s the organization recently created an AI architect role as part of its broader transformation and growth efforts.
“This role, which reports to the transformation and growth director, is meant to be part developer and part educator,” Ms. Clinton said. “He’s already beginning to create videos, host workshops, create agents and ensure we have the infrastructure in place to boost our progression.”
BayCare has also added two automation-focused positions that will leverage agentic AI tools, scripting and robotic process automation technologies.
“As we expand our technical capabilities, we’re seeing steady interest from candidates drawn to BayCare’s mission-driven work,” Ms. Clinton said. “That sense of purpose, along with stability and continued investment in innovation, is helping attract talent who want to apply emerging technologies in ways that support patient care and our communities.”
Not every health system is creating dedicated AI job titles, however.
At Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago, CIO Annemarie Eades told Becker’s the organization has chosen to integrate AI responsibilities into existing positions rather than establish a separate AI hiring pipeline.
“We have not created new job titles specifically dedicated to AI,” Ms. Eades said. “Our approach has been to incorporate AI responsibilities into existing roles, particularly within our IT, analytics and clinical informatics teams.”
Ms. Eades said the hospital’s use of AI is most successful when it is tightly integrated into its existing EHR platform and operational workflows, rather than positioned as a standalone capability.
“As a result, we have prioritized strengthening our current team’s ability to evaluate, implement and manage AI solutions within an established governance framework,” she said.
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