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JC Burrows
Vol. I — The Office of JC Burrows
Currently Booking · Q2 2026
JC Burrows — Fractional Chief AI Officer
JC Burrows · Est. 2018 The Office of the CAIO
JC Burrows · Est. 2018

Building AI systems for business. Since 2018.

I embed as a fractional AI executive inside growing companies — owning the strategy, evaluating the tools, and making sure every automation dollar drives measurable ROI. Founder of ZenAgentic. VP-level insurance operations leader for 20+ years.

Credentials Stack: VP, Insurance · Founder, ZenAgentic · MA Organizational Development (SMU) · Building AI Systems Since 2018
01 · A Note From JC

Most AI initiatives fail because they're treated as experiments, not operations.

Most AI initiatives die the same death: a vendor sells a tool, nobody owns the strategy, and six months later the license is shelfware.

I've spent two decades in VP-level insurance operations — regulated, high-stakes environments where a process failure carries real financial and compliance consequences. Since 2018, I've applied that same discipline to building AI systems, well before the current wave made it fashionable. That timing means I've watched AI hype cycles rise and crash more than once. I don't chase tools. I build systems that survive past the hype.

That's why I serve as a Fractional Chief AI Officer — embedding into leadership teams to own the AI roadmap, evaluate every vendor decision, and ensure implementation drives measurable return within 90 days. ZenAgentic handles execution when execution is needed. I handle the thinking.

The companies that treat AI as an operating discipline, not an experiment, are the ones still standing when the hype cycle ends.

— JC Burrows
02 · Selected Work

Two ways to engage.

One embedded operator. Two depths of engagement — from a single decision to a standing seat at your leadership table.

I — Advisory

Fractional Chief AI Officer

A senior AI executive embedded in your leadership team. I own the AI roadmap, evaluate every vendor, and deliver board-ready guidance month over month — at a fraction of a full-time hire.

$6,500/mo · 3-month minimum
Explore the retainer →
II — Strategy

Strategy Intensive

One high-stakes AI decision. 60 minutes with a senior operator who has spent two decades making high-consequence calls in regulated operations. Written assessment within 24 hours. Full credit toward the retainer.

By the Numbers
2018
Building AI systems in production, since
20+
Years of VP-level insurance operations leadership
25+
Technical certifications across AI/ML, cloud, and security
6
Active client cap — limited availability
The Free Playbook

Measurable AI ROI in ninety days, without the six-figure hire.

Seven steps, in order, each ending in a written artifact you can hand your leadership team tomorrow: an honest readiness score, a one-page AI policy, one automated workflow with a measured return, a vendor scorecard, and a board update with real numbers and zero adjectives.

01 The same disciplined method applied to every engagement
02 Readiness score on day one, governance by day seven
03 No platform purchase in the first sixty days
04 Fillable rubrics, a vendor evaluation list, a 90-day scorecard
Get the Playbook → Free PDF · Instant download
Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a fractional Chief AI Officer actually do?

Holds a standing seat in your leadership team and owns the AI decisions — which use cases to pursue, which vendors to buy, how governance works, whether the spend produced a return.

How is this different from an AI consultant?

A consultant is measured on a recommendation. I'm measured on whether your AI portfolio improves over time — I'm embedded, not engaged for a project.

What does it cost?

$500 for a one-time Strategy Intensive, or $6,500/month for the full retainer with a 3-month minimum. Compare that against a full-time Chief AI Officer, which typically runs $300,000–$550,000 in total compensation.

How is your background different from someone who started in 2023?

I was building AI systems into business operations starting in 2018 — five years before generative AI made this a mainstream job title. I've operated through more than one hype cycle, which means I've also watched tools fail and pilots quietly die.

How do I know if we're ready?

The free AI readiness assessment scores you across data, process, people, and governance in about five minutes.

The Letter

Field notes from the front line.

Periodic essays on AI strategy, operational discipline, and building systems that hold up under pressure. No fluff. Unsubscribe anytime.

In Closing

If our values align, let's build something.

Whether you're exploring AI strategy or just want to connect — I read every message personally and respond within one business day.

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