Chief Technology and Artificial Intelligence Officer (AI-CTO) - University of Waterloo
Online
Course
DURATION
6 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Mar 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 8,500
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
The Chief Technology and Artificial Intelligence Officer program from the University of Waterloo is a one-of-its-kind program for the next generation of technology leaders who wish to turn AI and emerging tech into strategic and measurable business outcomes. It equips leaders with a performance toolkit that turns strategy into execution, innovation into outcomes, and ideas into enterprise-scale impact.
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University of Waterloo
About
The University of Waterloo stands at the intersection of technology, business, and innovation, making it the world’s launchpad for next-generation tech leaders. Ranked among the Top 150 universities globally (QS 2025), named Canada’s #1 university for innovation (Maclean's), listed among the World’s 100 most prestigious universities (THE 2025), and the Top 1% worldwide (CWUR 2025), Waterloo unites its Faculty of Engineering, School of Computer Science, and Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business to shape leaders fluent in both code and commerce.
Introduction
With the largest engineering faculty in Canada and $79 million in annual research funding, the University of Waterloo’s ecosystem bridges deep technical mastery with real-world application.
Its co-operative education model, the world’s largest, links 8,000 industry partners across 70 countries, giving learners exposure to Fortune 500 boardrooms and frontier startups alike.
Waterloo’s Velocity incubator has launched 1,000+ ventures that have raised $14B USD, ranking #18 globally for startup founders (PitchBook 2025). In computing, Waterloo is ranked Top 33 in Computer Science (QS 2025), ahead of Caltech, Georgia Tech, UC San Diego, and UIUC, and hosts Canada’s #1 Computer Science program (Maclean’s 2024).
For ambitious professionals seeking to lead at the intersection of technology, AI, and business strategy, Waterloo is where ideas scale, ventures grow, and executives are built.
Location
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Format: Online
This program is ideal for:
- Tech leaders with 10+ years of experience who lead large, multi-domain teams and own architecture, data, AI, or security.
Phase 1: Strategic Leadership & Business Fluency (Weeks 1-3)
Clarify the modern CTO mandate across startup, scale-up, and enterprise contexts. Learn to communicate technology decisions in business terms, align engineering outcomes with revenue and ROI, and build an executive-ready 90-day plan for your organization.
Key Topics
- The Modern CTO Role and Archetypes
- Business–Technology Alignment and ROI Modelling
- Building Teams, Culture, and Psychological Safety
Key Deliverable
- Executive Onboarding Package (90-Day CTO Plan) — A board-ready 90-day plan including a stakeholder map, first-quarter priorities, and strategic bets. Strategic Priorities Dossier — Top five initiatives with financial impact, risks, and board-ready language.
Phase 2 - Modern Technology & AI Leadership (Weeks 4-12)
Master the technologies that define the modern CTO’s toolkit. Learn to design scalable cloud architectures, deploy AI/ML systems with governance and MLOps, optimize cloud costs using FinOps, and make build-versus-buy decisions that balance innovation with business value.
Key Topics
- Architecture & Platform Engineering (microservices, DevSecOps, CI/CD, zero-trust security)
- Data, AI & Emerging Tech (GenAI, MLOps, Responsible AI)
- Scaling Operations (SRE metrics, FinOps, vendor management, global architecture)
Key Deliverables
- AI Investment Dossier — Business case, ROI/TCO model, and governance framework.
- Scaling Blueprint (SRE + FinOps) — Reliability charter, cost dashboard, and global expansion plan.
- Architecture Decision Record + Platform Blueprint — Target architecture, security, and compliance framework
Phase 3 - Boardroom Influence & Transformation (Weeks 13-18)
Strengthen your ability to lead at the highest levels. Learn to communicate complex technology strategy in board language, drive enterprise-wide transformation programs, and design governance models that balance innovation, regulation, and ethical AI practice.
Key Topics
- Board Dynamics & Executive Communication
- Transformation & Change Leadership
- Ethical AI & Governance
Key Deliverables
- Board Presentation Deck — A board-ready presentation with strategy, budget, and risk summary.
- Transformation Playbook — Governance, metrics, and change-management framework for sustained impact.
Phase 4 - Electives — Choose Your Path (Weeks 19-25)
Apply your leadership blueprint in one of two advanced contexts, launching and scaling a new venture or driving enterprise-wide innovation and transformation. Each path culminates in high-stakes War Games where learners present under real-world pressure and board scrutiny
Track A: Entrepreneurship — Building & Scaling Ventures.
Key Topics
- Venture discovery, validation, and growth strategy.
- Fund-raising, investor targeting, and exit planning.
- Capstone War Games: VC pitch, valuation defense, and multi-crisis simulation.
Track B: Intrapreneurship — Enterprise Innovation & Transformation.
Key Topics
- Leading enterprise-scale transformation and ROI tracking.
- Platform modernization and change leadership with governance balance.
- Capstone War Games: Board-level transformation pitch, regulatory or M&A shock response.
Key Deliverables
- Startup Playbook — An investor-ready package with pitch deck, growth model, and exit options.
- Enterprise Transformation Blueprint — A three-year roadmap with governance model, ROI framework, and transformation plan.
- #1 Canadian university for innovation (Maclean's University Rankings 2024)
- A Global Top 100 University (THE's World Reputation Rankings 2025)
- Gain the capability to architect, deploy, and govern AI systems end-to-end.
- Build the confidence to quantify impact, enforce responsible governance, and align every AI investment with measurable business value.
- Develop the frameworks and judgment to turn complex architectures into board-aligned action.
- Communicate technology in business language, mobilize teams around clear priorities, and deliver high-credibility results within your first 90 days.
- Command executive conversations by framing technology strategy through ROI, governance, and risk.
- Earn trust as a board-ready leader who can align stakeholders, influence direction, and secure enterprise buy-in.
- Apply your leadership toolkit to build a scalable venture or modernize an enterprise.
- Operate with founder speed and enterprise discipline, shaping investment-grade strategies, ROI-driven roadmaps, and crisis-tested execution plans.
- Study Mode: 100% Online
- Duration: 6 Months