Generative AI (GenAI) has become a headline topic in boardrooms, city halls, and community spaces alike. But while the hype is loud, the reality for leaders tasked with deploying it is far more complex. In the second episode of AI&Us Season 3, we sat down with Ted Ross, CIO of the City of Los Angeles, and Sébastien Robert, Chief Transformation Officer at FLOA, to explore what it means to lead AI innovation responsibly and pragmatically.
The Expanding Role of the CIO in the Age of GenAI
For Ted Ross, overseeing technology for the second-largest city in the United States is about more than maintaining systems. “A CIO is responsible for technology, which includes the strategy, the operations, and innovations that could change the way a business or government runs,” he explains.
GenAI is changing that role in fundamental ways. CIOs are now expected to wear multiple hats: being technical enough to guide implementation, strategic enough to align innovation with organizational goals, and forward-looking enough to anticipate unintended consequences.
We now have to really focus in on digital ethics and be able to help manage not just innovation in an organization, but all of the unintended effects of it.
-Ted Ross, CIO, City of Los Angeles
This means looking beyond shiny new tools and asking harder questions about long-term impacts.
From Theory to Tangible Change
Both leaders shared examples of how their organizations are moving from experimentation to practical deployments of GenAI.
In Los Angeles, one project uses GenAI in the city’s 311 mobile app. Residents can snap a photo of graffiti, a pothole, or another issue, and the AI automatically identifies the problem. This classification triggers a workflow, often resulting in graffiti being painted over or potholes filled within a day or two.
At FLOA, the team is using GenAI to enhance customer service. “We have a few really nice GenAI projects, including using vocal AI for our customer center and customer relationships,” says Robert. The goal is not to replace human interaction but to strengthen it, giving teams tools to respond faster and smarter.
The Human Factor: Mindsets and Skill Sets
Both Ross and Robert are clear-eyed about the challenges ahead. GenAI has the power to democratize access to advanced tools across organizations, but only if people are equipped to use them well.
GenAI is a tool that is going to be accessible and usable for everybody in the company. We have to make sure that everyone will be able to use it with the right skills, with the right mindset.
-Sébastien Robert, Chief Transformation Officer, FLOA
For Ross, explaining GenAI in relatable terms helps demystify it for teams and stakeholders. “I explain GenAI as having a thousand interns. They could work very hard and get a lot done, but you can’t always trust the results,” he says with a laugh.
This analogy underscores a key theme: GenAI isn’t a magic bullet. It requires oversight, validation, and thoughtful integration into workflows. Taking shortcuts by assuming the tech will "just work" can lead to frustration and risk.
Closing Thoughts: From AI Guardians to Guides
CIOs and transformation leaders like Ross and Sébastien are at the frontlines of making AI work for people, not the other way around. Their experiences reinforce that successful AI and GenAI adoption isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about:
- Aligning technology to real-world problems
- Building organizational readiness with skills and ethics
- Keeping innovation grounded in simplicity and transparency
As Ross puts it, “CIOs today have a tremendous responsibility. We’re expected to be technical and strategic. We’re expected to be there when a system goes down and we’re also expected to innovate and move organizations along.” The rise of GenAI doesn’t change that responsibility. It amplifies it.