AI’s Growing Influence on Interim Assignments: Opportunities for Specialists in 2026
Welcome to Week 2 of Interim Insights — your strategic briefing on the evolving world of interim and project-based leadership.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a niche area. Across industries, organisations are accelerating AI adoption to improve efficiency, drive insights, and gain competitive advantage. This shift is reshaping the interim market, creating new opportunities for highly skilled specialists who can bridge technology, strategy, and delivery.
This week, we explore how AI is changing interim assignments and what senior interims need to know to remain indispensable in 2026.
1. AI is Becoming a Board-Level Priority
Boards and senior leadership teams are increasingly treating AI as a strategic function, not just a technical implementation. Businesses are hiring interims to:
Define AI strategy and governance
Align AI initiatives with business objectives
Implement ethical, regulatory-compliant AI solutions
Implication: Interims who can combine technical know-how with strategic insight are in high demand.
2. Interim Roles Are Shifting from Execution to Advisory
Traditionally, AI interims were often focused on implementation. Now, organisations seek specialists who can:
Advise on AI adoption across business units
Identify high-value use cases
Drive measurable outcomes and ROI
Manage risks around data, bias, and compliance
Takeaway: Senior AI interims are increasingly valued as trusted advisors, not just project deliverers.
3. Cybersecurity + AI: A Critical Intersection
As AI tools scale, cybersecurity risk rises. Interims who understand the overlap between AI implementation and cyber risk management are particularly valuable:
Protecting AI models and data assets
Designing secure, compliant AI systems
Integrating AI safely into existing IT ecosystems
Impact: Organisations are willing to pay a premium for interims who bring both AI insight and cyber expertise.
4. New Specialisms Are Emerging in AI-Driven Projects
The market is seeing demand for interims in areas including:
AI strategy and governance leads
Machine learning project managers
Data ethics and compliance specialists
Intelligent automation advisors
Businesses want interims who can translate technical complexity into business outcomes quickly and confidently.
5. Upskilling & Positioning for AI Interims
For interims looking to stay ahead:
Stay informed on AI trends, regulations, and emerging tools
Highlight both technical capability and strategic business impact
Network with organisations undertaking AI transformation projects
Demonstrate the ability to manage risk and deliver value from day one
What This Means for Interims in 2026
✔ AI expertise is now strategic, not optional
Interims who understand AI’s business potential — and can advise at a leadership level — will be in high demand.
✔ Opportunity for cross-specialist interims
The strongest demand exists for those who combine AI knowledge with Finance, Cybersecurity, Transformation, or People Change expertise.
✔ Thought leadership sets you apart
Sharing insights, perspectives, or case studies on AI can increase visibility and credibility with hiring organisations.
What This Means for Businesses Hiring Interims
✔ Access specialised AI expertise instantly
Interims allow organisations to integrate AI into projects without the long-term overhead of permanent hires.
✔ Reduce risk in high-stakes AI projects
Senior AI interims bring governance, ethics, and compliance know-how, ensuring projects deliver value safely.
✔ Bridge the skills gap
Companies can leverage interims to combine AI strategy with operational execution — the kind of hybrid skillset that is hard to find permanently.
Final Thought: AI Is Shaping the Interim Market
AI is not just a technology trend; it is reshaping interim demand. Interims who can guide strategy, manage risk, and deliver measurable outcomes in AI-driven projects will lead the market in 2026.