There's one question we ask every technology leader we meet.
What percentage of your code is written by AI?
The best ones — the teams moving fastest, shipping most, operating leanest — don't hesitate. They say 80%. Some say more.
Everyone else is still figuring out where to start.
The rise of fractional + AI
Something significant is happening at the intersection of fractional leadership and AI — and the timing isn't a coincidence.
In the past two months alone, Shepherd has successfully supported several clients — from early-stage startups to Series A and B companies to well-established organisations — in appointing a fractional CTO. Different sizes, different industries, different challenges. The common thread? All of them recognised that navigating AI well requires the right technology leadership, not just the right tools.
As AI makes it possible to build faster with leaner teams, the need for experienced technology leadership has gone up, not down. Someone has to decide which tools to adopt, how to implement them responsibly, and how to build a team where AI genuinely accelerates the work rather than creating new risks.
That's a strategic job. And businesses of all sizes are increasingly solving it the same way: with a fractional CTO.
Fractional technology leadership has been on a steep rise across ANZ. The model gives businesses access to senior, battle-tested expertise — without the full-time commitment. Paired with a clear AI strategy, it's one of the most powerful levers a growing business can pull right now.
What good looks like
Companies like SafetyCulture, Linktree, Leonardo.ai, and Schneider Electric aren't just adopting AI tools — they have experienced technology leaders making sure those tools are used well. Strategically. Responsibly. In a way the whole team understands and can build on.
That's the difference between organisations that are genuinely benefiting from AI and those still waiting to see how it plays out.
Access to tools isn't the issue. Everyone has access to the same tools. The difference is having the right leadership to implement them well inside your specific organisation — and to build that capability into the team for the long term.
Why now
Globally, economic pressure is pushing businesses to do more with less. AI makes that genuinely achievable. But the companies getting the most out of it aren't the ones who moved fastest — they're the ones who moved most intentionally.
A fractional CTO brings that intentionality. Whether you're a founder who needs a technical co-pilot, or an established organisation navigating modernisation, it's senior leadership right-sized for where you are — and where you're going.
Work smarter, not harder has always been good advice. In 2025, fractional + AI is what that actually looks like.
Shepherd connects ANZ's best startups and scaleups with world-class fractional technology leaders — 450+ vetted executives from leading tech companies.
Ready to find yours? Start hiring now →
.jpg)
