CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, a veteran chief data scientist from the New York Times, to the newly established position of head of machine learning and AI science.
The announcement of Wiggins’ hiring was shared in an internal memo to CNN staff on Monday. In his new role, he will spearhead a team tasked with enhancing the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across the company. This includes boosting advertising and subscriber revenue, crafting personalized user experiences, and assisting editorial teams with data tools for coverage and programming decisions, according to the memo.
Under Wiggins’ leadership, the AI team will consist of engineers and data scientists who are currently working on similar initiatives at CNN. This group will be unified under Wiggins’ direction, forming part of CNN’s Digital Products and Services division. He will be based in the New York bureau.
Wiggins will report to Kendell Timmers, senior vice president of data analytics, science, and insights at CNN. Timmers, who also has a background at the New York Times as SVP and head of data and insights, joined CNN in September 2024.
At the New York Times since 2013, Wiggins led several pivotal projects, such as improving the digital paywall’s efficiency using machine learning, developing AI-driven content recommendation systems that blend editorial insight with optimization, and creating AI-based advertising products like BrandMatch.
Chris Wiggins is also an associate professor of applied mathematics at Columbia University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics with minors in mathematics and religion from Columbia College and a PhD in theoretical physics from Princeton University.
CNN stated that Wiggins’ addition to the company is part of its strategic shift towards becoming a leading digital organization, with an emphasis on streaming, mobile, and lifestyle products. Other recent notable hires in this direction include Ashley Nutter, senior VP of product management and design, who previously held a senior role at Amazon’s Twitch ads and sponsorship products, and Sam Felix, senior VP of strategic partnerships and business development, who formerly served as VP of platform strategy and partnerships at the New York Times.
