CNN has hired Chris Wiggins, former chief data scientist at the New York Times, as the new Head of Machine Learning and AI Science. In this role, he will lead a team to optimize the use of AI and machine learning to enhance advertising and subscriber revenue, create personalized user experiences, and assist editorial teams with data tooling for coverage and programming decisions. Wiggins and his team will be part of CNN's Digital Products and Services organization and based in the New York bureau.
About the role
CNN has tapped Chris Wiggins, who has served as chief data scientist at the New York Times for more than a decade, for a newly created role as head of machine learning and AI science.
Wiggins' hiring was announced in an internal memo to CNN staff Monday. At the news outlet, he will lead a team that "optimizes the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve outcomes company-wide, from maximizing advertising and subscriber revenue, to creating unique and personalized experiences for users, to helping editorial teams utilize data tooling in coverage and programming decisions," per the announcement.
The AI team led by Wiggins will comprise engineers and data scientists "who are already doing this work at CNN, bringing existing teams together under a new leader," according to CNN. Wiggins and his new team will be part of CNN's Digital Products and Services organization, and he will be based out of the New York bureau.
Wiggins will report to Kendell Timmers, senior VP of data analytics, science and insights at CNN -- who also previously worked at the New York Times, where she was SVP and head of data and insights. Timmers joined CNN in September 2024.
Since 2013, Wiggins had served as the Times' chief data scientist. At the paper, he led initiatives including a project designed to improve the effectiveness of the digital paywall through machine learning; developing AI-powered content recommendation systems that combine editorial judgment and optimization; and creating AI-powered ad products such as BrandMatch.
Wiggins also is 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 said Wiggins was joining the company as part of its "transformation into a best-in-class digital organization," focused on streaming, mobile and lifestyle products. Other recent hires on this front include Ashley Nutter, senior VP of product management and design (formerly senior director of Twitch ads and sponsorship products at Amazon), and Sam Felix, senior VP of strategic partnerships and business development (previously VP of platform strategy and partnerships at the New York Times).