Interesting perspective on appointing one person but what about embedding AI use and understanding with leadership themselves and what happens to their role as critical change agents? How does this work?
Hi Kemi, and thank you for the thoughtful question. If we understand correctly, you're asking about balancing centralized AI ownership with keeping department leaders actively engaged as change agents. That's a really valid concern!
The goal isn't to remove leaders from AI decisions, but to have someone who can coordinate across departments and prevent the scattered pilot problem we're seeing everywhere. That person works *with* department heads to scale what's working and stop what isn't, rather than replacing their judgment.
Think of it like having a COO - they don't run every department, but they make sure everyone's pulling in the same direction and not wasting resources.
What's your experience been with AI initiatives in your organization?
Ah I see. Well in my company it’s mixed really. We are trying to encourage everyone to be curious and experimental with AI - to seek out and discover tools that can enhance or innovate work but it is tough with leadership who see it mainly as an IT/tech/tool drive that ‘someone over there’ needs to be responsible for and this inevitably hinders the rest of the organisation and undermines the culture of AI curiosity, experience and education
Yes, this is such a common pattern we're seeing, and actually have a newsletter planned on exactly this challenge. Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it validates our concerns even more!
Interesting perspective on appointing one person but what about embedding AI use and understanding with leadership themselves and what happens to their role as critical change agents? How does this work?
Hi Kemi, and thank you for the thoughtful question. If we understand correctly, you're asking about balancing centralized AI ownership with keeping department leaders actively engaged as change agents. That's a really valid concern!
The goal isn't to remove leaders from AI decisions, but to have someone who can coordinate across departments and prevent the scattered pilot problem we're seeing everywhere. That person works *with* department heads to scale what's working and stop what isn't, rather than replacing their judgment.
Think of it like having a COO - they don't run every department, but they make sure everyone's pulling in the same direction and not wasting resources.
What's your experience been with AI initiatives in your organization?
Ah I see. Well in my company it’s mixed really. We are trying to encourage everyone to be curious and experimental with AI - to seek out and discover tools that can enhance or innovate work but it is tough with leadership who see it mainly as an IT/tech/tool drive that ‘someone over there’ needs to be responsible for and this inevitably hinders the rest of the organisation and undermines the culture of AI curiosity, experience and education
Yes, this is such a common pattern we're seeing, and actually have a newsletter planned on exactly this challenge. Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it validates our concerns even more!