Why implementing AI is one of the most complex change strategies your business will ever face
In the last newsletter we talked about failed AI pilots.
Poor data. Unrealistic expectations. Dodgy use cases.
But here’s the truth I don’t hear enough:
Most AI failures aren’t technical – they’re human.
It’s not the tool that breaks. It’s the trust.
Let’s talk about that.
💣 This Isn’t Just a Tech Rollout – It’s an Identity Crisis
Introducing AI into your business isn’t like switching CRMs or upgrading to a new finance system.
It’s not even just a digital transformation.
It’s a full-blown identity shift.
Why? Because unlike most change initiatives, AI threatens what people believe makes them valuable:
- Their expertise
- Their judgment
- Their role
- Their relevance
This kind of change doesn’t just challenge skillsets – it challenges self-worth.
😨 Real Fear. Real Mistrust. Real Consequences.
When people hear “AI is coming,” they don’t hear:
“You’ll be more productive.”
They hear:
“Your job might not exist next year.”
“We don’t value what you bring to the table.”
“You’re replaceable.”
And when fear takes root, people don’t speak up – but they do act out:
- They ignore the new tools
- They hoard knowledge
- They undermine the rollout
- They protect their turf
- They disengage
And all of this happens quietly, under the surface, while leadership assumes things are going just fine.
🧠 Implementing AI Is a Human Challenge First
Let’s be clear: AI is powerful. And it absolutely has a place in building a future-fit organization.
But implementing AI is not a plug-and-play solution. It’s:
- A culture change
- A leadership challenge
- A narrative battle
- And possibly the most complex transformation your company has ever faced
Because in addition to the normal roadblocks – time, budget, competing priorities – you’re also dealing with existential fear, deep skepticism, and the collapse of old identities.
This is high-stakes change.
And it needs to be treated as such.
✅ What Good Looks Like: The Carlyle Group
One of the best examples of a well-executed AI rollout comes from the Carlyle Group, a global investment firm.
Led by CIO Lucia Soares, they’ve taken a strategic, human-first approach to embedding AI across their 2,300-person business. It’s a textbook example of how to do it right.
Here’s how they nailed the rollout:
1. They mapped high-impact use cases.
They focused on real business problems—like speeding up investment analysis and legal invoice review.
2. They started with tools people already had access to.
Rather than over-engineering, they leaned into tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, achieving ~90% uptake.
3. They built internal fluency and trust.
AI training was embedded into onboarding. They even created an AI champions council—so change was led by peers, not pushed top-down.
4. They only built custom solutions where necessary.
Once value was proven, they developed proprietary tools like Project Catalyst to automate investment workflows.
5. Their data was clean and accessible.
No surprise there—none of it would have worked without reliable data.
The result? Higher productivity, faster analysis, and strong cultural buy-in—without triggering an identity crisis across the workforce.
🧯 Common Mistakes That Derail AI Rollouts
If you want your AI strategy to fail fast, here’s how to do it:
- Skip the communication plan
- Assume people will figure it out
- Keep decision-making centralized
- Downplay the risks or uncertainties
- Frame it only as “efficiency” or “cost-cutting”
- Roll it out without reskilling anyone
Sound familiar?
It’s what we’ve seen time and time again with failed transformations – only now, the stakes are higher.
Because once you lose trust, you don’t just stall adoption – you trigger resistance.
🔁 Tech + Trust = Transformation
If there’s one thing I want leaders to take from this article, it’s this:
You can’t automate your way around trust.
You have to earn it. You have to protect it. And you have to rebuild it when you lose it.
AI is not a threat – unless you position it as one.
AI is not a strategy – unless you build one.
AI is not a magic bullet – unless you prepare your people to pull the trigger.
💬 Over to You
What’s your organization doing to manage the human side of AI?
Have you seen trust accelerate a rollout – or sabotage it?
Let’s learn from each other 👇
Are you interested in learning how I can help you implement AI the right way? Contact me about:
- Team sessions and/or one-to-one coaching to build AI Fluency
- Advisory services to help you understand the when, what, why and how of AI Implementation
