AI implementations are among the most challenging initiatives organizations face today. The technology evolves quickly, expectations are high, and leaders are under pressure to deliver results fast. While AI tools promise significant productivity gains, many organizations struggle to move beyond rollout to meaningful, sustained use.
Reimagining how we work
The biggest challenge is rarely whether the technology works. It’s whether people choose to use it. AI requires employees to change how they work, how they think, and how they define value in their roles. Without clear direction and support, hesitation and resistance are natural responses, even when the tools themselves are sound.
Experience supporting complex change initiatives shows that the most effective way to overcome this challenge is to make communication the core of the implementation strategy. When communication helps employees understand why AI is being introduced, how it affects their work, and what success looks like for them, momentum increases. These four communication practices are essential to create a practical framework that builds understanding, earns buy-in, and supports long-term AI adoption.
1. Anchor the change in everyday work
AI adoption accelerates when employees can clearly see how the tools help them solve real problems. Communication should focus on how AI reduces “busy work,” allowing people to spend more time on analysis, strategy, and decision-making.
Showing how AI can summarize long email threads, organize research, and draft first versions of content helps employees recognize familiar challenges and grasp the value. When the connection to daily work is clear, curiosity replaces resistance.
2. Turn awareness into action
Interest alone doesn’t drive adoption. Employees need guidance that shows them how to use AI in ways that support their responsibilities.
Effective training combines live and on-demand sessions tailored to specific roles, using real workflows. Workgroup-specific sessions address unique needs, while shared sessions reinforce consistency. Short how-to videos, recordings, and FAQs provide support at the moment of need and encourage experimentation without disrupting productivity.
3. Build trust with a feedback loop
No AI rollout goes perfectly. What matters is how quickly organizations listen and respond when issues surface.
Clear feedback channels, such as surveys, small-group discussions, and real-time collaboration spaces, allow employees to raise questions and signal the need for additional clarity. When feedback leads to visible adjustments, engagement and trust increase.
4. Create a community to sustain momentum
Creating a community turns early adoption into lasting behavior as users become advocates and share their experiences across teams. Collaboration spaces and shared resource hubs enable employees to exchange tips, best practices, and success stories.
Community-sourced prompt libraries are especially effective, helping employees improve how they work with AI while learning from real examples contributed by peers.
Why this matters
AI adoption is not a one-time event. It represents more than a change in process; it’s a shift in how employees approach their work. Organizations that make communication a cornerstone of the implementation strategy are better positioned to support that shift and turn AI investment into real impact.
Need an experienced advisor on your AI journey? The O’Keefe Group is working with clients to help their employees make the most of AI while avoiding common roadblocks.
