You are Closer to the AI Graveyard Than You Think.
....and the roadmap to stay out of it.
Funny enough, I have been in the SAP space long enough to tell this story :)
There was so much optimism when companies started shifting from old-school, on-premise ERPs to shiny new cloud-based HR systems. I remember hearing things like, “It looks like Facebook, employees will love it!” and “Our employees won’t need training - they’ll just figure it out.”
You can probably guess what happened next LOL!
Logins dropped. Helpdesk tickets spiked. Managers quietly asked if they could just “stick with the old way.”
It turns out that just because software looks modern doesn’t mean people will automatically trust it, adopt it, or change how they work.
And the same story is playing out again- this time, with AI.
The Real Bottleneck Isn’t the Tech. It’s the Trust.
I’m a true fan of Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA - his clarity of thought and long-term vision around AI are always striking.
One insight he shared a couple of years ago has stayed with me:
“Trust will be the single most important human trait in the world of AI - it will make or break your AI plans.”
And the more AI projects I see unfold, the more I realize how right he was.
In the rush to roll out AI, a lot of companies forget one big thing: people.
According to research from Prosci, 63% of organizations say their biggest AI roadblocks are things like resistance to change or not really understanding how the new technology works and in turn these are related to “people”
And that’s where most AI efforts stumble. It’s not just about installing a new tool. Real adoption happens when people feel ready, supported, and confident using it in their everyday work.
History will keep repeating until we don’t do things differently, hence I wanted to talk about yet another thing many companies are taking for granted - Adoption and Change Management.
Why Smart People Still Resist Smart Tools
Even when AI can clearly save time or reduce errors, adoption is rarely automatic. Why?
Old habits die hard: “This is how we’ve always done it.”
Fear of being replaced: “If AI can do this… do you still need me?”
Lack of clarity: “When exactly am I supposed to use this?”
Fear of looking foolish: “I don’t want to ask a dumb question in front of the team.”
Add to that the fact that some AI tools feel like they’re added on, not integrated in - and suddenly, even the best tech starts to collect dust.
The AI Graveyard: Where Good Projects Die!
According to the RAND Corporation, up to 80% of AI projects fail to deliver meaningful business value. That’s twice the failure rate of traditional IT efforts.
And BCG found that while many companies are experimenting with AI, only 26% have built the capabilities to actually scale those tools and turn them into real results.
The message? Tech alone doesn’t create change. People do.
What You Need Isn’t Just AI. It’s a Plan for Change.
If you want people to actually use the AI you build, you need more than user guides and documentation.
You need to manage the CHANGE.
That means communication, ownership, and trust. It also means identifying key influencers, understanding what matters to them, and bringing them into the process early.
3 Prompts to Lead Change Like a Pro!
I know you want to go beyond theory and start leading AI adoption effectively. So I have curated three powerful prompts for you to lead AI change like a Pro!
🚀 Prompt #1 – Kotter's 8-Step Process for Leading Change
“Who are the 3 most respected influencers in this group who already believe in the AI tool? How can I empower them to lead the charge with visible, early wins?”
See the prompt and the response in action :)
💡 Prompt #2 – ADKAR Change Management Framework for AI Integration
“Where in the journey is each team member right now - are they aware, ready, able, or stuck? And what’s one small thing I can do to help move them forward?”
Here is the response this amazing prompt generates:
📊 Prompt #3 – Stakeholder Management Analysis & Matrix Creation
“Who are the key stakeholders for this AI rollout, and where do they sit on the Influence vs. Interest matrix?
Am I putting my time into high-influence, high-interest allies—or am I stuck managing noise?”
Get them here:
3 Prompts to Lead Change Like a Pro!
(Pro tip: Plot your stakeholders in four boxes—high/low influence vs. high/low interest. Focus your engagement where it counts most.)
Final Thought
An AI tool no one uses is just shelfware and technical debt. But when people trust it, understand it, and feel ownership of it - that’s when the real magic happens.
It’s our responsibility to ensure we know how our team feels about AI and helping them understand the “why” behind an AI tool.
Our job isn’t to push the tech. It’s to create the conditions where people want to use it.
All the Best!