How to build a culture that embraces AI

The current business environment is unpredictable and puts pressure on budgets, resources and ultimately employees. Automating processes and improving productivity using AI will ease this pressure. However, deployment within the enterprise is more than just getting the technology right, it’s still only half the battle. The other half requires employee consent.

However, as many companies have proven, it’s not always easy. Unlike the established technologies we have iterated on before, AI is a relatively new and rapidly evolving field. This novelty can make it even more difficult for employees to quickly embrace AI.

“People tend to cling to information and behaviors they know, which means they often refuse to adopt new ways of working or new skills.”

“People tend to cling to information and behaviors they know, which means they often refuse to adopt new ways of working or new skills,” says Danny Danny, director and principal business psychologist at DH Consulting. Haig says. “IT and business leaders need to understand his AI skepticism and have a clear plan to address it, otherwise much-needed change is much less likely to happen.” .”

Adopting an AI culture

Deploying AI across an organization often requires a change of mindset and a willingness to adapt to new ways of working. A recent survey by SnapLogic found that overwhelmingly two-thirds of her respondents liked the idea of ​​using her AI in their role now or in the future. This is great news for his digital leader, but it’s not the whole story.

Deploying AI across an organization often requires a change of mindset and a willingness to adapt to new ways of working.

Digging a little deeper, the study also revealed that certain personality traits are closely correlated with certain attitudes towards AI. Essentially, those who scored high on the extraversion scale were more likely to worry that it would be difficult to get everyone in their organization to fully adopt AI. This group was also more likely to have concerns about AI in general.

On the other hand, we found that people with low extraversion scores were more likely to be receptive to AI and less concerned about using it. This group also tended to use AI more frequently in their home and personal lives. They also generally agreed that AI can save time, improve productivity, and reduce risks and errors in their jobs.

AI as teammate

According to McKinsey & Company, AI is poised to transform roles and improve performance across departments such as sales and marketing, customer relations and software development. In the process, it could generate trillions of dollars in excess of US$4.4 trillion annually.

Most jobs will soon involve AI to some degree, so employees need to understand the benefits of AI and how it can improve their jobs. Negative consequences may occur if the employer fails to communicate this. Not only are people likely to become discouraged and leave the role, but they are also likely not to get the most out of AI, a triple waste of time, people and money.

Embracing AI as a team member, not a threat, fosters a culture of collaboration and empowers employees to take advantage of the opportunities presented by this transformative technology.

The solution may be as simple as thinking of AI not as a tool, but as a very young teammate or intern. This view of AI enables organizations to leverage its capabilities to solve problems, analyze information, and effectively support more “senior” human colleagues. This collaborative approach allows employees to take on the role of mentors and coaches, guiding the development of AI systems to reduce errors and improve outcomes.

This perspective fosters a symbiotic relationship in which AI enhances human capabilities and allows employees to focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Embracing AI as a team member, not a threat, fosters a culture of collaboration and empowers employees to take advantage of the opportunities presented by this transformative technology.

A changing roadmap

Haig believes business psychology can be used to encourage employees to embrace change and adopt new technologies, processes and team structures. Here she shares a roadmap that every organization can implement to successfully introduce change.

Planning and preparation: Communication and much more is important when introducing new processes and innovations into your business. Take the time to create an AI action plan. Don’t be afraid to over-communicate. Change takes time.

Use the ADKAR model as a guide. This familiar psychological model of change is a practical guide to navigating the experience of change.

• Recognizing the Need to Incorporate AI into Business Systems
• Desire to participate in and support new ways of working
• Knowledge of how to incorporate AI into work
• Ability to implement new processes and technologies
• Reinforcement to sustain change.Communicate frequently about enterprise AI, its benefits, and how to implement it

Prime time: The human brain is hardwired to trust and believe the things, facts, people and brands that come into frequent contact. They are also influenced by the stimuli they experience over time. Adopt new ways of working with regular and frequent small stimuli (emails, yammers, Slack, meetings, mission statements, etc.) before, during, and after change to increase trust in enterprise AI increase tendency.

Don’t forget your team. Just because you work in the IT industry doesn’t mean your team doesn’t have their own concerns. Encourage teams to integrate more with other departments within the company and show how they can support organizational goals. When the team understands and celebrates the benefits of AI, members become cheerleaders for change for everyone else in the business.

Avoid anchoring effects and confirmation bias. Our natural tendency to cling to familiar information and behaviors often creates resistance when it comes to embracing new ways of working or learning new skills. A “that’s what we do here” attitude can greatly hinder change in the workplace. Therefore, onboarding leaders to promote cultural mitigation is critical.

Get involved and get excited: Change doesn’t happen without top involvement. Offer engaging workshops to fellow executives and team leaders to showcase the possibilities and benefits across your organization. Encourage questions and prepare for skepticism with understanding and a positive attitude.

Let’s practice: Be patient and understanding as you train people to use technology and help those who are afraid to upskill understand the possibilities of new technology. Hands-on learning and experimentation are essential to embracing new technologies. A SnapLogic survey found that almost 20% of survey respondents were worried about not being able to use her AI properly. Teach them how to do it and boost their confidence.

Celebrate with us: Be sure to tell everyone about your company’s technological advancements and celebrate their benefits.