"One explanation that came up again and again was incomplete adoption among employees. Many professionals are understandably worried about what these tools will mean for their jobs, or at least skeptical of their usefulness as AI slop abounds. To bulldoze through this hesitation, bosses have stepped up the pressure, making AI use mandatory and incorporating it into performance reviews. But a number of executives at the roundtable advised against strong-arming."
"Cisco learned that the hard way. "When we asked our employees to take mandatory training for AI, not only did it not drive sustainable usage, it actually had a bit of a negative impact," said Francine Katsoudas, the company's chief people, policy, and purpose officer. What worked, she explained, was "providing choice" - like when Cisco gave its engineers access to half a dozen different AI tools, allowing them to decide which ones to use and how to use them. "They absolutely loved that," she said."
Three years after ChatGPT's introduction, many companies have not realized expected productivity gains because employee adoption remains incomplete. Professionals often worry about job impacts and doubt tool usefulness amid low-quality outputs. Some bosses responded by making AI mandatory and tying it to performance reviews, which sometimes backfired. Cisco found mandatory training reduced sustainable usage, while offering employees multiple tool choices increased engagement. Employers must address skill gaps by hiring AI-fluent graduates and providing effective training and support. Sustainable adoption requires choice, practical upskilling, and cultural approaches that avoid coercive mandates. Leaders should balance encouragement with autonomy to foster long-term AI integration.
Read at Business Insider
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