How CEOs can lead AI adoption without losing their teams

AI urgency is everywhere. CEOs are telling employees to adopt AI or risk becoming obsolete. I understand the urgency. I also believe that a message of “adopt or else” will backfire spectacularly in the long run.

CEOs are steering their companies through rapid transformation while protecting long-term value. They see AI’s potential. They feel the competitive pressure. And they’ve probably wrestled with one of the most difficult challenges: knowing where to start.

But I do think right now, too many of us are confusing mandates with motivation. And if we don’t take a beat, we risk losing the very people we’re trying to prepare for the future. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve learned a few practical steps that can help any CEO shift from pressure to progress without losing their team along the way:

Read the room first

If you listen to your teams—really listen—you’ll discover something surprising. Most of them aren’t resisting AI. They’re already using it.

It’s telling that, a year ago, Microsoft and LinkedIn’s Work Trend Index reported that three out of four knowledge workers were using AI at work already, and the vast majority were bringing their own tools. Long before the CEO mandates of 2025, employees were experimenting, learning and even creating shadow systems in the absence of formal support.

Before issuing any companywide directive, leaders need to understand where their people already are. Otherwise, they risk disrupting momentum that’s already underway.

Lead with strategy

AI adoption that delivers sustained value doesn’t begin with enforcement. It begins with strategy.

As a CEO, you need to articulate your North Star. What’s the purpose of adopting AI in your organization? What do you want it to unlock—not just in terms of productivity, but in terms of values, differentiation and long-term brand relevance?

AI should strengthen your brand’s identity, not overwrite it. The creative decisions, emotional insights and strategic clarity that give your brand its distinctiveness can’t be automated. They need human hands and human judgment.

A clear strategy will guide your teams more effectively than any directive. It shows them why AI matters.

Reframe the message

Do a tone check. Instead of saying “use AI or else,” say: “AI is changing how we work, and we want to help you thrive in this shift.”

Make clear that AI is about opportunity. When leaders frame AI as a way to remove drudgery and elevate impact, people listen differently.

Provide tools and structure

Back your message with resources. Create internal forums where employees can share use cases and learn from one another. Set up a library of prompts. Launch mentorship programs. Offer on-demand training. Incentivize experimentation.

Solicit feedback and ideas from your team. Make it collaborative.

Design for long-term capability

It’s tempting to roll out a few AI tools and call it a strategy. But adoption isn’t the same as integration. AI must be embedded into the operating model: into workflows, decision-making processes and organizational goals. That means building internal capabilities, not just piloting the latest tech.

Help teams to rethink how work gets done with AI. Identify areas where automation can free up time for higher-value tasks. Design metrics that reward insight and efficiency. Train your managers to lead in an AI-enabled workplace.

When AI becomes a muscle, the organization becomes adaptive by default.

Create a culture of safety and support

Adoption requires more than access. It requires belief. Employees need to know they won’t be penalized for trying and failing. Leaders must model a culture where experimentation is rewarded and curiosity is encouraged.

BCG research suggests that successful AI adoption requires CEOs to “set the narrative that this isn’t just AI for AI’s sake” but rather about “redefining work to create meaningful impact.” That begins with making AI feel relevant and useful, not threatening.

Be transparent about the journey

Employees know AI is going to change the shape of work. What they want to know is whether you see them as part of the future. Show them you’re investing in their growth.

Remember that urgency can start a movement, but it won’t sustain one. It must be paired with clarity, support and room to learn. Even then, urgency is no substitute for trust.

We don’t need to scare people into using AI. We need to believe in their ability to use it well and build the cultures that make that possible.

Featured in AdAge