Intro: AI Adoption Isn’t a Technology Problem. It’s a People and Readiness Problem.

Part 1 of a 5-part series titled “AI Adoption Isn’t a Technology Problem. It’s a People and Readiness Problem” posted on LinkedIn on January 9, 2026.

Many organizations are eager to integrate AI into their workflow.

Fewer are asking the harder question:

👉 Are we actually ready to use AI well?

In my work, I’m seeing a familiar pattern:
·      Leaders are excited about productivity gains.
·      Employees are cautiously optimistic — but concerned.
·      Too often, HR is brought in after AI tools have already been selected.

Research reflects this tension. In fact, while a majority of organizations are already using AI in some form, far fewer have fully integrated it into their operations. At the same time, many employees report optimism about AI’s potential benefits — yet more than half also express concerns about job security.

This underscores the need for a strategic and ethical approach to AI adoption — one that:
·      Aligns with the organization’s core values.
·      Ensures leaders and managers are truly AI-enabled.
·      Supports employees through transparent, well-managed change.

This is why I’ve been focused on AI readiness from an HR and organizational development lens.

Before deploying AI, organizations should pause to assess:
·      Why are we adopting AI?
·      What problems are we actually trying to solve?
·      Where do fear, confusion, or misalignment already exist?
·      Is HR positioned to lead — or just react?

When HR leads AI readiness, AI becomes:
✔ A support for people, not a threat
✔ A productivity enhancer, not a surveillance tool
✔ A strategic capability, not a reactive experiment

AI will continue to evolve rapidly.
Organizational trust and readiness take intention.

The organizations that get this right won’t just adopt AI faster —
they’ll adopt it more responsibly and more sustainably.

💬 If you’re curious how your organization might think about AI readiness, I’m happy to share more. You’re welcome to reach me at ruth@bedellconsultingllc.com or send me a private message here on LinkedIn.

Post Tip:
One thing I didn’t have space to explore fully here is that AI readiness isn’t about slowing innovation — it’s about making sure innovation actually sticks.

I’m curious how others are experiencing AI adoption in their organizations — particularly where HR is involved early versus later in the process. What’s working well, and where are you seeing challenges?

Sources referenced in this post:
Dev, A. (2025, April 15). State of AI in the U.S. Workplace. Harvard Business Review.
Carter, L. (2025, March 22). Employee Sentiment Towards AI in the Workplace. Pew Research Center.

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