AI Adoption Is a Human Challenge First

When people think about AI adoption, they often focus on the technology: the models, the data, the integrations. But in practice, the biggest barrier – and the biggest opportunity – is people. Change management and training aren’t just support functions, they’re core to AI success.

In government, many staff are still operating on tools decades old, and we’re still living in the shadow of robodebt. Staff may worry about job security, data privacy, or simply not know how to use the tools effectively. Without structured change support, even the best AI tools will sit unused or be misapplied.

But here’s the good news: change management pays for itself. Agencies that invest in training, communication, and support see higher adoption rates, better outcomes, and faster returns. For example, training 200 staff to use AI for document summarisation, meeting prep, or data extraction could save thousands of hours annually. That’s time that can be redirected to higher-value work – like policy development, stakeholder engagement, or service delivery.

Effective change programs include:

• Clear communication about what AI is (and isn’t) doing
• Hands-on training tailored to real use cases
• Simple self-service materials like user-guides and short videos
• Support channels for questions and feedback
• Metrics to track adoption and impact

These change programs need to be carefully designed to be effective, as an under-cooked set of messaging can actually get in the way of change more than saying nothing. Consider what your employees will be sceptical of (“I’ve seen tools like this come and go, I’ll just wait out this fad”), fearful of (“will it make me redundant?”, “what if I can’t adapt to using it?”), or just uncertain of (“what even is AI?”, “how does it apply to me?”). Taking a human-centred approach to designing the change program greatly increases it’s chances of delivering returns for your organisation.

AI isn’t just a technical shift – it’s a cultural one. And like any cultural shift, it needs leadership, empathy, and investment. Agencies that treat change management as a first-class citizen in their AI strategy will not only avoid resistance – they’ll unlock the full value of their investment.

If you want to talk about some easy ways to start AI change management, reach out to our team.