You’re at Stage 1 of 6: The Skeptic & Observer
Great job taking the first step to understand your AI journey! Acknowledging your current perspective is key to exploring what's next.
What This Stage Means
It's natural at this stage to approach AI with caution or skepticism. You might perceive it more as hype than real utility, feel apprehensive about its potential impact (perhaps on job roles), or worry it could complicate your existing ways of working. Direct engagement with AI tools might be minimal. If you're in a leadership role, you might be taking a 'wait and see' approach, perhaps delegating AI exploration to a team or committee, or you might be focused on voicing understandable concerns about its broader implications and risks.
Mindset
You might be hesitant to even try AI tools or dismiss their capabilities outright. The focus is on perceived risks or the unknown, rather than potential benefits. You might believe waiting longer is the best approach until the technology is more mature or the uncertainties are resolved.
Limitations
Avoiding AI means missing the opportunity to understand its real capabilities and limitations. You risk being left behind as competitors embrace the technology for speed and efficiency. Delegating without personal understanding prevents you from spotting opportunities or effectively leading adoption efforts.
Key Tips to Advance Your AI Journey
Just Start and Use It: The fundamental first step is simply to begin using AI tools. Pick one of the major models (like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Co-pilot, or Perplexity) and explore its capabilities. Even limited, hands-on experience can yield significant insights and demystify the technology. This simple act of exploration can be surprisingly revealing.
Learn From Others: You don't have to figure this out alone. Connect with peers, join communities, listen to podcasts, or find resources to see how others are benefiting from AI and addressing their initial concerns. Often, seeing real-world use cases and hearing from those slightly ahead on the journey can make all the difference and provide practical first steps.
(For Leaders) Lead by Example: If you are a leader, it's crucial to gain proficiency yourself. Your personal experience will be invaluable in guiding your team, spotting strategic opportunities, and overcoming skepticism within your organization. This hands-on experience also helps you ask better questions when seeking broader organizational AI strategies. Don't just delegate; demonstrate.
Reframe Concerns: Understand that AI is intended to augment human capabilities, changing the skills applied and processes followed, rather than simply eliminating roles. Focus on how it can make work more efficient and free up time for higher-value activities. Consider how AI could handle repetitive tasks, allowing you and your team to focus on more strategic work.
Thinking Bigger: AI Across Your Organization
As you begin exploring AI for yourself, it's also a good time to consider how this journey might unfold across your entire organization. We poured our expertise into a Company AI Assessment to get it right. In less than 5 minutes, you’ll get an unprecedented AI Company Maturity report with detailed, personalized recommendations that meet your company where it’s at.
STEP 1: Take online assessment A fast and friendly rating of your company’s current AI sophistication
STEP 2: Get personalized results Generate detailed and customized recommendations for AI maturity
STEP 3: Engage your company Encourage colleagues to self-assess to get a free, multi-stakeholder analysis comparing and contrasting the different AI points of view within your company