Why AI forward businesses will win the people battle
We recently met a chief executive who despite his team asking for AI tools to help them work smarter, had decided that AI was not for him or his business. He even went as far as calling it ‘artificial unintelligence’.
Despite this position, he admitted that competitors were taking market share. Not because they had a better product, but because they were working more efficiently. They were using AI to do a lot more with less. These were AI forward businesses.
But what is an AI forward business? I hesitate to use the phrase ‘AI first’. Despite the hype, very few organisations can genuinely claim to be operating at that level. AI forward is more realistic. These are businesses that are actively training their people in AI and integrating it into their operations. Not in every corner of the business, not perfectly, but with clear intent.
CEO level intent.
AI forward businesses start with leadership
One of the clearest recent examples of leadership on AI came from Tobias Lütke, CEO of Shopify. In a leaked internal memo, he wrote:
‘Using AI effectively is now a fundamental expectation of everyone at Shopify.’
This was not a throwaway comment. It came with clear expectations:
- All employees are expected to be proficient in using AI, regardless of their role.
- If someone is requesting additional time or resources, they must show why AI cannot help.
- AI must be considered from the very beginning of every product development project.
- Use of AI is now part of how performance is assessed at all levels of the business.
It showed the staff at Shopify that this wasn’t just tinkering around the edges, that this was a cultural shift for everyone.
What it really means to be AI forward
An AI forward business recognises that the most valuable applications of AI are not in tech, but in people.
This approach involves:
- Giving employees access to practical AI tools and encouraging them to use them in their daily work
- Upskilling teams to think critically about AI and understand both its possibilities and its limitations
- Redesigning processes so that AI and human judgement complement each other
- Supporting managers to lead in a new environment, where some routine work is carried out by AI.
Why AI forward businesses have the people advantage
Time to focus on what matters
AI reduces the burden of repetitive tasks such as administration, scheduling and data entry. The chief exec mentioned at the start of this article wanted his team to have more time to build relationships. Yet he didn’t want to give them the tools to remove the onerous manual tasks that were chewing up their time.
More empowered employees
Teams that understand how to use AI well are more confident and more productive. They are also more likely to come up with new ideas. When people are trusted with the tools and encouraged to experiment, innovation follows.
Easier recruitment and better retention
Talented individuals want to work in organisations that have the best technology. If your business is still run on email chains and spreadsheets, do not be surprised if your best people start looking elsewhere.
Stronger leadership
Managers who understand how AI affects workflows and expectations are better placed to lead. They can identify opportunities, set realistic goals and help their teams adapt. Those who ignore AI risk becoming out of step with how work is actually getting done.
Paul Baier, CEO of GAI Insights sums this up well ‘CEOs must adapt to leading organisations of, say, 1,000 employees empowered with 5,000 AI assistants.’
What good looks like
The most effective incentives connect AI use to outcomes, not just activity. The goal is to recognise contribution, not just participation.
- Reward tangible improvements. Focus on AI use that saves time, generates creativity, or improves results.
- Align with business goals. Make sure the behaviours you reward are the ones that matter to customers and teams.
- Encourage collaboration. AI works best when people share what’s working. Recognise teams, not just individuals.
- Make it part of a bigger strategy. Rewards should support a broader culture shift, including training, forums, and peer learning.
What businesses should do next
You do not need to overhaul everything at once. Becoming AI forward is about taking practical steps and building momentum.
- Give people access to one or two high-quality AI tools and encourage them to explore.
- Identify simple, repetitive processes that could be improved with automation.
- Run a short workshop or training session that focuses not just on the technology, but on how work is changing.
- Make it clear that AI capability is becoming part of what it means to be good at your job.
In the race for talent, the businesses that win the people battle in the years ahead will be the ones that help their people use AI thoughtfully, responsibly and well.
Being AI forward is about leadership. It is about giving your teams the confidence and tools to do their work as effectively as possible.
We are iwantmore.ai – an AI consulting firm. We work with organisations to harness the power of AI across their whole business. If you want to explore how your business can use AI and automation contact us.
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