Post by Sol Rashidi, MBA

We hear all about the amazing progress of AI BUT, enterprises are still struggling with AI deployments - latest stats say 78% of AI deployments get stall or canceled - sounds like we’re still buying tools and expect transformation. But those that have succeeded? They don’t just license AI, they redesign work around them. Because adoption isn’t about the tool. It’s about the people who use it. Let’s break this down: 😖 Buying AI tools just adds to your tech stack. Nothing more, nothing less! Stat you can’t ignore: 81% of enterprise AI tools go unused after purchase. (Source: IBM, 2024) 🙌🏼 But adoption, adoption requires new workflows, new roles, and new routines - this means redesigning org charts, updating SOPs, and rethinking “a day in the life.” Why? Because AI should empower decisions—not just automate tasks. It should amplify human strengths—not quietly sideline them. That’s where the 65/35 Rule comes in! 65% of a successful AI deployment is redesigning business processes and preparing the workforce. Only 35% is tools and infrastructure. But most companies still do the reverse. They invest 90% in tech and 10% in training… and wonder why they’re stuck in “perpetual POC purgatory” (my term for things that never make production. It’s like buying a Formula 1 car and expecting your team to win races—without ever learning to drive. Here’s the better way: Step 1: Start with the “day in the life” Map how work actually gets done today. Not hypothetically. Not aspirationally. Just reality. Step 2: Identify friction points Where do delays, errors, or bad decisions happen? Step 3: Redesign with intent Now—and only now—do you introduce AI. Not to replace the human. But to support and strengthen them. Recommendation #1: Design AI solutions with your workforce, not just for them. Co-create roles, rituals, and reviews. Recommendation #2: Adopt the 65/35 Rule as your north star. If your AI strategy doesn’t spend more time on people and process than tools and tech… it’s not ready. ⸻ AI doesn’t fail because it’s flawed. It fails because the org using it is unprepared. #AI #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #OrgDesign #HumanInTheLoop #AIAdoption #DataDrivenDecisions #Innovation >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sol Rashidi was the 1st “Chief AI Officer” for Enterprise (appointed back in 2016). 10 patents. Best-Selling Author of “Your AI Survival Guide”. FORBES “AI Maverick & Visionary of the 21st Century”. 3x TEDx Speaker