Companies waiting on AI will fall behind

Businesses that fail to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) risk falling behind their competitors. Companies that successfully implement AI will move more quickly, make better decisions, and produce higher output using the same resources. Those that delay adopting AI may create an insurmountable gap between themselves and their competitors.

AI adoption is no longer a future possibility—it is happening now. The question is whether business leaders are prepared to help their employees start using AI effectively. The transition has proven to be one of the most challenging changes the author, Neil Cawse, has led at Geotab. Reshaping a company requires a fundamental rethinking of its business model, altering the way people work, team organization, and performance measurement.

Cawse explains how Geotab deployed AI to its 3,400 employees in one day. The company believes that immediate access to AI will allow employees to learn faster and gain a competitive edge. Every employee, regardless of technical background, had unrestricted access to a secure AI gateway with pre-loaded skills directly on their laptops. Within just seven days, the daily active usage rate reached an impressive 97%.

Based on their experience, Cawse provides six key lessons for successfully integrating AI into a company:

1. Leaders must be early adopters. They cannot expect employees to embrace a new technology if they have not taken the time to understand it themselves. Cawse emphasizes the importance of personally testing AI and speaking openly about its capabilities and limitations.

2. Simplify the onboarding process. The initial experience with any new technology is often the most challenging. If the first interaction is too complex, many employees may become overwhelmed and give up before discovering its true value. In Geotab's case, employees could simply type "GIA" (the company's AI platform) and start using it immediately.

3. Communicate clearly and consistently. Regular communication, concrete examples, and celebrating successful experiments are essential to keep employees engaged. Town halls and hackathons provide opportunities for employees to learn from one another and share their experiences with AI.

4. Measure output, not just usage. Simply tracking log-ins or prompt counts does not reflect the true business value of AI adoption. Companies should focus on how AI enhances productivity and enables teams to deliver more value with the same resources. Geotab makes AI usage information readily available to all employees, including token consumption, to promote responsible and purposeful adoption.

5. Implement guardrails for safety and security. While AI adoption can drive innovation, it also requires careful consideration of privacy, security, data protection, and human judgment. Setting clear boundaries helps ensure that employees use AI responsibly and know when human expertise is necessary.

6. Act before feeling fully prepared. Waiting for the perfect AI implementation is a common mistake. Leaders should embrace an imperfect first version and remain flexible, as the technology moves at a rapid pace. Those who implement AI quickly will gain a competitive advantage, build confidence, and develop the adaptability needed for an increasingly AI-driven future.