Artificial intelligence has become the centerpiece of digital strategy conversations, yet most employees haven’t joined the movement. According to Gallup, 66% of global workers report never using AI in their jobs, despite surging investment and leadership urgency.

Gallup’s findings frame this as a leadership challenge: organizations are moving ahead technologically while failing to prepare their people behaviorally and culturally. The onus, in their view, rests heavily on employers to equip, train, and guide teams through the transition.

But others see it differently.

In a January 2025 article, The National CIO Review argued that the real turning point won’t come from the C-suite, it must come from the workforce. Titled Adoption or Obsolescence, the article warns that waiting for perfect training or direction is no longer an excuse. In a world where AI is advancing regardless, employees themselves must take ownership, seek out AI fluency, and lead their own evolution, or risk being replaced by the very tools they resist.

And in some organizations, waiting isn’t an option. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, under CEO Nicolai Tangen, has taken a far more direct route: mandating AI adoption across the enterprise. Framing AI fluency as essential to remaining competitive, Tangen has seen early gains in productivity and issued a clear message to his workforce, adapt now, or risk falling behind.

His stance signals a future where AI isn’t just an innovation goal, but a professional expectation.

Why It Matters: AI won’t transform the workplace because of corporate strategies alone, it will succeed when employees choose to lead its adoption. While many organizations still struggle to provide clear direction, training, or cultural alignment, this gap creates an opportunity: employees can take the lead. Those who proactively explore, experiment, and apply AI, even without formal mandates, position themselves not just as adaptable, but as indispensable.

• Most Workers Still Haven’t Started Using AI: Gallup’s 2025 report reveals a startling engagement gap: only 9% of employees use AI daily, and two-thirds have never used it at all. Despite major corporate investments in AI, usage remains low, often due to a lack of visibility, training, or contextual relevance. Gallup frames this not just as a tech rollout issue, but a failure of cultural alignment and leadership readiness.

• A Clear AI Mandate: In a dramatic contrast to passive or optional adoption strategies, CEO Nicolai Tangen has made AI use mandatory across Norges Bank Investment Management. Early implementations have already led to a 15% productivity boost, validating the approach. Tangen’s directive reframes AI not as an innovation perk but as a core competency, something all professionals must now master to stay relevant.

• Culture, Not Just Capability, Determines Success: Gallup underscores that AI implementation lives or dies based on culture. Many employees remain unsure of how AI improves their jobs, or fear that it might replace them. Without a strong narrative about AI as an enabler rather than a threat, organizations risk adoption failure. True traction will require not just software, but storytelling.

• Managers Are the Missing Link, And Often Unprepared: Gallup’s data also reveals a foundational gap in management training: 44% of managers have received no formal development, yet they’re expected to lead AI transitions. These leaders play a vital role in modeling behavior, resolving resistance, and contextualizing technology. Equipping them with the tools and confidence to lead change is a non-negotiable if adoption is to scale.

• An Opportunity Exists: In The National CIO Review’s January 2025 article Adoption or Obsolescence, the message was unmistakable: the burden of action belongs to employees. Citing Slack’s Workforce Index, the article warned that those who delay engagement with AI risk becoming replaceable. TNCR challenged workers to stop waiting for direction and start learning, highlighting that initiative, not instruction, will determine who thrives in an AI-driven economy.

Go Deeper -> AI in the Workplace: Answering 3 Big Questions – Gallup

Norway Wealth Fund Chief Tells Staff That Using AI Is a Must – Bloomberg

Adoption or Obsolescence? – The National CIO Review