Adopted — or Just Installed?

The story: The board resolution was clear: AI adoption — top priority for Q3. One month later, she presented the results proudly. AI tool usage: up 300%. He stared at the screen. Where are the redesigned workflows? Just using AI tools isn't adoption. She had measured access and activity. He expected transformed processes. The board said "adoption" and got a spike in logins instead of a change in how work gets done.

What it means for organisations: "AI adoption" is the defining strategic priority of the moment — and one of the least defined. To some, adoption means people are using the tools. To others, it means workflows have been fundamentally redesigned around what AI makes possible. The first is activity. The second is transformation. When the board declares AI adoption a priority without specifying which version they mean, every department optimises for a different outcome — and the one that's easiest to measure wins, whether or not it's the one that matters.