Editorial
Research Report
The ROI of Employee Experience
Despite the surge in AI investments, many enterprise generative AI initiatives still stall or fail to deliver expected results. Gartner predicts that through 2026, 60% of AI projects will be abandoned due to lack of AI-ready data, highlighting how technical gaps can derail even the most promising rollouts.
However, deficiencies in internal communication — such as unclear messaging and insufficient engagement — also create barriers by leaving employees unprepared or uncertain about AI’s purpose and benefits. According to the AvePoint 2025 AI Report, 64% of employees cite “lack of perceived value” as a top reason for stalled AI adoption. This signals a deeper disconnect: while leadership may have a clear vision for AI, employees don’t have a clear idea of how AI can benefit their day-to-day work. That gap can significantly delay rollouts and diminish ROI.
Internal communications is critical to AI adoption efforts. When leaders clearly articulate the purpose, expectations and impact of AI tools — and actively engage employees in the journey — adoption accelerates. Strong internal communications bridge the divide between strategy and execution, and foster trust, clarity and momentum across the organization.
How Internal Communications Helps Address Barriers to AI Adoption
Internal communications align employees with AI initiatives, particularly when introducing complex, unfamiliar tools. The impact is measurable: Grammarly’s 2024 State of Business Communication report found that effective internal communication increased job satisfaction for 58% of knowledge workers and improved team productivity for 64% of business leaders and 55% of employees. Perhaps most critically for AI adoption, 55% of employees reported higher confidence at work when communication improved — a key driver for embracing new technologies.
To bridge the gap between AI strategy and successful adoption, organizations must approach internal communications with intentionality and consistency. Here are three essential practices to guide your efforts:
1. Craft authentic, value-focused messaging that speaks to employees' daily work and pain points.
Generic announcements about "digital transformation" won't speak to your audience. Employees need to understand how AI directly addresses their specific challenges — whether that's automating repetitive tasks, improving decision-making or freeing up time for more meaningful work. Frame AI adoption around concrete benefits: "This tool will reduce the time you spend on data entry by 40%" resonates far more than abstract claims about innovation.
When employees see themselves in the narrative, they're more likely to engage with the technology.
Internal communications campaigns should tell the stories of AI power users within your organization. To do this, you can inject AI success stories into internal newsletters, intranet communications or town hall gatherings. Leaders should also organize internal support groups for people to share AI tips and best practices. This is a great way to socialize AI engagement as a positive development — something for employees to be excited about — rather than making it feel like a top-down mandate. We learned this first-hand at AvePoint during our successful M365 Copilot rollout (which Microsoft highlighted on its blog).
2. Use multi-channel, ongoing dialogue rather than one-way announcements to build trust and feedback loops.
AI adoption isn't a launch event; it's a journey that requires continuous conversation. Deploy a mix of communication channels: town halls for big-picture vision, team meetings for tactical guidance, digital collaboration platforms for peer-to-peer learning, and surveys to gather honest feedback. Create safe spaces where employees can voice concerns, ask questions and share their experiences without fear of judgment.
This two-way dialogue not only surfaces adoption barriers early but also demonstrates that leadership values employee input. When workers feel heard, they become active participants rather than passive recipients of change.
3. Walk the talk: Leaders must visibly champion AI adoption, modeling openness to technology and listening to concerns.
Nothing undermines AI initiatives faster than leadership that promotes AI publicly but avoids using it themselves. Executives and managers must be visible champions — sharing how they're using AI tools, discussing what they're learning and openly addressing challenges they encounter. Authenticity builds credibility and normalizes the learning curve that comes with new technology.
Leaders should also actively seek out employee concerns and respond thoughtfully, demonstrating that feedback shapes implementation decisions. When leaders model curiosity, adaptability and transparency, it creates psychological safety that encourages broader adoption throughout the organization.
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Communicate with Confidence
Internal communications isn't a nice-to-have — it's a strategic imperative for AI success. As organizations navigate the complexities of AI implementation, investing in clear, consistent and authentic communication strategies should be as fundamental as technical infrastructure. The path to overcoming adoption barriers begins with helping employees understand, engage with, and trust the change.
Editor's Note: Read more about creating the conditions to encourage AI adoption:
- Generative AI Adoption: Top Down or Bottom Up? — Grassroots experimentation and executive ambition are converging as organizations work to turn scattered generative AI use into strategic business impact.
- Why Your Most AI Savvy Employees Might Leave First — Recent research found AI enthusiasm correlates with retention risk. Here's what you can do to keep your AI-forward employees engaged.
- Why AI Adoption Requires a Focus on Culture — AI’s impact isn't inherent in the technology itself but in how it is deployed. Will it be a means to cut corners, or a catalyst for growth and innovation?
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